Marriage with 'The Beast'

PART 1 - Prologue - Single.

PROLOGUE

Dear Diary,

Hey.

I'm Sarah.

Twenty-two.

Single.

Student at V.C.U (University).

I'm writing an entry in this diary because it's time for my gorgeous older sister, Vanessa to get married. No, not love marriage, arranged. You see it's a family tradition. If we don't find true love by the age of twenty-one, we get married to the person our parents pick. Thank goodness that I'm in university, which made my parents decide to wait till after I graduate to think about marriage. It's not that my parents are overly strict or anything, they've just grown up with this tradition and believe it. And we've been brought up to believe it too. Naturally, we were allowed to date and stuff just had to make sure not get too 'intimate'. So no sex. Which is actually a lot harder to do in this day and age.

When I was younger, I remember my mom telling me fairy tale stories that led me to believe that everyone had to get married at twenty... but that's obviously not true.

Apparently, from what my dad has told me, this tradition started eleven generations ago and all of the couples have never been divorced except for one. And no one talks about that one couple because that's known as the shame, shame couple. The black dot in our past, that no one wants to become.

Now, my sister and I are apart of the twelfth generation, and we don't plan on being that one other couple that had separated. Which is also quite difficult. No one wants to go through a divorce, but now, it seems as if it's becoming more and more common.

Anyways, Vanessa just finished university, six months ago. She's dated before... although they didn't go too well. Her relationships always ended after a few weeks. Her longest relationship lasted about two months. Also, her choices weren't the best, to be perfectly honest. Each guy had something incredibly weird, or wrong with them. Now, when she's twenty-five, she's decided to settle down with someone our parents choose. She's sure they'll pick the right partner for her.

After hearing her choice and reasoning, my parents happily went searching for guys everywhere. Trying to find someone who looks good, has a good job, family, and house. Which is near to impossible. Not for our parents though, of course.

Finally, after searching for over four months they've picked five guys. We've met two of them, they were nice. But not her type. We'll meet guy number three and his family tomorrow when we go for dinner. I wonder if he's the one!

I'm excited for Vanessa, but honestly, I personally don't know how I feel about the entire ordeal. I guess I might just have a different view on the entire marriage concept. I believe that it'll just happen when it happens, but it also makes sense to have someone wise arrange dinner with someone they think you would be good with. Call me undecided, confused, or young. Either way, I think that the best way to stay away from divorce is to not get married at all.   

I guess we'll have to wait and watch or read what happens ahead. 

(Picture of Sarah)

~Author's Note~
You will notice that the writing style and such changes throughout the story. This is because this story has been a work in progress for over three years. I stopped a while back, but have recently started again and am giving quick updates. So hang in there, it will improve!

P.S - The entire story isn't based on the character's diary.