Secrets Of River Valley

Chapter 33

          "Okay, come again" She asked in confusion, looking at the girl sitting before her with her head in her hands. Her sister sat by her side, lost in her own world. It's been three hours since they had escaped, it was practically two in the morning but they were all wide awake.

        Scared of the thought of waking up in the small room once again as if they've never left. Or maybe that was just Azaya being paranoid.

       "His name is Jeremiah" Anaya replied absent-mindedly, gazing ahead at the purple lilies decorating the enchanted garden. "He was a family friend, a..and-" 

       "An my ex fiance" Azaya interrupted, finishing Her sisters sentence. Mist's mouth hang open while Pam wore a face of confusion. They weren't sure how to feel about this information. Mist most of all. The words of Azaya ringing in her mind. And the thought of one of their many conversations.

       "Do you have a boyfriend" mist asked. Azaya froze chocking on her noodles, dropping her chopsticks in the box.

         "Oh dare" Mist jumped up, patting Azaya's back to calm her coughing. After her coughing subsided, Azaya slowly gasped for air, gazing over at the girl trying to kill her. "I'm guessing that's a no" Mist chuckled unsurely and awkwardly.

          "Am.., no, none" Azaya told her, in all honesty.

         Mist thought for sure she was telling the truth of never having a boyfriend before. She seemed so genuine about it. How could she have lied about that.

        "But you said you've never dated before" Mist said, a bit baffled that her newly found best friend had probably lied to her. Azaya clasped her hands over her ears with her elbows resting on her knees.

           "Jeremiah and I have never dated. It was an arranged marriage. My mother owed people, very dangerous people. She couldn't repay them, so they choose to arrange a marriage between Anaya and Jeremiah" she began to elaborate.  Remember how it all went down.

   Flashback

    "Mother please, you can't do that. Anaya is too young-" Azaya cried, but before she could finish a large hand connected with her right cheek. Harlem, her supposed father stood before her foaming.

      "Harlem-" her mother tried, but she stopped herself from continuing, knowing it'll be best if she did. Watching as he took dangerous steps towards her daughter.

        "You will keep your damn mouth shut little girl, are suffer the consequences." Harlem yelled, spit flying from his mouth to her face due to their close proximity. Azaya flinched, looking down at her old tore flip flops. She knew what he would do, and what he was capable of.

         "Sorry" she mumbled, but soon regretted it once it slipped pass her lips. Harlem growled in disgust, grabbing her arm and pulled her towards the basementl door. Sealing her lips as to not squeal from the sized rodent's rushing about.

        "You don't know how sorry your going to be" he hissed, pushing her onto the damp floor filled with dried blood and rodent fesses.

              Flashback paused

       "He held me down and beat me" Azaya cried, now cradled up in Mist's embrace. Heavy tears cascading down her cheeks, her body shaking remembering the sound of the whip making contact with her skin. Pam sat there dumbfounded. How could a man, are a parent for that matter, put his hand on a child.

         "He abused you" Pam spat, clutching her fist tightly. Watching as Anaya's flushed lifting her blouse to reveal a wailed mark just beneath her breast. Pam growled at the sight, 'how dare he place his hand on what mine'  her eyes widen at what crossed her mind. Quickly looking away from them. Why would she think that.

        "But I still don't understand" Mist said, trying to push away the thought of hunting and hurting that trash called a man.

         "The day after, Jeremiah and his family came to our house to finalize the marriage arrangements"

  Flashback continue

       Azaya sighed, pulling the freezer door open and took out the chocolate bar she had brought home from school. She was about to open the file wrapper from around the chocolate bar when a voice interrupted her causing her to quickly hide her chocolate.

         "What is a beauty like you doing in here" the voice said, snapping in the direction of the voice. She saw a guy standing there, six foot five with tanned skin. His nose and cheeks covered with freckles matching with his dark brown eyes. "Where's my manners, I'm Jeremiah Simpson"

        "Azaya" I smiled politely, looking down at the marble counter top separating us.

      End of flashback

        "My father was angry when he found Jeremiah in the kitchen talking to me. I'm not sure how, but Jeremiah convinced my parents to put me in Anaya's place as his bride. At first I thought highly of him, thinking it'll be like a novel of great love that'll happen during marriage" she began to sob, tears streaming down Anaya's cheeks. "But after awhile, he became abusive, and obsessive. He'd hit me for no reason when we're alone, touch me inappropriately, and...and-" her lips quiver, remembering his acidic touch, burning her body in the worse way imaginable.

        "He what" Mist Gritted out angrily, clutching her fist.

         "I'm going to fucking kill him" Pam yelled angrily, pushing herself up and stormed off, foaming.