lle'

getting married, dammit. I stared at my reflection in the mirror situated at the right end of my room; ivory coloured tweed skirt and blouse, pearl earrings and a simple pearl necklace with low heeled pumps. Heck, I even packed my hair in a bun and pasted on a

pdated my friends, Hannah and Zaya, about the marriage thing earlier, but my explanation was cut short by my mother announci

thout knocking, not even bothering to pause at the threshold, her heavy,

chin upward roughly, her nails digging in a little too hard. "I have told you to get a new set of makeup kits.

d from me trying to hold a polite smile

erent with you?" She said, still examining me, her lips curling in a disappointed

o shape me into another Sarah Alonso. It is always another 'you don't look good in this' or 'no, this is wrong'

o much worse la

t worry, everything will go well tonight." I smoothed my blouse, the rou

" my mother countered. "You are not getting younger anymore, Camille. Look at your si

are a lot of good men out there that I

other snapped, walking out the door and leaving it wide ope

ed. Everything about them screamed superior, the heavy weight of thei

80's with sharp, assessing eyes, Peter Montgomery and his wife whom seemed to love the way my mother was fawning

ing my thoughts on cue, his voice dry like old paper. "I hope you

plain." My father smiled, his posture insta

h." Elder Montgomery interjected. "By the way, we would be f

My mother smiled brightly, tucking her freshly manicured h

be rude to start dinner if our grandson

my family lower themselves like this. A man who wants to propose a marriage is late, even if

e been friends for a very long time before our relationship became estranged due to some misconceptions. But before the estrangement, we made a promise to each other that we would keep our bond closer by making sure at least o

ing painfully thin. "How much more could we have resolved our issues before he died? Or even at least sit down to h

end. Which is why I have decided to take it upon myself to fulfil our promise because I owe it to hi

ching. But is this the

randfather that much, but I know he was a man of honour and character, much more than my father. He had loved taking me to the sea when I was younger, lettin

"sir" word, a bead of sweat catching the light on his temple. "Thank you for deciding to honour my father. I'm mor

well. And we had our issues just right after you were born," Elder Montg

der Montgomery asked his son, Pet

his way, Father," Mr Peter stuttere

hurry up!" Elder

e necessary,

on of that voice, the hairs

accent that made my toes curl instant

is

he tennis cour

e eyes that roamed around the people in the living room with absolute, predat

et in? Did h

d up so fast his chair scraped loudly against the marble floor, walking tow

, Mr Alonso." He answered, his voice completely neutral

reason as to why we are here?" His stare bro

that? Does he perhaps remember our

completely missing the heavy current now growing i

exterior. "You would like to discuss an arranged marriage durin

d for the second time today, looki

didn't blink. He stared directly at me again, sliding his left hand casually int

ucking her golden hair behind her right ear in a move I recognised as calculated shyness. A dazzli

lyn off cold, not even sparing her a single glance,

ter's brows became slightly furrowed, her confidence flickering as she t

you are not my future bride. I'm get

if he has not just doused my sister's dream of

rried to your

ster, n

sis

xact same time, the sound bouncing harshly off the hig

ontgomery looked smoothly between my fat

ed off whatever frantic protests both Caitlyn and I had rising in our throats. H

Camille and Malakai." Elder Montgomery stood up, my father leading the

wants to get married to me instead of Caitlyn; there has to be a catastrophic mix-up somewhere, a cruel joke I haven't figured out yet. I am the damaged goods, the

o idea of who he actuall

he way he watched me like a hawk, I sure as hell knew o