92 days

six

My day hasn't been going well so far. My mother announced that we will be visiting the Miller's residence for the afternoon, so now we're on our way there, and she told me that I should wake up and accept the reality of my future.

My father won't speak to me nor look at me, as if I did something completely fowl to him. I wish he would just listen to me, because I know deep down he feels the same way I do about mom. He just chooses to hide his feelings. He's an adult, he should be able to have a say in something but he won't.

I'm wearing an off the shoulder yellow frill dress that I won't complain about because I think this is one of the dresses that I actually like on me.

I try not to be insecure about my body, but I can't help it. Sometimes when I actually love an outfit on me, I look at it in the mirror for too long, then it becomes hideous.

When I was younger my mother would buy me these magazines that had all these beautiful women on them with the ideal body. She told me that if I wanted to look like them, I have to follow her 'plans'. Meaning to eat what she'd like.

I didn't want any of that organic food, I was a kid, so I wanted to eat things like candy, chips, other sorts of junk food. I still do, but like I said, she's controlling. My mother has led my life how she wants it and she's won.

I step out of the car, standing in front of the Millers home. It's larger than ours, and they have people working on the landscape of their front yard. The lawn is breathtaking, the way the bushes create little shapes along the pavement of the home, and tiny lights stand beside them, creating a white glow.

My mother leaves my side and stands in front of me, wiping her fingers across my face. "Stop frowning." She demands, using her knuckle to pull my chin up.

I fight the urge to slap her hand away from my face, and I continue down the path to their front door, my arms crossed over my chest. Once I enter, I'm immediately showered with cheek kisses from Elizabeth. Her perfume is so strong that I assume she used the entire bottle.

"Go find Ethan, sweetheart. He's in the backyard." She says, and before I even get the chance to hesitate, my mother pinches my side and I wince slightly.

I stroll down the hallway, glancing up at the high ceiling, and little carved designs are embedded at the very top, with framed photos covering some parts of the walls. I question how they got them up there so high. A ladder maybe, but the floors look very slippery.

I meet the kitchen and see a wide glass door that's halfway open. I walk out on to the patio, and Ethan stands up from his chair abruptly, staring at me wide-eyed.

"What?" I ask, feeling a bit uncomfortable with his staring.

"Nothing." He clears his throat. "Come sit." He motions his hand down to chair next to him.

I stroll over to the chair slowly, and sit down anxiously. I look over at the in ground pool that they have, and it looks as if it's never been touched.

"I'm glad you came."

"I had no choice." I murmured.

"Here we go." He complained, running his hand over his slick blonde hair, and I give him a disgusted expression.

"Do you think that I want to do this either? Because I don't. You're making this much more difficult than it has to be." He growls. "I might have a girl that I'd rather be with, than you."

"Oh, that's really flattering." I scowl, leaning my chin on my palm. "And your crazy if you thought I'd ever like you the way my mother wants me to."