Home Is in Her Arms

“What is so important that you have to go straight home after school? I thought we were going out for some ice cream,” I sighed as I looked over at Cay, my best and only friend I had at the end of my high school career. She had short black hair with highlighted colors on her bangs, giving her hair an acid trip look. Together we were inseparable.

“I really don’t know, but my mom told me I had to. That it was important that she talk to me,” I explained once again. I finished taking the rest of my stuff out of my locker and was walking towards the school doors. Once outside, I put on my big sunglasses and together we walked towards the school parking lot.

“Come on, it will only take what ten minute just to go get the ice cream, your mom won’t even notice that your late. Just tell her that graduation practice took longer then you thought,” she told me and I sighed heavily. I could really go for some ice cream and it was my birthday. I smiled over at her and told her to hop in. She got in and we drove to the closest ice cream shop. We both got a vanilla cone and then I dropped her off at her house. I then drove back to my house and looked at my watch. Only fifteen minutes late, hopefully she isn’t mad. I got out of my car and walked towards the door.

Meanwhile…

“Father, I do not want to meet her. I don’t want anything to do with her,” I yelled at my father. He just explained to me that I was arranged to marry a complete strange and a human at that. I growled and pound my fist into his desk to make my statement. I looked over at my father and he didn’t even blink.

“Gerard, stop acting like a child. Plus I made this deal a long time ago and I intend to keep it that promise. She is a very lovely girl,” he explained to me. I sighed in frustration and sat down in his chair.

“But she is a human father; you can’t exact me to be okay with that. Plus this is my life, not yours,” I told him and stood up walking towards the door.

“You will be ready in three hours. Mikey and Zanira will be driving you over there to meet her this afternoon. You both have much catching up to do,” he told me and I turned around quickly.

“No way! I am not getting into that car. I rather have elephants stomp over my head,” I threaten.

“I could arrange that as well if you would like,” he smiled and I growled loudly. Everything was a joke to this man. I was more then angry at his plans for my future. I stormed out of the office and up the grand staircase. I stomped into my room, slamming the door shut and flopped onto my bed. I sigh in complete and utter defeat. There was no way out of this. I didn’t have a secret lover I could run away with; I couldn’t even runaway for that matter. If I wanted to take the throne, I had to stay. I laid face up and stared at the ceiling wondering if this nightmare would never end.

“Gerard?” I heard my younger brother said softly as he poked his head into my room. I looked over at him and knew I couldn’t take my anger out on him. As I got up, I waved Mikey in and stared out the huge bay window. I sighed as I looked over the kingdom I will soon rule, with a complete stranger by my side. She had no idea what her father got her into and I knew from the words ‘arranged marriage’ that it was a disaster waiting to happen, “I overheard what father was telling you.”

“How can he do this to me? Seriously, it should not be his decision, it should be mine,” I groaned out and banged on the window. I was so angry that words couldn’t even explain it. I didn’t think I need a woman to be by my side. I didn’t need her at all. She would only get in the way.

“Maybe you should give her a chance, I bet she isn’t thrilled about the situation either,” Mikey said as he sat on a chair, staring at the ground.

“Are you that naive Mikey? And why are you taking his side? I am your brother!” I started to raise my voice.

“I know Gerard but you’re not giving her a chance!” he stood up in front of me.

“It’s my life Mikey and I won’t like no one but me control that!”

“Jeeze, you are just as stubborn as father. Like it or not, you are going to met her and who knows, she might be the one to tame you,” Mikey said and left my room. I groan in frustration and faced the window again, trying to control my anger.

…

“Mom? I am home,” I yelled out into the house and peeked my head into the living room. I saw her sitting on the couch on the far end of the room. Just seeing her there made me smile as I walked in, but I stopped dead in my tracks when I saw a tall, mysterious man stand up. I was a bit taken back by him as I stared at my mom confused. The older man just stared down at me and smiled. I was starting to feel very uncomfortable and just wanted to lock myself in my room.

“Analisa, this is Alexander. He was a friend of your fathers. He has come to visit us,” she explained to me and I could only nod. There was something different about this guy. He seemed dark and guarded. He was sending out an evil vibe and it was starting to scare me. I just smiled up at him and shook his hand.

“I am sorry that I can not stay long, but I must attend my graduation. Mom, I will be in my room getting ready,” I told her and started to head towards the stairs. I was halfway up when I heard my mom call out my name.

“Yes mother?” I asked as I looked into the living room.

“I need to tell you something sweetie, its really important,” she said to me as she stood at the bottom of the stairs. I looked into her eyes and saw she was concerned and worried about something. What she could possibly be concern with, I did not know. I nodded and motioned for her to come up the stairs. We walked into my room and I headed right to my closet. I searched around until I had found my blood red dress that I was going to where underneath my graduation gown.

“So what is it that you have to tell me mom?” I asked her as I laid my gown down on the bed and went into my bathroom where I took down my hair. She sighed as she played with a strap on my dress and looked at me some what sad.

“What if I told you that your father made a huge promise a long time ago to that man downstairs?” she asked and I just looked at her confused. I thought for a moment and wondered why she wanted to know what I thought. I plugged in my flat iron and turned it on high.

“I would have to know what the deal was before I tell you my thoughts,” I told her and pulled out my makeup. I started to apply lip gloss when my mother got up and walked over towards me. She stood behind me and smiled into the mirror.

“You know, your father loved you even before you were born and he cared very much about your future. The night your father had passed away, he had made a promise with Alexander and his side of the deal was that he would send us money and the supplies we needed to keep us going,” she started to explain as I applied my eye shadow.

“And what was father’s side of the deal?” I asked her as I applied my eye liner and made sure I looked some what stunning, even though I truly wasn’t. I picked up the iron and started to straighten my hair when I saw my mom looking to the ground, “Mom? What did dad promise?”

“Your future,” she said and I didn’t understand what she meant by my future. I put the iron down and looked at her hard. She tried to smile at me, but all I could see was the watery eyes.

“What do you mean by that mother?” I asked her softly.

“Your father had arranged you to marriage Alexander’s son on the night of this death,” she explained and I was still confused. I thought hard, my father had married me off even before I took my first breath of air. He didn’t know what I was going to turn into or who I was going to be, but he had the nerve to marry me off. I quickly stood up and started to pace back and forth.

“Sweetie, he was only looking out for your best interest. He didn’t want anything bad to happen to his baby,” she tried to defend him but I only stared at the window. I couldn’t believe this, I couldn’t believe my father excepted me to marry a man who I didn’t even know. Marry? I just turned eighteen and I had my whole life. I didn’t want to settle down so soon, I wanted to explore the inner me and figure out who I actually was.

“Mom this isn’t far. I can’t marry a man I don’t even know,” I said as I sat on my bed and fought back the tears. I didn’t want to ruin my makeup and have to reapply it. I was already running late. I sighed and picked up my dress, “Well, I want to talk about this later, I want to get ready now.”

“I understand,” she sighed and walked towards the door. She smiled lightly at me before she walked through leaving me alone with my thoughts. I was going to be married before I was even in my twenties. Soon enough, I put on my dress, which was a simple elegant dress that was a deep blood red color. It came right to my knees and there was nothing outrageous or special about it and that was one of the main reason I bought it. It was me, I was not this outrageous or special person, and I was just me. I slipped into black high heals and slipped on my graduation gown that was a pearl white. I looked into the mirror and smiled. It was the day I have been looking forward to since I started high school. But it didn’t seem so special now. Knowing that nothing was going to change, I walked out of my room and down the stairs where my mother and Alexander where waiting for me. I could only glare at the man as I headed towards the door.

“Analisa?” I heard his husky voice behind me. I spun around and place my hands on my hips.

“Yes?” I asked annoyed.

“You look stunning,” he answered with a smile. I throw my arms up in frustration as I walked closer to this Alexander.

“Just because my father made that deal a long time ago doesn’t mean I will be all nice to you,” I snarled and I heard my mother yell my name. I just glared at him as I turned on my heels and walked down the driveway. I hopped into my car, slamming the door shut and starting the car. I backed out of my driveway and started to speed down the street. I didn’t care if I was going to get pulled over; I was too upset to even notice that I was already crying. It only took me a few minutes to reach the school where there was Cay waiting for me near a street light in the parking lot.

I killed the engine and took a deep breath. I tried to cover up the fact I was crying, but it didn’t matter because this was the end of everything. I had no life and I was never going to live my own free-spirited life that I have always craved. I got out of my car and walked over towards her.

“Hey Ana, what is wrong?” she asked me.

“My life.”