Love Story

Chapter 15

Valleri woke the next morning to a knock on her door. She turned over and frowned when she realized she was alone. Had last night been a dream?

"Valleri!" It was Tessa, "Are you awake yet? You need to start getting dressed"

Valleri groaned putting her pillow over her head. "Go away Tessa"

She heard the door open and pulled her covers up around her, realizing she wasn't wearing any clothes, which definitely meant last night wasn't a dream.

"Val! Get up!"

She lifted her pillow. "Don't call me that"

"Where did you go last night?"

"What's it matter to you?" She asked into the pillow.

Tessa pulled the pillow down off her face and Valleri covered her eyes. The daylight was like knives stabbing her pupils

"Have a bit too much last night?"

"Not nearly enough"

"Parker give you those?" Tessa asked gesturing to the fresh marks on her neck.

Valleri glared at her. "What do you think?"

"I think you need to remember who it is you're marrying today Val"

"Don't call me Val," she said as she sat up in bed pulling the sheet around herself. "And I think what I do is nobody's business but my own"

Valleri got up from the bed and noticed the rose sitting on the windowsill. She picked it up with her fingers bringing it to her nose. She smiled to herself, setting the flower down on her desk.

"What's this?" Valleri turned to see Tessa holding up the piece of glass Valleri had brought up the night before.

"A piece of glass"

"Why is it up here?"

"Why do you care Tessa? You're here to help me get dressed, if you're not going to then get out"

Tessa pulled the dress off the back of the door, laying it on the bed and unzipping the bag.

Valleri sighed as she stepped into the dress, pulling it up around herself.

"You know you can still walk away Valleri."

Valleri shook her head as Tessa zipped the gown closed. "No, I can't. Daddy made sure of that"

"It's your life Valleri, not his, not Parker's, yours"

"Tell someone who cares Tessa, and when you find them send them my way"

Valleri stood in front of the mirror and pinned her hair back before quickly doing her makeup, she didn't really care what she looked like.

She spent the afternoon walking around in her dress.

"Valleri"

She turned to see Daddy coming down the steps and rolled her eyes.

"Everyone is waiting for you Princess, it's time"

Valleri sighed. "Daddy, please don't make me do this"

He took her hand leading her back to the house.

"Daddy, don't ignore me, I don't love Parker, I don't want to marry him"

"You'll learn to love him Princess"

She just rolled her eyes knowing this fight was pointless. Valleri let herself be led through the house to the backyard. She could hear the music floating up through the air, and then the sound of everyone standing from their chairs.  She didn't look up until she was a quarter of the way down the aisle and even then she only did it because Daddy was squeezing her hand so hard it hurt.