Hearts In Stories

4. Arrange marriage to my ex

Jeremy Juckers, he is a such sucker. Arghhh.... I hate him! He was my first love. I don't even want to hear his name. I am living a perfectly fine life without that jerk right now. I don't even want to think about the past anymore. I work as a Chartered Accountant (CA) in one of a well known company in the country. I have my friends and family who are my source of strength. I go to work with a scooter, trying to live a low key life.

You know who I bumped into today? Don't get me started. It was that sucker. Who does he think he is? Rich brat!!! He was obviously at fault. Didn't he have eyes? Or is he trying to get his revenge on me for breaking up with him? No! No way. That's so creepy! Who knows? He might already have more than 10 wives. I don't want to be the eleventh wife. No! Never!

I was dumbfounded when I saw his face. I shouted, 'What the hell do you think you are doing, sucker? Were you trying to kill me?'. As if he was an angel, he replied back, 'I am so sorry, Miss Stacie'. Wow!!! Is he having a polar disease? Okay, maybe he changed. But before I judged that, let's see how long he can keep up with the act. And he said, 'by the way, don't call me sucker, have you forgotten my name, Miss Stacie?'. I replied, ' I don't remember knowing you, Mister and you are a sucker, bye.'

I went back to my scooter and I heard him say Liar. Yes, he was right. I am a liar. How can I forget him?Is there anyone in this world who ever forget their first love? But I had to pretend because I don't want to be hurt again. The wound in my heart has not completely healed. It won't be able to take another heartbreak again.

I reached home, tired and weary. I went straight to my room and freshened up. All the past memories came back and tears started flowing. I went to the washroom and wash my face again and again. My mom called me to come downstairs for dinner but I didn't want to show them my red eyes and puffy face. And said, I will have it later.

My parents didn't know anything about Jeremy. So, I couldn't tell them about our breakup either. We were so young back then. After some time, I went down to have dinner and my mom and dad was still there. I am an only child so it gets lonely sometimes. The feeling is hard to express and explain with words. I finished up and try to go back to my room. My mom called me and asked me to sit with them.

'What now? Mom.' She said let's go shopping tommorow. 'For what, I asked?' It's so weird, it's just so weird, my mom asking me out for shopping, is the world going to end? From when I was young, I was never interested in shopping and my mom was the only one who use to buy clothes and everything for me. I never bother with my clothes. And she's asking me to go shopping with her? It's so weird.

She answered, 'we have a very very very important guests in our house tomorrow. It's weekend and I know you don't have any work.'

Okay, you're so smart, Mrs. Dressiel. But I don't want to go shopping. And they are not very very very important guests to me.

And my dad said, 'Stacie, you are already twenty six, we want you to find a man and start a family. A family of your own. So, we are meeting with him and his family tommorow. He is a good man. '

What? I shouted. I am not ready for marriage. What do you know about me? I can't, no, I won't! Never! That's it. If he is so good, then you marry him yourself, dad. But my dad still said, we are meeting them tommorow and that's final.

Ha! An arrange marriage at this days and age. Who still does that? I just stormed back to my room. And couldn't help but think about Jeremy. Maybe it's time to let him go. But how can I get married to someone whom I don't know. But we will be meeting him tomorrow. I hope he doesn't like me. I really really hope so.

I don't even remember when I slept last night, maybe I was so tired. My mom came knocking at my door early in the morning and I went to open it, she opened my wardrobe and search my clothes. She took out a dress and ask me to wear it for today's shopping. I was irritated. I don't want to put on a dress. I love my T-shirts and jeans with my sneakers. It's much more comfortable.

What's the need of putting on a  dress, Ma? It's just a shopping, right? I asked.  She replied, 'we are going with your future mother in law. So, be on your best look.' Oh my! I am so speechless! Future mother in law! What's wrong with my parents? Do they want to send off their only daughter to others so soon. Not wanting to pick up another argument in the early morning, I just agreed to whatever my mom said.

We went shopping and that so called future mother in law of mine was too good. She look very elegant but fun and loving too. She feels so great to be with. And the most surprising thing was she didn't spoke about his son, not even once. I don't know, we just clicked and connect. It would be great to have a mother in law like her. But the thing is I feel like I am not ready for marriage. It's just out of topic for me.

And now, I recently met Jeremy, I hate to admit it but he still occupies my heart. I feel guilty for my future husband. I felt like I betrayed him. But I gotta tell him after our dinner tonight that I am still not ready for marriage. After a long shopping, we went back home. I don't think I'll have to buy any clothes for the next few years. My mom bought so much for me already and the other too bought so much more than needed again. Are they having a money plant? I am quite a spendthrift because of my job, you know.

They will arrive soon. I am so nervous. I have never dated anyone except that sucker. He took the best years of my life. We dated for around  four years but nobody knew about our relationship. I don't know what exactly happened but he just left, just like that. Literally, just left, without any break up or any last words. I was so depressed that time. I was young too. I thought he didn't like me because he thought I was ugly or maybe he find other pretty girls so he left me. There were so many things going through my mind. So, I keep it as a fail relationship.

My mom came inside my room  while I was deep in thought. She choose the dress for me and left the room. I put on the dress and put a little makeup with just lip gloss. I went downstairs and I stepped back when I saw him. I ran back to my room and locked myself in. I sound so immature  right? But I don't know how to deal with this. What? My arranged marriage was with my ex? The sucker who left me without any words. I can't take it. I don't want to go through that pain again. My parents came to knock on my door but I didn't open. I cried and cried. I think my bawling was heard throughout the whole house.

Then, leaving them no choice, they opened my door with the spare key. I
felt so embarrassed. Just imagine a twenty six years old crying like a child when she has dinner with her future in laws in her house. I just looked at them and looked at Jeremy. I looked him in the eyes and said, ' Just don't hurt me again, once was enough for me, please leave me alone, please'. My tears couldn't stop flowing. He came beside me and wiped my tears. He kept on saying sorry  to me and hugged me tight. He felt so warm and all the memories came once again. I miss him so much.

My mom gave me water to drink and I calm down after sometime. Jeremy explain about everything. He left because he had been accused of a murder case. He didn't want to tell me anything about that since he thought it was the best option for me. He found out the real culprit with the investigators and he is free now. I felt so hopeless. I cried pouring out all my feelings. How could he be so good? Even our parents shed tears looking at us. And after some moments, we went downstairs and had our dinner.

It was so fun, I was like the happiest person on earth. Our parents teased us by saying ooohhh.... and all that. We just blush not knowing what to do.   We discussed about the marriage arrangements. We decided to get married the next month itself.

Days passed by so soon and today is the day. The most important day of my life, my marriage. We will now start a family. I hope we can do this together and I am sure he will make a great dad. And finally, we are officially husband and wife. Are you in for a love marriage? Well, it's good, but for me I am lucky enough to marry my ex through an arranged marriage.