Damien's attraction

Prologue

May, 2013

October picked up the wedding dress that was laying on the vanity table. She sighed and turned to look at her mum and aunt who were sitting behind her in her dressing room.

"What?" Ayomide, her aunt, rudely asked and then clapped her hands thrice.She tapped the other woman. "Adesuwa, look at your daughter, she has now become shy to dress in front of us." Ayomide said but Adesuwa, who was October's mother remained quiet.

October sighed and unzipped the dress and began to wear it with her towel still tied to her body.

"See you," Ayomide hissed, "You better be careful while squeezing that dress on your body before you squeeze the remaining shape of your body away."

October shook her head at her aunt's statement. For a woman who was half-caste, from a rich family, married to a millionaire and owned a hotel and boutique, she sure talked like someone who was brought up in the village.
October's mum and aunt were two of the richest women in Nigeria, both of them being Edos from their father's side and British from their mother's.

Adesuwa helped her to zip up the dress after she had worn it.

"At least smile," Adesuwa told October, "It's your wedding day."

"I'm eighteen mum. No one would smile if they were forced to marry a stranger at age eighteen. I just got into the university."October whined.

"He's not a stranger."

"Him being Aunty Claudia's son isn't helping. I've talked to him only twice before. I don't know anything about him." October said.

"It's for your own good, so you can have a secure future." Adesuwa said.

"Or so that dad's business won't go down?" October asked and Adesuwa sighed. "You don't need to lie to me, I know why dad is doing this, what this marriage means. There's nothing to be scared of. He's just too greedy that he wants me to be part of the Ekwegh family. Igbo men are all the same."

"Then stop complaining.Tell him you don't want to marry." Ayomide said.

October looked at her aunt like she was crazy.
She, October Obiakor, tell her father no?
It was like she was signing her death certificate.

Just then, the huge brown doors to her dressing room opened and her three brothers walked in with her best friend.

"You three."Ayomide pointed at October's twin brother, Aaron, and the two younger twins, Leslie and Lawrence. "Don't you know you're not supposed to be here in a girl's dressing room, or have your ancestors used chewing gum to block your eyes?" Ayomide asked.

"Aunty please, what does she have to hide?" Lawrence asked. He and Leslie began to laugh. "Her flat chest?"

Stephanie, October's friend went to help her with her hair. The stylists had come in too to help get October ready for the wedding.

"Just in case you're wondering, the answer's yes. Ebube is coming for the wedding." Stephanie whispered to October. October's eyes widened.Ebube would be so devastated. He was the one she liked, not Damien Ekwegh. "And guess what? Everyone from school's going to be there too." Stephanie continued.

October felt like the ground should just open up and swallow her at that moment. She shivered as the cold golden pendant being worn on her came in contact with her skin.

****************

The limousine stopped in front of the Church. The chauffeur alighted and then opened the door for Adesewa who was the first to climb down. The chauffeur helped October out while Ayomide alighted from the other car behind theirs with Stephanie who ran to help October hold up her dress. October's palms became sweaty as she looked at the Church, while they waited for her father's car to show up.