I'm Sorry, Can You Repeat That?

It was an hour later when Mom and Dad finally got home and found me cooling off in the pool. My attitude was about to run ramped if I didn’t do something. So after everyone left I scavenged my bathing suit and drove into the pool. My mom saw me and merely smiled as I floated in the water while my dad got the grill fired up, looks like it’s going to be a BBQ tonight.

“So how does it feel being seventeen Cherry?” my dad asked as I drifted by him.

Like crap, “simple, unexciting, mundane, the list can go on.”

He chuckled as the steak sizzled, “Well life has a way of changing as you get older, remember that.” He said and I raised a brow at him, “What?”

“Nothing,” I said switching position, “I think I’m going to do a few laps.”

“Just don’t splash anything my way,” I nodded and then started swimming the length of the pool. He knows. I know he does. ‘Life has a way of changing as you get older,’ ha! I bet he has no idea James and Cain were in my room. If he knew that he’d probably be singing a different tone. Now that I think of it, I don’t know if mom knows they were here. She didn’t say anything when she saw me…did those two sneak in? It must have been getting late cause the sky was changing into an orangey color and my usual happy feeling I get when I watch the sunset quickly died. With the sunset comes the evening, and with the evening comes the Valentine boys, and I’m assuming with then comes the discussion of marriage. I am not ready to have that discussion.

I’m only SEVENTEEN!

God only knows how old he is

And what his personality is like.

I floated on my back and closed my eyes letting my body be moved by the water. The smell of steak, burgers, and other meats filled the air before I heard my dad close the grill. Steak, the meat in itself is a dead giveaway that something’s going to happen and they’re already trying to make up for it. Soften the blow. I heard laughter and my eyes shot open. That laughter is too loud for only two people. I grabbed a tub that was floating next to me and ducked under it slowly moving towards the edge of the pool. Making sure I wasn’t moving too fast I slowed down and then peeked my head up and peered at the glass doors seeing my parents talking to a tall man with dark hair, and a woman that was half his height with light brown hair. They must be Cain and Jack’s parents, the man looks a lot like Jack. What time is it that they are already here? Wait… where are the boys?

I moved a bit to get a better view and I saw Cain and Jack talking with my parents. They were in shirts and swim trunks. SWIM TRUNKS?! I looked down at myself registering my dark red bikini I’m wearing. I don’t want that jerk seeing me in this! I ducked in the tube feeling myself begin to panic when the sound of the sliding door open caught my attention.

“They said she was out here, but I don’t see her,” Cain said.

The sound of footsteps came closer and then stopped behind me and I looked up. Jack stood looking down at me with a smirk on his face, “and here I am thinking you’d own a one piece,” he finished with a wink.

I narrowed my eyes as a splash came from the other side of the pool, “Cherry you own a bikini?!” Cain yelled as the tube was lifted off me. He looked at me and gave a nod, “you look hot.”

I blushed at his words. No one’s ever said that to me before, “t-t-tha-nks?” I stuttered like an idiot and he only smiled.

“I’ve seen better,” Jack said and Cain and I looked at him. “What? I’m only saying the truth. She lacking where Trish had…more talent.” He shrugged and suddenly Cain had me in a hug.

“Trish may have big boobs, but she’s a slut,” Cain snapped.

Trish? Must be his girlfriend, and by the sounds of it Cain doesn’t seem to like her. “Slut or not she had an awesome bod,” Jack said as he pulled off his shirt. Speaking of awesome bodies. Thank God I have control over my facial expressions down to a key, or else I would be bug eyed right now. Not only is he tall, but he has a swimmer’s body all lean with muscle, but not the bulgy kind. If Stacy was here she’d be definitely be whispering eye candy. “Staring much.”

I looked at him seeing his smirk widen, “not staring. Thinking.”

“Of what?”

I shrugged, “Of my friend’s body, one that is so much better than yours.” I shot back and he scoffed while Cain laughed. It wasn’t all a lie, Paul does have a body that can knock a girl out within seconds. Jack mumbled something and then jumped in the water sending a wave at Cain and I. He laughed and I went up to him with my fists clenched under the water.

“You did that on purpose,” I growled.

“No that was a happy accident,” he waged a finger in front of me, “this is on purpose,” and suddenly I was dunked under water. I hit his stomach under water and then was brought back up gasping for air.

“Jerk,” I snapped and he laughed.

“Let me guess, you’re one of those girls that don’t swear no matter what?” he asked while laughing and I clenched my teeth. It’s not that I don’t swear, no, I just don’t like to. “Come on say something?” he egged me on.

“Fine,” I snapped, “You’re a fucking prick with a giant ass ego, but that’s only to make up for the lack of dick you don’t have,” I growled at him and his face dropped. Cain on the other hand erupted into laughter behind me as his brother remained speechless. “I bet that little problem doesn’t let you get far in the bedroom,” I whispered and then gave him a wicked grin. He opened his mouth to say something, but my mom cut him off by calling us in for food. Giving him a mocking pat on the cheek I climbed out of the pool, dried off, and dawned on a large shirt, and some shorts before walking into the house.

I walked into the kitchen and everyone looked at me with a smile on their face, “Cherry, this is Mr. and Mrs. Valentine.”

“Hi,” I gave them a smile.

“My have you grown!” Mrs. Valentine exclaimed and pulled me into a hug, I take it Cain takes after her. She pulled back and looked at me, “You’re not a little girl anymore.”

I gave her a nervous chuckled as Mr. Valentine gave a hearty laugh, “I hope the boys didn’t give you too much trouble out there.” He pointed out the door where Cain had a towel in hand laughing at Jack while pointing at him. Jack’s face scrunched up and then he pushed Cain back into the pool and started laughing himself. “They can be a handful.”

“I bet they are,” my dad laughed, “well let’s talk as we eat. The meat is getting cold,” he said and I went to grab a plate as the boys were called in. Cain was mumbling and Jack was chuckling at Cain, “help yourselves,” my dad said and they went at the food.

After everyone got what they wanted to eat we sat at the table and started digging in.

“So Cherry,” Mrs. Valentine started, “do you have a boyfriend?”

I looked at her and sat my cup down, “No, but I don’t see how I could have one when newspaper takes up all my time.” I shrugged, but I wish I did.

Mr. Valentine chuckled, “you have to understand. My wife is a little bit of hopeless romantic.”

She huffed, “Excuse me,” she snipped at her husband and then looked back at me, “Darling, do you know how our two families know each other?” she asked and I shook my head. “Well it first started with your great grandfather, and Jack’s great grandmother. They had grown up together, and with time fell in love,” she gushed. “But great grandmother’s father wouldn’t allow the two to be together. He found your grandfather’s free spirit and love of women too reckless and so he forbid them to be together. The two tried hard to fight back and meet each other, but then one day in the middle of the night grandmother finds a man at her door. That man was her fiancé that her father chose for her in order to keep your grandfather away. The next morning the first thing that happened was a wedding and she was married off to the man. Your grandfather was, in a word, devastated. Knowing they couldn’t be together they promised each other to have their children marry one another’s, but as it turned out both of them had daughters. So the promise went on to the next generation, but that was filled with daughters too,” I looked at her and my mother. “But!” she sounded happier, “now we have Jack, and you so everything will be turn out great!” she smiled at me and so did my mother.

I on the other hand did not smile, but that didn’t seem to register to them yet, “Aannd! They bought the house next door so we’ll be neighbors!” my mom added cheerfully.

“This is so wonderful!” Mrs. Valentine squealed while clapping her hands, “You and Jack will be married and the two families will finally unite.”

“Oh!” my mother said and ran out of the room and quickly came back holding two small velvet boxes, “here,” she handed one to me and the other to Jack. I opened it and found a glittering engagement ring, “Your mother and I picked them out, and we figure since you two are still in school that you wear them on a necklace chain.” I took the ring from the box and the chain dangled from it, she’s serious. She’s going to marry me to Jack.

I looked at him as he handed the ring over to Cain so he could look at it, “How could you be so calm about this?” I asked him.

His gaze slid over to me, “I’ve known about the arranged marriage for a long time, but by the look of your reaction I see you haven’t.” he shrugged, “oh well, sucks to be you.”

I couldn’t stand it anymore and stood up clenching the ring in my fist, “Cherry?” my mom said and I slammed my hand on the table letting the ring go. Everyone jumped as I walked towards the stairs to go to my room. I walked half way up when my mother yelled my full name. I rolled my eyes and looked at her and her pissed expression. She may look mad, but I feel like shit right now.

“Leav-“ I felt my legs buckle and then I blacked out.