"Hello, Arabella."
Even though I've only ever heard that deep, calm voice over the phone, I would recognize it anywhere.
"Luca," I acknowledge as I meet the stunning, yet vicious gaze of my fiance.
"I would say it's lovely to finally meet you in p...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Location: The Dunn home, New Jersey, USA
***
Over the next few days, I considered my options when it came to escaping.
I had broken the news to my cousins and they had been almost as outraged as I was. They were also more than willing to help and that's how we ended up sitting in Nagasi's room, brainstorming for hours.
"Well I think you should join a nunnery," suggested Aiko. She had her hands placed on her hips and looked as if she had came up with the brightest idea.
"Uh... no," I deadpanned while throwing her a quick side-eye. Her sister merely raised an eyebrow and shook her head.
"Why would she join a nunnery, Aiko? She's not even religious and I doubt she would even be able to fake it," Nagasi said before rolling her pretty blue eyes. Her sister was always coming up with the strangest ideas. Even though they were never really the best, her wacky ideas always made her a little more lovable.
"Exactly! That's why no one would ever think to look for her there," Aiko said with a bright smile. The smile seemed to make her dark eyes sparkle and helped to draw attention away from the dark circles under them. She's having trouble sleeping again.
"That's not a bad idea, Aiko. At least, it wouldn't be if it wasn't for the fact that I'm trying to escape having to devote my life to a strange man. I doubt I would be much happier devoting it to an intangible one..." I sighed. This brainstorming was not going well at all.
"Rob a bank?" Aiko tried again. When we didn't bother to acknowledge her new plan, she pouted before saying, "I'll take that as a no. I've always wanted to rob a bank though." She looked so disappointed, I couldn't help but laugh.
I had already told my cousins of how my first choice of escape would be to travel, like I had originally planned to before my sudden engagement. However, like me, they too had been oblivious to where I would get the money for that.
"I still think that travelling would be my best option. Maybe we should be brainstorming where to get the money instead?" I suggested once more. It was crappy enough that I was being forced to leave my home and my family; maybe it wouldn't be as bad if I was doing something I had always wanted to.
"Maybe you could sell your truck?" suggested Aiko. I couldn't help but to gasp in indignation.
"That's my baby! I could never!" I exclaimed. My white G Wagon was one of my most prized possessions. I had grown very attached to it over the last two years. My father had gifted it to me for my 16th birthday and although selling it would both spite him and provide the money I needed, I loved that truck too much.
"Not to mention that we need that money before Sunday evening. There aren't many people who have that kind of cash on such short notice and also are in the market for a used luxury truck," Naga inputted, wisely. Aiko nor myself had considered the fact that not everyone had that kind of money, but Naga, always being smart and thoughtful, did.
