OUR OBLIVION | BELLAMY BLAKE

TWENTY-THREE| so much for free will

The room was silent for an entire minute as I processed what Diana Sydney had just said. My dad was just as taken aback. Was this a joke? No, Jaha and Diana looked completely serious. Did they honestly think I would ever agree to something like that? Besides, what would Wells say? Did he not have a say? 

"You can't be serious," My dad was the first to speak up. "She's seventeen! She's not ready for marriage!"

"This is the only way to stop the chaos," Jaha answered as he gave my dad an apologetic look. "A marriage between Harley and Wells will show the workers that she's one of us. They'll want nothing to do with her if she marries my son."

"You can't force her into anything!" My dad's voice rose. "This isn't you, Thelonious. This is her!" He pointed an accusing finger at Diana.

Diana shook her head, "I'm just showing all of you the most reasonable option."

My dad scoffed, "Reasonable? You think forcing a young girl into marriage is reasonable?!"

The Chancellor threw his hands up in frustration, "People marry for political reasons all the time, Daniel. Besides, it's not like we're asking her to marry a complete stranger. She knows Wells. She even dated him for two years."

My dad shook his head as he turned to me, "Are you hearing all of this?"

I nodded, "It sounds like a bunch of bullshit to me. Are you forgetting that I have a boyfriend who I am very happy with by the way. I will not leave him."

"Yes you will," Jaha took another step towards me. "If you don't want to end up in prison, you will end your relationship with Bellamy Blake tonight and marry Wells as soon as possible."

I gave him a challenging look, "I'd rather go to prison."

My dad gave Jaha a look of pure unbelief, "You can't actually be serious about this, Thelonious."

Jaha looked at the floor for a moment before answering, "I've set my terms. Harley has twenty-four hours to end her relationship with Mr.Blake, or she will be put in the SkyBox for treason."

Tears of anger filled my eyes as Jaha left the room without another word. Diana Sydney gave me another smug look as she followed after him. I turned to my dad who looked completely shocked by what had just happened.

What the hell was I going to do? There was no way I was going to let Jaha bully me into leaving Bellamy. He needed me and I needed him. I loved him. There had to be some way out of this. I refused to believe it was over. No, I was going to find another way. Diana Sydney wasn't going to win.

~_~_~_~_~

I had exactly eight hours left before I had to deliver my final word to the Chancellor. My dad and I had been up all night with Archie and Wells as we brainstormed about a way out of this. Wells was just as opposed to the marriage as I was. He told me that he had just found a girl that he could see a future with, and he wasn't going to let that go.

We had bargained with his dad as much as we could, but Jaha wouldn't budge. It looked like I was either breaking up with Bellamy or going to prison.

I buried my face in my hands as Wells placed his hand on my shoulder. A tear slipped out of my eye as anger and frustration filled my mind. I wanted to punch something. I wanted to stab Diana Sydney with a fork again.

"What am i going to do?" I asked as I looked up at Wells for advice.

"I don't know, Harles," He replied. "But no matter what you decide, I'm with you."

I nodded as Wells brought me in for a hug, "I didn't mean for any of this to happen."

"I know," he said as I cried against his chest. "You just did what you thought was best."