A Genuine Infatuation and A Theorem for Love

Chapter 4

I gulped, this was absolutely horrendous. Paul passed me a look of concerned pity while Mom walked around the table to take her seat near Dad. I stared at the couple, the same query running laps in my head, how could they do this to me? Surely Mom possessed even a tiny soft corner towards me? And Dad - I thought he loved me very much.

"Sarah dear, has Bill fallen asleep?" Dad asked her, there was no mistakening in the affection he'd for Mom. Only Mom. I figured out only a few seconds back. The mere thought of it broke my heart, shredded it of emotion. I felt hollow within, like a caterpillar, no longer in its havenly cacoon.

"Yes honey," she replied. And then she looked up at me. I knew my face would appear empty, blank as a sheet. I didn't care, not any longer. "Linda. We've been wanting to discuss this with you beforehand... So, let us explain... this situation... before you could question or argue, alright?" She asked, smoothly. Dad offered a tiny smile my way. I didn't reply immediately, knowing my anger bubble would burst right away, thus, I slowly contemplated. Looking from Dad, to Mom, and then at Paul, I found my answer in the latter. He gave a slight nod, though the rest would not have noticed. I sighed and closed my eyes. 'They want me to get married'... my mind sadly registered. I nodded, "Okay...", for that was all I could answer back.

"Good girl. Alright Alex, why don't you let in the details and meanwhile Paul could fetch the tray of milk. Paul?" It was all said like a formal deal of some sort. I couldn't even bring tomorrow's test as a distraction to my foremind.

"Yes, Mom." He headed towards the kitchen. Dad's gaze never left mine. Dis-spirited, I chose to meet his watchful eyes. Only then, he decided to speak.

"Sweetheart..." he began. That was painful enough. "Let me explain from the very beginning," he paused, waiting for a response of any sort on my behalf. I nodded once again. "Okay, now you do remember this feud our people had sought with the Northerners that I've been trying to put off since the beginning of this month, right? Well, the Northerners... are a wealthy sort. They usually don't take lightly to interferences. Their ruler, Sir Francis, thus sent for me to resolve into a pact. I agreed... And it seemed, they were looking a bride for their son, Master Samuel. The proposals that had come so far, he informed me, were from families that sought wealth and title. He wanted someone, like... of our village, sincere and loyal..." he paused, glanced at Mom, who I mused, would take over. But thus far, it didn't make the slightest sense as to why I was to be prepositioned in this helpless situation.

"Linda, it isn't that we don't love you, which is something we very much do, indeed. It is merely your best interests we have at heart that has made us derive this decision. You are aware that you rarely mingle with anyone else other than family. So..." she dragged. What was she trying to imply? They were giving me in marriage to some Northerner due to my lack of socialisation? That was simply...

"What?! DAD! You can't do this to me! It's insane!" My anger was getting the best of me, I rose up from my seat, in the process of which the chair was thrown backwards. My pulse had quickened its pace and I could feel the commencing of a terrible promised headache that would follow shortly. Paul - I had forgotten in that short space of time that he knew.

"You all knew! And only now you choose to confide!" I didn't bother in their say to this, I was never going to accept it. Paul looked pale, but I didn't regret making him guilty of acknowledging this specific detail. Dad rose to his feet, too. Before he could attempt to speak even my name, I fled from the dining-room and bolted upstairs. Quickly locking the door behind me, I slid downwards, and let the tears freely flow. I remained in that stance, for how long, I don't remember. My eyelids heavy with sleep due to crying gradually began to droop...

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I was in the middle of an examination, great was my determination to score high and enter college. I was answering Question four when an announcement was about to be made, the Vice-Principal's voice echoed from every speaker at school. Moments as these called for attention, I put my pen down to listen. 

"Ms. Linda Alexander, please come over to the Office, immediately," she announced. Unless I had heard it wrongly, was it me they had requested for right now? The secretive glances everyone passed me from all around the class made me no longer doubt myself.  

"Ahm... Shouldn't you be leaving now?" The examiner asked with annoyance. 

"Ye..Yes Sir," I stammered, and hurriedly gathered my belongings. The minute I exited the classroom I made a quick detour to the Office using one of the many shortcut passages at school. I was there, at the ground floor, in less than a nano-second, perhaps, but the sight before me left my mouth gaping wide open. 

"Mom? Dad?" 

I woke up, confused.