I Never Dreamt Because I'm Just Too Busy

Things were awkward between Marco and me, and I only had myself to thank for that. I wasn’t good at talking to boys, let alone the attractive ones.

I’ll give him credit though. Despite how little I allowed myself to talk, he wasn’t getting aggravated by it. He didn’t exactly know how to get me to talk, but that didn’t stop him from trying. In all of that attempted conversation somewhere along the line I actually admitted to him just how attractive he was. To which he laughed a thank you. Then I blushed because I hadn’t exactly planned to let that out.

“Why the blush?” Marco chuckled.

“Because I never say the right things.”

“That’s not true, you’re just a bit awkward because you don’t know me.”

“That, and you’re incredibly attractive.” I mumbled in a tone that I thought he wouldn’t hear.

Apparently he had, because Marco threw his head back in laughter. “Thanks. You’re not too bad yourself.”

The fading blush became prominent again.

“I take it you’re not good with compliments then?”

“Er, no. It’s not that I don’t appreciate them, it’s like I hardly ever get them, so I’m not sure I de…I mean, I’m not sure exactly how to react.”

“You were going to say you’re not sure you deserve them, weren’t you?”

I looked at the wall blankly, “Yeah.”

“Try not to think so low of yourself,” Marco said coming around to cut my bangs. “You’re beautiful. Not to mention your shy demeanor is downright endearing.”

“Um…Thanks.”

He laughed again, his fingers lightly touching my forehead to pick up strands of hair, “I told you, don’t sell yourself short.”

And that was that. As we talked I became a bit less uncomfortable, but not less awkward.
In the end we somehow miraculously became friends. Exchanged numbers and even when it came time to leave, he kissed my cheek.

Angel was all over me in the car, what did I do, why did he kiss me, what did we talk about. She was going on a mile a minute.

And when I was done, she wouldn’t stop smiling. I asked her why, but she wouldn’t talk. She only shook her head, the same smile plastered on.

I couldn’t help but think I was missing something.



“Hun, honestly, can we talk?”

I slammed the door in my mother’s face, “Not going to happen.”

“We cancelled on them before, it’s only fair that we don’t decline this time!”

I rolled my eyes, “I honestly do not care. I’m not stupid; I know that the only reason you want me to go is to set me up with their son.”

She was silent, which only stood to prove my point that this was what it was about.

“Ugh! What I wouldn’t give to live in any family but this one. Any father in his right mind wouldn’t be doing this, he’d be too fucking preoccupied worrying about what he wouldn’t want the boy to pull with his daughter!”

“Language!” my mother prompted. “It doesn’t matter what you say, you’re going.”

“You can’t exactly make me, can you?”

“Anabelle Elizabeth Winters! You are going to this dinner, and there is nothing you can do!” She pounded her fist on the door, “Do not make me have your father come get you.”

She took my silence as acceptance, “Wear something nice.”

I stared at the floor. Fine, if she wants it this way, I’ll go. But who said anything about behaving?



I got dressed in a daze, pulling on a black dress with a floral design on it. I didn’t know what I was going to do yet, but I knew that it wasn’t going to be pretty for my parents. I wanted to do something to show them that I don’t want to play a part in their business plots.

I knew that something was bound to come to me, given the right time.



We arrived at the house, and I noted that it was quite large, bigger than I had expected. Just looking at it made me feel like I wouldn’t be welcome.

I couldn’t care less about what I was going to do. I knew for a fact that these people, once they saw me, wouldn’t even want anything to do with my parents. I wasn’t beautiful, and I’m sure their son was going to be one of those meathead football players. Snobby and narcissistic wouldn’t even begin to cover it.

This meant that maybe I would have an excuse to make a fool of myself and overreact enough to get sent home.

Walking up to the house my parents had a bag in hand, and their best smiles plastered on. Compared to my neutral expression, it seemed that they were completely overjoyed to be here, though I knew that some part of them was worrying like hell.

That almost made me feel bad. But thinking about how many times they had tried to put me up to this kind of stuff, I couldn’t feel anything other than resentment. The last times ended in disaster in their eyes. Boohoo, the idiot sons thought I wasn’t good enough. I didn’t care, and I was pretty much relieved. I don’t think I’d know what to do if they had actually liked me.
At the time I was infuriated. I knew I wasn’t the best looking, but who gives a crap? Personality was a lot more important than looks, in my eyes at least.

Darkness was approaching, and I’m sure I looked pretty stupid wearing sunglasses at this hour. But I couldn’t care less.

Part of me was scared, that this was going to be the one time that the boy actually felt something for me. I had Chantel and Angel’s makeover to thank. They changed me, and for once some of the things they said stuck with me. When I came home yesterday my mom was obviously overjoyed to see me looking “so gorgeous” as she put it. I can’t help but think that maybe that was what brought on the dinner tonight.

The door opened, and I was met by a blonde man, and a brunette woman, who both were around my parents’ age. Welcomes and hello there’s were thrown around, and I managed to keep a straight face, a ghost of a smile floating on my lips as they invited me in.
“Hello there Anabelle!” The woman, Marceline greeted me. “We’ve heard a lot about you, and I must say Marshal’s excited to meet you.”

I nodded, barely muttering a hello.

She wasn’t fazed though. My parents had probably explained my overwhelming shyness, and for that all she did was smile nicely.

“Honey?” She addressed her husband.

“Yes?”

“Go get him, please?”

He jogged up the stars, and I couldn’t help myself from gaping when I saw the chandelier above the dinner table.

Within minutes we were seated, and I huffed to myself when I realized that there was an empty chair next to me, as well as across from Marceline. Gee, I wonder who I was sitting next to.

My bitter thoughts escaped me as a boy with swooshing brown hair rounded the corner behind her husband. I looked at my lap, overcome with anxiety. I couldn’t help but note that he looked vaguely familiar. School maybe?

I didn’t have time to think about it more, before our parents tried to get us to speak to each other. He obliged, while I on the other hand tried to say as little as possible.

I figured that if I said little enough he would get fed up and yell at me, maybe accuse me of being a stuck up bitch. I had met his type before, and I wasn’t about to expect anything other than that.



Dinner was excruciatingly strange, and he hadn’t yelled at me once. After a while they all gave up, which both pleased and frustrated me.

But as well, they had us excuse ourselves, his parents politely hinting at how they wanted to talk to my parents alone.

I held my cardigan tighter around myself as he led me up the stairs pointing out a room here and there. He had this look in his eye, that I didn’t like at all.

Mischief.

“This is the game room, where my brother and I spend most of our time.” Marshal opened the door to reveal a large room, full to the brim with a pool table, some pinball machines and a lot of other things as well.

I followed him silently, taking in all of this. It was a teenage boy’s dream room, I had no doubt about that.

He turned to look at me questioningly, “Why are you so quiet?”

I shrugged, “I’m just shy I guess.”

“Baloney. You think you’re too good for me.”

“Not really.” I looked at him with indifference.

“Playing hard to get then?”

I snorted, “In your dreams.”

“Oho? What happened to ‘I’m so shy’.”

“I am. Your attitude’s just pissing me off. “

“What? Don’t deny it, babe, you think I’m attractive.”

“Right. Because that’s obviously why I said you were pissing me off.” I began to walk out of the room. He really wasn’t all that different. I saw this coming from a mile away. When someone’s this rich I expect them to have an ego to match.

“Don’t be like that.” He caught me by the arm and began to back me up against the wall.

“Leave me the hell alone.”

“I know as well as you do that isn’t what you want.”

“Obviously it is. I don’t like you, get that through your head. Now if you’ll excuse me move out of my way.” I pushed him, but he wouldn’t budge.

All he did was laugh. “Any girl would kill to be with me. You’re no different.”

“I’m not going to tell you again, let me go.”

“Likely.” His arms were on either side of my head, making me stay put. If matters weren’t worse, he began to lean in.

I brought my knee up with force, causing him to groan falling back from me.

I made beeline for the door, calling back, “I think it’s in your best interest that you leave me alone next time, asshole.”

Running out I bumped into another boy. I half expected it to be Marshal until I heard him speak. “So I see you’ve met Marshal. You must be a sensible girl seeing as you haven’t fallen for his idiotic ways.”

I looked up to find Marco staring down at me. Recognition flickered across his face as he realized it was me. “I had no idea you were the Anabelle they were talking about.”

“Yeah, well I had no idea you were going to be here.” I tilted my head, “Why exactly are you here?”

He laughed, “I’m Marshal’s brother.”