Just another high school romance. This can't be good...

"Don't even think about looking at me creep," you said quickly as you passed him in the living room and made your way to sit down. As soon as you were sitting you buried your face in your hands to keep everyone from learning of your embarrassment. There would only be questions that you couldn't answer and you'd die if you had to tell them the truth. *If I just lay low for now and get this over with it'll be over in no time and I can go back to my normal life.* It was a plan. Unfortunately tonight’s events wouldn't let you get away that easily...

Everyone was sitting down now at the dinner table, Brent beside you. You couldn't even glance sideways at him after he had seen you. You felt so helpless... *I was only in a towel... why is that such a big deal? It's not. I'm not going to let him get to me...* "Brent?"

Brent looked over at you and smirked. "Yeah?"

Your resolve hardened. *He's so smug... I wish I could punch him...* "Oh just making conversation. That seems to be the point of this night... God knows why..."

"You heard what they said... old family friends. It's not like they were trying to set us up or something." He started laughing as if the thought of him being with you was a ridiculous idea.

You went along with it although not quite the way he was thinking. "You're right. My parents surely wouldn't torture me like that. I mean me being with you? That is funny." You laughed yourself now and Brent had fallen silent as if what you said had offended him. But wasn't he the one who had just been laughing? You felt satisfied with making him feel bad and ate your food in quiet victory as it came.

"tap, tap, tap"

You rolled your eyes as your father tapped his glass as if he were going to make a speech or something. This surely was not such an occasion for a speech... "I have a little announcement to make," He began, looking slightly uncomfortable as his gaze fell on you and Brent and he began to address the both of you. "As you both know our families have been friends for a long time. And there is something we thought would be in both of your interests. If you got married..."

Instantly you were frozen. *Married...? To that guy...?* You couldn't look at him to see his reaction being too lost in your own turmoil. *My life... is over... What am I going to do...?*

"What the hell?" Brent shouted angrily, rising from his seat. "No freaking way I'm marrying that ungrateful little-"

"Brent Floyd Wofford, you sit down immediately!" His mother scolded and grumbling he sat down in his chair, pulling it away from you as if you had some kind of disease.

Hearing the yelling you awoke from your frozen state and were angry as well. "I'm not marrying that pervert! He tried to see me naked just an hour ago!"

Brent's father roughly pulled Brent out of his chair. "Is that true?!"

"No! Why the hell would I want to see HER naked?!" He argued glaring at you. You knew fully well that it was an accident, but you were desperate to get out of this situation.

"He's lying, daddy," you fake cried into your hands. "He's a disgusting creep who only wants me for sex! Don't make me marry him!"

"That's enough!" Your own mother spoke up now above everyone else and things suddenly got very quiet. "You two are going to explain what happened calmly."

You sighed and hung your head. "Ok, ok. It was an accident. I got out of the shower and he walked in on me wearing a towel. I just didn't think you'd make me marry him if you thought he was a creep..."

"Is that true?" Brent's father asked him in a very serious tone.

"Yeah..." He mumbled sitting back down in his chair.

You looked over in surprise to see your father was now laughing only to be joined by the other parents in the room. You didn't see what was so funny... but apparently something was.

"You two are going to make a very... interesting couple," your father said as soon as the laughter had died off.

"You can't be serious," you said shocked and hoping this was all a joke. "I mean... he has a girlfriend."

Brent jumped up from his chair. "Yeah I have a girlfriend and-"

"You'll have to break up with her," his mother said softly. "We know this is hard... but it is for the best."

So that was it. You were getting married to the one guy you seemingly hated. Hot as he was his personality was lacking and the thought of spending the rest of your life with him was a horrifying prospect. Brent on the other hand wasn't as opposed to this arrangement as he acted to be. He liked you... he just couldn't let you know. He was planning on breaking up with Kali anyway so this was too perfect.

Looking at you though he knew the same thought was not in your mind. You seemed so angry and hurt... and he wanted to comfort you in some way, but all he could do now was pretend to hate you.

"You can't make me do this," you crossed your arms over your chest in defiance. "I refuse."

"Ariana," you father spoke sternly now. "This is for the best. You will do it and there will be no more discussing it. Do you understand?"

*I won't... I won't..." You thought and tears welled up in your eyes. Not wanting them to see you crying you ran from the dining room to your own room and fell on your bed crying. *I can't believe they would do this to me... what did I ever do to deserve this?* You cried until no tears were left and snuggling up with Dagon soon fell asleep.

*the next day...*

You woke up with your head pounding and your face dry and itchy with dryed tears. After taking a shower and getting dressed you mentally prepared yourself for school and facing Brent. *Ok... Just because they say I have to marry him doesn't mean I have to be with him in school... I can at least avoid him there... I'll barely even have to be around him at all. I can do this...* So you knew what you were doing and walking into school you were greeted by Nick who looked at you worriedly.

"Hey, Ari..." he said slowly. "You ok? You look... like you don't feel well."

You smiled as brightly as you could and let him lead you to your locker. "I'm fine. Just didn't sleep well I guess."

He bought it and leaned against the locker beside you. He looked so cute with his hair falling in front of his eyes. "Well, I have to get to class early, but you can find your way to English right?"

"Sure can," you said cheerfully and watched him walk away.

You took all the books you needed for your first periods and turned around only to bump right into Brent's chest. "Listen," he said not even trying to help steady you or say he was sorry. How rude... "I know we have this whole arranged marriage thing, but I'm keeping my girlfriend, like it or not. Got it?"

For some reason that statement really pissed you off. He was so rude... so blunt... but looking at Nick still walking away you smiled. "Fine by me... I'm going out with someone else now anyway."

Brent didn't like his girlfriend... and he was only going to stay with her a few more days to make you jealous. But the thought of you being with someone else... and liking them instead of him... it made him furious. But instead of letting you know he just walked away yelling over his shoulder, "Fine!"

The rest of the day was very uneventful and droned on like nothing else. Finally you were at your locker getting your things ready to go when Nick stopped by. "Hey, sexy," he smiled taking your things. "How about a ride home?"

"That'd be great," you smiled and took his arm as you noticed Brent watching the two of you.

Brent growled low in his throat as he watched the two of you walk away. He hated that guy more than anything he had ever known...

"You ready to go, baby?" Kali asked trying to pull Brent into a kiss.

Brent looked down at her and then back to you. "Kali, it's over between me and you."

Kali stopped and looked at him unbelieving. "What? No I don't think so. No one breaks up with me."

"I just did," Brent said pulling away from her and walking to his truck to drive to your house.

"I hope you have a nice time," your mother said as you walked out the door, thinking you were going on a date with Brent. But in truth Nick had asked you out and so you were really going with him, but what your mother didn't know wouldn't hurt her.

"I will," you reassured and closed the door to wait. You rolled your eyes and crossed your arms over your chest again seeing Brent pull up in the driveway. "What do you want?"

"You can't go out with Nick," he said running up to you. "He's not the kind of guy you want to get involved with."

"Says you," you sniped back and tried to walk away from him. "And shouldn't you be with Kali right now?"

But he grabbed your arm and forced you to face him. "Listen to me. I know what he does to girls. And I broke up with her. She's... not my type."

"car honking noise"

You looked over to the black car and knew it was Nick. Roughly pulling your arm away from Brent you began to walk away. "Sucks to be you."

"Ariana just take this," he handed you a piece of paper with his phone number on it. "Just incase."
Rolling your eyes you took the paper and jumped into Nick's car, ready for your big date. Little did you know that Nick wasn't exactly the prince charming you had thought him to be...