Love Is A Beautiful Word

Ch 2 : Announcement

After ballet practice , my driver drops me to school. I get off right outside the building and thank my driver.
I go this prestigious high school called 'Worth Marshall'. The good thing about this school is that it accepts any grades , whether its high grade or low.

When I enter my classroom , I walk to my seat which is at the back of the room. As I sit down ,  Erika and her gang glance at me.
I start to hear whispers and giggles.
"Look at her , she thinks she's so pretty"
"I swear , her mother was so full of herself according my mum ".
"She's probably a bitch like her mum" These idiots have nothing better to talk about except  crap. Erika and her gang used to go the the same ballet lessons as me but my father decided to have me private lessons , I remember how they used to give me such an evil look as I would demonstrate some moves.

Time skip

After school I head to my locker and gather my things. As I'm walking in the hallway my phone rings. I take my phone out of my blazer pocket and answer it.
" Good evening papa "
"Good evening my dear , today driver Lewis will not pick you up" my father says casually.
" Why not ? " I say a bit surprised.
" Because you will be dropped off with John to our Mansion "
" But why ???"
" we have an important discussion to make " my father says in a serious tone.
" okay" I say a bit worried and confused.

I end the call and as I am about to walk off, someone calls my name.
I turn around and I see John right behind me.
"Good evening Rose" He says in a posh tone.
"Good evening John".
John is the Son of a very wealthy business man who is a friend of my father. I grew up with John but I would never consider him as a friend because he's not actually a nice person , he's just as annoying as those other rich kids.

He was very bossy and over powering and critisize every single thing I used to do. He is very sexist like his father and has no respect for women.
" Let's go " he say as he walks right past me ; I follow behind him.

As we enter the lounge , John's parents and my father including my step mother are sitting on the sofa.
There are 2 sofas facing opposite each other and there is the fancy wide cushion stool positioned on the right side of the 2 sofas and on the middle so that we can face our parents.

We both sit on the cushion stool and face our parents. The tension in the air is making me uncomfortable.
My father starts to speak.
"Rose and John , you are both grown up now and your both young adults ". My father stands up and faces us.
"For the development for both your father's and my company , we have decided , both John's parents and me would like both of you to get engaged"

When I hear him say this , my heart stops. This is so sudden. He wants me to get engaged to someone I don't even love for business?! This is utterly ridiculous!
John seems like he's fine with it because I don't see any expression of disagreement.

I shoot up from my seat. They all look at me a little startled.
"Father , this is absurd!" I yell.
My father widens his eyes at me.
"you can't choose my husband for me , and I'm too young to get married!"
" You're not getting married now , you're  getting engaged and when you are 20 years of age you will get married eventually"
"I will not proceed in this business father!" I yell again , my hands clenched into fists.
"How disrespectful you are " John's mother exclaims. I give her a dirty look.

I walk out of the lounge exasperated. First my father gets married to a stupid bitch! And now he wants me to get engaged to John who doesn't even respect women! What on earth is gotten into him? He changed so much after mother's death and it really hurts me. I wish my life wasn't so hard.

I feel my eyes grow warm. I think I'm going to cry , I don't want to cry , I will look weak. I look up at the seiling trying to suck in my tears.