The girl under the willow tree

[Four]

Lianna POV

"WHAT! I- I am marrying her," I looked at my dad who was still smiling.

"DAD! What the hell," Emery said at the same time.

My dad just looked at me then at Emery,

"We will sort out the details but everyone just enjoy themselves." He led me of stage following Emery and her father.

As soon as we were out of earshot Emery started shouting at her dad,

"What the fuck dad, why did you do that. You didn't even talk to us!"

"Emery calm down, we weren't sure you would agree to it if we asked," he said in a calm voice,

"Dad I- ," I started

"Lianna we didn't have a choice, I know it's not fair," my dad said quickly.

I nodded and looked at Emery, she had calmed down, almost.

(Time skip)

Emery POV

It had been about a day since the announcement it was Monday, I sat at the lunch table looking out the window at Lianna, she had a book open in her lap but she wasn't reading it, she looked sad, she probably was her freedom was being stripped away.

I kinda blacked out for a minute but the next thing I knew I was walking towards her. She must've been deep in thought because she didn't hear me approach,

"Hey," I said after a while so it wasn't awkward if she looked up.

She looked up but she didn't say anything, she didn't even smile.

"Can I sit?" I looked at the space across from her,

"Sure," she looked back down at her book, again not reading.

"So what are you reading?" I looked at her

She didn't reply, she just looked up at me.

"Are you ok with this marriage?" She asked looking back down.

"Honestly, I don't know, I was mad but it's different now, at least now I understand why it has to happen. I guess I kinda wanted to ask you out and get to know you more, instead of having an arranged marriage." I look down at the grass.

"Why?" I didn't really know what she meant, I had always been mesmerised by her and everything she did, but she never knew.

"It's too hard to explain, I guess I have liked you for a while and want to ask you out" I still didn't look up, I didn't want to look her in the eyes.

"Why didn't you?" I looked up at her and smiled.

"I was scared, I thought you would think I was an idiot,"

"I wouldn't've thought you were an idiot," she smiled, "I don't want to get married though, I don't know what my dad was thinking. He's always been so understanding of me not really dating. This has nothing to do with you, I kind of like just being my own person and not pushed into place by other people." I nodded knowing that she would accept this less than I did. I didn't really know how to respond to this so I looked back down at the grass.

"I have a question," I said after a while in silence.

"Ok," she looked at me intrigued, ok, I just need to ask her out or something.

"Uh," almost there, "why do you always sit under this tree?" Damn it, I was so close.

"It's nice, even in winter. I get to see the seasons take affect because I'm sitting in the same spot everyday so i notice if it's changed a little." She smiled, "but mainly because I can see you from here," I must of looked confused because she giggled and pointed to the window where all my friends were watching us.

"Wait, what," I couldn't quite get it, has she been watching me this whole time I've literally been stalking her. She rolled her eyes and closed her book, she sat right in front of me and looked into my eyes. After a while she smiled and stopped, "wait, I like you, but do you like me?" I said still quite confused. She sat back leaning against the huge trunk of the willow tree we were both almost covered by.

"Yes, Hinesfield I like you to."