Getting Closer

Chapter One - Juliet

I immediately roll my eyes. "Cut the crap, Michael. There's no one here you need to impress."

"Why is it so hard for you to understand that this is important for your father and I to make this deal go through?"

"Why do you think that I don't understand?" He finally turns to me and actually looks in my eyes. "Human behavior?" I ask. "This is strange."

"Now you cut the crap." I'll give him that one. "If we're going to get married, I want some things to change. One, you need to support me even if you disagree. Two, you need to stop drinking. Three-"

"And if you think you can control me, you're mistaken," I interrupt.

Michael curls his lips as if he's going to snap but he keeps his temper down. "I just think we need to lay down some rules. If not, we're going to be a very unhappy couple." He pauses then puts his hands on my waist. "Putting on that dress shows me that you do care."

"If you knew me, then you would know that I didn't make the choice to wear this."

He rolls his eyes and his grip on my waist tightens. "Why does everything have to be a battle? Why can't you just shut up and look pretty?"

"Looking pretty is my specialty. But shutting up is something that I will never do."

"Juliet, you're so frustrating!" He steps back and now I can see his anger fully. "You never appreciate anything!" He steps forward now and holds some fabric of my dress in his hands. "You don't like anything I give you including this fucking dress!" His hands pull back while ripping the fabric. "You are an ungrateful bitch!"

I'm not shocked he's such a baby or that he ripped the dress so I continue to push. "Fuck off! You think you can frighten me into being more controlling, you're dead wrong." I take the strap of my dress and rip it off. I take the hem of my dress and continue to rip. "You will never control me. No amount of money or business will ever keep me from being myself."

I begin to walk back into the restaurant but Michael catches me by the wrist. "Don't you dare go back in there." I stare him down mostly because I'm too tired to think of any comebacks. "You are an embarrassment Jules." I decide to spit in his face because now I'm angry. His temper rises even more so I can see veins in his forehead. He reaches out to me but I already know his stupid tricks already. I quickly kick him in the shin and run into the street. I'm so worried about Michael catching up to me that I don't see a worn-down blue truck coming towards me.

The driver thankfully stops just as I stop in front of the it. The driver stares at me in shock as I put my hands on the hood. We stare at one another for about two seconds then I remember Michael. I run off the street and run as fast as I can to get away from Michael. Just after I get through an alley, I can already feel Michael on my heels. There's an empty lot behind the stores so there isn't a lot of places to hide from him.

Michael catches me by the wrist and pulls me toward him. "Get off of me!" I scream as loud as I can.

"How dare you do that?! I am your fiancé and I should be treated better! I cannot believe you!" I try to get my arm away from him but he has one strong grip. "I should not be treated like this! I should not be vying for your attention or your love which should already by mine!" He keeps spouting useless shit until a guy comes up to us.

This guy was the driver that almost hit me and for a split second I'm relieved that someone is here to witness Michael and his rage. "Is something wrong here?" the guy asks nervously.

Michael looks to the guy but his grip tightens even more than I would think it would go. I stare at the guy for help as Michael says something back to him. My mind is so muffled that some things are starting to blur. My mind comes back just as the driver addresses me personally. "Are you okay?" he inquires with pure concern on his face. I want to tell this guy that Michael is a raging asshole but the words won't come out.