REIGN (A REVERSE HAREM)

1. Arabella

It's normal. It's what's happened for hundreds of years. Im complaining but i knew it was inevitable. All my Italian girl friends have been through the same process.

I start flicking through the book, disregarding the ones above the age of 30. That's too old for me. That left me with three men.

Three.

I rip the entire booklet up.

I lean against the wood with my inital carved into it. I did it whenever i was six and got my hand on my first knife.

Dad never really cared too much about me and after mom died, it was life i became invisible unless i did something extremely wrong.

Like i did two weeks ago, i was making out with one of my girl friends, we wanted to experiment but no, dad said kissing girls was wrong, so he killed her and then took my door off it's hinges.

I have to be a good child and keep my virginity for my husband.

"Ari, where are you?" I hear my older brother Marco.

I reach up and push the door to the closet open, but don't pop my head out.

He opens both doors and then kneels, "Why are you throwing a tantrum?"

"Because, look at the men dad has decided to choose for me. I know full rightly there's men younger then that." I give him the ripped up paper.

His face squints as he looks at them, "Yeah i think he gave you the wrong sheet." He stands up, "These men are all divorced." He walks away, "Papa."

I stay in the closet, he returns a couple minutes later with my dad, and the ripped up sheets in his hands. "The right one. I don't think you're fit to be someone's first wife-"

Of course.

"Fuck you-" His hand slaps across my face and i seen that coming. Yeah, should have kept my mouth shut.

"But, i see where you're coming from. You will have a man by the end of the day Arabella, and meet him tomorrow. No more talking about this. I'll arrange one."

My eyes grow wide in horror and i look toward my brother who stood there helplessly. "Fine, just get out." I slide back into the closet.

"Why are you moody, you knew this would happen?"

"Just go." I close my eyes, throwing my head back. "And can i have my door back?"

"No, Marco call your Zia." He and Marco start walking away. I close the door of my closet but then it opens again and my twin walks in, he sits opposite me, we close the doors again.

This is how we used to talk whenever we were younger. I was mute growing up. When i was three, i seen somebody shot and decided i didn't want to talk to anybody for three years. So i never talked to anybody unless it was my brother, and we sat in here to talk.

"Gio is looking for a wife-"

"Gio has fucked literally every woman in existence, i'd rather not catch an STD." I keep my eyes closed. "You're so lucky you were born with a dick. You don't even understand how unfair it is."

"Yeah, i do."

"No you don't, Nico. You know i have to do all the housework right? While you just sit around. I have to cook, clean, do laundry, do the gardening. I'm not allowed to have an opinion, hell i'm not even allowed to make my own choices. All because i have a vagina."

"Marco is going to make sure you find someone good."

"If it's someone older than twenty five, i'm going to kill myself-"