My Arranged Marriage to John O'Callaghan

Confessions

Emily was discharged two days after she had woken up. John had visited her every day that she had been there and to her surprise so had the man named Octavian, though she had found that slightly odd in a way, still she had enjoyed his visits for he was a very nice guy. Emily was currently in John’s four wheel drive they were heading home from the hospital; John was humming to the song that was playing on the radio his voice was so beautiful Emily had a giddy feeling in her stomach. She had to admit that after that night at the hospital she felt more comfortable around John it was like things had changed after that; they both teased and annoyed each other more, they would play tricks and laugh together though it wasn’t girlfriend- boyfriend relationship but it was more of a best friend sort of relationship, she didn’t mind though because she felt closer to him and her mother always said that you should marry someone who is like your best friend. As Emily thought of that a chuckle escaped her lips quietly as she remembered how since she was young both Austin and the Lovisa family thought her and Gibby would get married one day.
“What are you laughing at?” John asked sending amused glances at her.
“Just a funny memory that’s all” She chuckled again shaking her head.
“Care to share?” He pouted pleadingly and Emily thought how incredibly cute he looked.
“Well…” She stalled and John rolled his eyes,
“Spit it out Lovisa!” He yelled out dramatically making her laugh.
“I remembered how when Austin and I were younger both our families thought we would one day get married” She laughed and John stayed silent for a second before giving a nervous chuckle.
“Y-yea how come?” He said a little tightly and she lifted a questioning brow,
“Well… Like me and Austin explained before we have been best buds since we were born!”
“Oh…” Was all John said and she left amusement pull at her lips; he was acting jealous it’s almost comical.
“Oh come one O’Callaghan don’t go all quiet on me!” She laughed
“Were you guys ever ugh…A couple…?” He asked seriously and she frowned.
“Well no…Never a couple, but we were always each other’s dates at stuff like proms, dances, parties you know…As friends” She shrugged and John sighed in relief making her want to laugh all she could think of was what the heck has gotten into him today?
John pulled into the O’Callaghan’s driveway and as she entered all hers and John’s friends jumped out yelling ‘surprise!’ She laughed as all charged at her and engulfed her in like a 15 people group hug. They all stayed till night time and after they left Emily was helping Jenny pack up,
“Emily we need to talk dear” Jenny said and Emily nodded.
“The doctor told me everything Emily, why did you not tell us?” She asked.
“I didn’t want to be a burden to all of you” Emily sighed.
“You wouldn’t have been a burden Emily!”
“You say that but as soon as you would’ve seen me a little pale you would’ve freaked out, I just wanted to act like it didn’t exist for once but I guess it was stupid…” Emily mumbled and Jenny hugged her.
“I would’ve been more cautious yes, but I wouldn’t have treated you differently. However I didn’t tell John but I think you should sweetie okay?” Jenny said and Emily sighed while nodding.
“Yes momma Oh” she smiled.
Emily was about to go upstairs but John stood at the bottom of the stairs, as she approached he smile a gorgeous smile and held out a hand to her, she reluctantly placed her hand in his.
“Come on” He whispered while leading her out to the back yard, the warm Arizona air brushed some of her hair away from her face. John led her to the huge tree; she saw that there was a large waterproof mat on the floor and some blankets.
“What the…?” She thought out loud and he chuckled,
“I thought we could hang out and talk for a bit” He smiled as he pulled her down so they both sat, she felt her stomach explode with butterflies and her cheeks flushed at his lovely gesture. Cricket chirps echoed through the still nights and Emily tilted her head to look at the clear indigo sky filled with mesmerising silver stars she sighed and felt John wrap and arm around her shoulders which surprised her because she jumped making him laugh at her reaction.
“So… are you going to talk about it?” He whispered breaking the silence.
“Talk about what?” She said turning her head to face him, their faces were very close and she visibly gulped.
“What happened that morning…? Why did you leave early and why did you faint, what did the Doctors say? They only spoke to mom and she said it would be better if you told me”
“Oh that…” She sighed and John squeezed her shoulder in encouragement.
“Well that morning I had a nightmare and when I woke up it was about 5am and the nightmare shook me up a bit, which made a million thoughts fill my head and well I went for a walk because I need to clear my head from what happened with Blake plus the nightmare and all the confusion I was feeling so I went for a walk to the park… Then next thing I know is me clutching my chest trying to breathe then nothing.” She sighed and inwardly relished John’s warmth next to her for she suddenly felt cold.
“As for my illness…” she had her head in her hands, John removed his arm from around her shoulder and grabbed her hands pulling her hands away from her face, when she looked up at him it was like the stars made his green eyes twinkle, Emily couldn’t explain the feeling she felt for John all she knew was that she had never felt like this before.
“Tell me” He whispered his voice raspy, she shivered a bit.
“I’ve had it for a while now…It’s a case of severe anaemia, in other words, it make me tired all the time and I am very iron deficient which is bad for a girl also my haemoglobin levels are very low, but you see my case is special it’s like I have a strange side effect that my body does not produce enough blood to make my organs function properly…It’s not deadly but it is dangerous, for me to keep it to the minimum I have to have a diet of red meat and keep stress down…” She shrugged and John pulled her in a hug.
“Why didn’t you tell me this?” He said as head was lying on the top of her head.
“I didn’t want to be a burden” she said though her voice was muffled against John’s chest.
“God Emily, you wouldn’t have been…”
“I was scared John I wanted to forget about it” She felt tears well up in her eyes but to prevent them from spilling she looked laid down on her blanket and stared up at the sky, John did the same.
“I’m here for you Millie…” He said turning on the side to look at her, she looked at him and both stared into each other’s eyes, John brushed a stray black curl away from her face and Emily forgot to breath as he touched her, she broke the stare and looked back to the sky.
“Stars hide your fires…” She murmured,
“Let no light see my deep and dark desires.” John finished the quote.
“Someone’s read Macbeth” She chuckled at the idea of John reading Shakespeare.
“High school” He mumbled and Emily laughed.
John pulled Emily closer to him and wrapped his arms around her, both laid there in silence and Emily didn’t know when it happened but they both fell asleep, because when consciousness began to take over her, she could hear giggles and chuckles, then the snap of a camera. Emily opened her eyes and saw everyone looking at her with wide grins and by everyone she meant Brittany, Tim, Pat, Kennedy, Garrett, Jared, Momma Oh, John Senior, Ross holding the camera, Shane, Austin, Talia who was grinning widely and what surprised her the most Alex Gaskarth, Zack Merrick, Jack Barakat and Rian Dawson. She flushed bright red and realised that John’s arms was wrapped around her waist firmly, she gulped and everyone started laughing at her mortified look, she nudge John who crumbled and to make matters worse pulled her closer and another round of laughter but this time John opened his eyes and they went as wide as saucers.
“Hey Love birds mind if we go to the Lake” Kennedy grinned and John and Emily were both red from embarrassment but nodded, both got up to immediately get ready and go away from prying eyes. When John and Emily reached the bedroom, both laughed hysterically at what happened downstairs.