Don'ts Of An Arranged Marriage

1. Don't Freak Out

"That's admirable" I smiled my pearly teeth on display for him by force.

"What do you do? Apart from delivering mind blowing scripts." he whispers, not to disturb the people around us. The room was dark, only the stage with presenter lit with slides who spoke on the topic of Roman philosophy. Everyone was deep into it- exclude me, I was here miles away from home to answer mister Fischer if I would like to work with a target time project "Do you want to try something else?"

There he goes. Grilling me to consider his offer of joining the A list movie director he assists as a screen writer. If he brings this up one more time I would be compelled to speculate that he was only here to convince me to sell my books rights for movie adaptation.

"What do you say?"

There it is.

He is here for it. There is no common manner a man can approach with such big offer out of his pocket. He was sent here.

So I do my part.

"No. I like to leech off my parent's fortune sir"

I politely offer my desire. He looks at me, his prematurely aging eyes squints under the dim fluorescent. Then he cracks out laughing, so hard that it paused the activity in the room for a second. My complex anxiety kicks in when every single eyes in the room diverts at us, swallowing I wipe the greasy sweat off my hot neck with the paw sleeve of the sweater I wore.

I know I must've gone rigid, like a drugged chicken. Blank yet wonderous. Mister Fischer bubbles an apology as I watch him do it effortlessly. When everything falls to its naturalness- he looks at me worried.

"Are you fine miss Han? You went white for a moment there"

Biting my lips I nod, waiting for my heart to relax as I looked ahead.

"You know what? I am freelancing my whole life" then I grab a bottle of water, angrily unscrewing the cap I chug the hydrant down. Crossing my legs and sinking plush on the seat I sigh "I probably also will die a single woman"

***

The morning I woke up, that's it. I opened my eyes and remained sprawled in bed. Swinging my legs once in a while for movement. Spanning my arms as if to make a snow angel I let out a tired yawn, the white comforter wrinkles at my feline behavior. I practice my jaw exercise so that I can maintain a jawline. I still had some residue of baby fat left behind, people usually mistake me for a teenager because of it. It isn't that pleasant to watch me stretch my mouth, open and close my mouth like a chimp globbing up their meal.

Then I exist and think-

What possibly can I do for today?

Roam around lonely in the streets. Eat alone in a fancy restaurant and also drive with both my hands on wheels with no one to hold one. At twenty-two I was a pathetic excuse- how can they all flirt so easily. As if it's something that comes inherently to them.

That's it.

I Sat up with the cluster of hair falling over my face, rubbing my nose roughly I stared out of the glass wall window from where sunlight streams through. I cringed at the bill I might receive for staying at such a hotel over the week. Mister Fischer was the closest acquaintance I made so far- maybe I can ask him if he wants to go buy matching friendship pajamas with me?

Or I could look into the contract for him.

I've received such offers in the past, but none came from a person so persistent as Mr. Fischer.

Shaking the tempting thoughts off- I groan. It's not possible, this was too big a deal. I need time for this and I know I'll deny it later. I can't have Hollywood ruining a masterpiece because their budget lacks.