Exploited Arrangements

Chapter 8

It's my wedding day. I should be excited and happy. As a young girl, I always imagined what my wedding day would be like. I always had big dreams. I loved fantasizing about marrying a prince.

Turns out that when you ask for a unicorn in life, you get handed a goat.

When you ask for a prince you get handed the devil himself.

"All ready. You are the most beautiful bride I have ever seen," one of the girls who helped me dress says to me.

I want to cry. I do look beautiful.

The theme of the wedding is a peacock.

Even my wedding is themed with the symbol of pride and arrogance.

The pretty face in the mirror doesn't cheer me though.

I dreamt of this day with Daniel. Now I'm being handed over to the human form of a peacock.

This wedding is so ironic.

The ride to the wedding venue was on tenterhooks. I looked out the car window and I tried to appreciate the last few free minutes of my life. Today is the day my life changes forever.

I see my father stand at the church door waiting for me. I never got the change or... I did get the chance to fall in love but I didn't get to fall in love and marry the love of my life. That part of my life was preordained by my him. Two times.

Can I just run away? I think it will be much better to be homeless and live in a cardboard box than to life in a million dollar mantion with him.

My legs feel numb. These high heels don't help much.

One of the bridemaids comes and give me a bridal bouquet of purple, white and blue flowers and peacock feathers.

Let's just get this over with.

As my father holds out his arm he says, "Sorry you have to go through this."

I only take his arm but I don't answer him. I don't even look into his eyes. I should be given an award for keeping my mouth shut for when there was so much that I had to say.

The music starts to play and we walk down the aisle.

Mr Jackass is standing at the altar with a smile on his face. I really hate two faced people. It's so hard to decide which face to slap first.

His tie is light blue. Two purple blue flowers along with a peacock feather are pinned on the label of his suit jacket. If only the soul was as beautiful as the body.

Once my father let go of me at the alter and I go stand beside him I see the maid of honor (Zara) on my left in her beautiful purple sequine dress. Standing to the side of him is a young man I have never seen before in a suit with a purple shirt and black tie. He must be the best man.

As the marriage officiant reads the scripts, all I can think about is what is going to happen when he says that you may kiss the bride. Will he kiss me? What would the kiss be like - passionate or just a light touch to my lips.

"Do you Tristan Taylor Hawksley take Gemma to be your lawfully wedded wife?"

"I do." There is no doubt in his voice as he utters these words. Jerk. My hands shake as I struggle to slide the ring on his finger. I manage to do so without someone realizing my uneasiness.

"Do you Gemma Gracelynn Colbrooke take Tristan to be your lawfully wedded husband?" I bite lips. He starts squeezing my hands until I say "I do." I stretch out my hand and he slides the ring on my finger.

It must be worth more the queen's jewels. A dark pink, almost red diamond is in the head of the ring.

"You may kiss the bride."

Oh shit! He takes me by my waist and pulls me closer. He then turns us slightly so our kiss is out of site. He places a soft light kiss on my cheek. He doesn't lift his head until after a few seconds to make it look like he kissed me intensely.

Okay great, now I know my husband (geez that word feels so foreign to my mouth) dislikes me so much he can't even give me a simple kiss in front of the public.

I only attended the wedding reception that night for the food.

It was the only good part of the wedding.