The Forced Marriage (SHORT STORY)

Having to leave it all

Graces' POV

I lied in my bed trying to close my eyes but only having bad dreams when I did so I kept my eyes open and cried and never stopped. My phone began to go off the hook so after about the third text I picked it up and seen the three messages in a row.

Hey Grace how has it been?

Oh it's Finley LOL sry I should have told you in the first text. So have your parents told you yet? Crazy. Right? Why should they get to choose?

Oh I stole your number from the files at my fathers office. I'm sry. Are you asleep? Do you want to have lunch tomorrow? I can pick you up. I'm sry about your dad this is all because of my fathers stupidity!

I began to cry even more knowing this was the man I was going to have to marry. I'm going to have to do more than have lunch with him in the future so I should stop being a child and do it. I quickly replied back.

It's fine. It totally does suck. This is not how I pictured myself getting married. I guess you can pick me up for lunch. You know the school? Yeah it's the same old one. 12:20 sound good?

I plugged my phone in and sat it on the side table. I took a deep breath and decided to take a quick bath to calm my nerves. I got out of the bed and walked to the bathroom turning the water on steaming hot. I stripped of my clothes and slowly lied in the water. I lied in the bed for about an hour when my eyes closed and it all went black.

"Grace? Wake up honey." I shot up and water splashed around me. I shot my head up and seen my mom holding a towel. "Hun you fell asleep in the tub." She laughed.

"Yeah I guess I did. I'm sorry. I just needed to calm my nerves."

"It's fine. I understand. Listen about this whole..."

I cut her off, "mom I know can we just not talk about it. I'm really tired and I'm just gonna go change and go to bed." I said taking the towel she had and getting out walking to my room.

"Okay honey I love you. See you in the morning." She said waving as she straightened the bathroom up and leaving the light on going back to her room closing the door.

I sighed at how hard she always tried for our family and how hard all of this must be for them. I began to cry realizing how I had treated them earlier today when I found out the news. I got out of my bed and walked to my parents room across the hall and softly knocked on the door. I walked in and seen my mom looking up to see what the matter was.

"Mama..."

"Come lay down..." She said scripting over for room in the middle for me to lie.

I climbed in the bed from the end and crawled up lying down and pulling the blanket over me.

"I love you Gracie... I really do." My mother said holding me to her chest and humming a lullaby. I fell asleep in her arms and didn't wake up till morning.

"GRACIE JANE MATHEWS! Bring your happy ass down those stairs and eat your breakfast for your mother!"

I groaned kicking the blankets off of me and stomping the stairs.

"Know that better not be your stopping down the stairs Grace..." My father said walking into the entrance with the morning paper and his coffee still in his pajamas.

"Sorry... Anything good in there?"

"No... Nothing what so ever." He said his good mood disappearing.

"It's fine dad. You will find something." I said walking to the table and beginning to eat my pancakes and chocolate milk.

"Is it good?" My mom asked walking in and sitting beside me.