The Arranged Wedding
Chapter 21
Annabeth Styles POV.
Two years earlier...
My name is Annabeth Victoria Haines, and I'm sixteen years old. Today was the day I've been dreading. Today was the day I met the mother of my fiance, whom I still haven't met. Mum pulled at the strings of my corset, and I groaned in pain. She ignored me, and continued to push my ribs right next to my lungs.
"That will have to do" My mum sighed knotting the strings that made my waist appear smaller. She slipped a dress over my head, and did a few more final touches. She stood back, and shrieked at my appearance. Even though I thought the outfit was a bit outrageous for tea, pleasing mother and father was a hobby of mine. I loved my parents, and they weren't as strict as the other parents holding their stature.
"Don't forget to smile." Mum said, pulling my cheeks upwards with here index fingers. The loud chime of the doorbell echoed throughout the house. Mum clapped her hands together, and rushed to greet our guest. I waited about five minutes to go downstairs myself. I saw an elegant woman who looked about forty talking to mother and father. She looked up when she saw me, and her lips turned into a huge grin.
"Oh isn't she just perfect. Riden is going to love her. Nice fit body, and such a pretty face. Come on down sweetheart, there's no need to be shy." Anne insisted. I came down the stairs remembering what mum had told me. Shoulders back, head up, and don't forget to smile! Sitting in mums tea room I listened to the two ladies make small talk. The were gushing over ideas for the wedding, but I wasn't as excited.
"How old is he?" I asked randomly. Both the women faced me, confused expressions written on their faces. I swallowed nervously hoping I hadn't said anything I shouldn't have.
"Um... Riden now old is he?" I clarified. Anne gave me a warm smile. Event though her class made me nervous, she also had a motherly enigma to her.
"Riden is twenty-one dear." Anne told me, and I couldn't help but to cringe. Here I am a sixteen year old girl being arranged to marry a grown man. He was five years older than me, and just the thought of it grossed me out. Why couldn't I be like other teenage girls and go on dates with the boys at my school? Oh right because my mother has already promised me to a grown man.
"Well I'm only sixteen, I won't be able to marry him anytime soon." I told them. Maybe if I can stall my parents will change their minds. As much as I want to please them, I don't want to marry a stranger even more.
"Well I do suppose your right about that dear, we'll just have to wait until your eighteen." Anne told me, patting my knee. My mum had a warning glare on my face. She knew I wasn't thrilled with her and fathers decision, but I don't think she cared. They had an arranged marriage which was "successful" as they would say. But this whole concept made my stomach turn. I jumped as two crows let out a screech outside. Mum sighed and closed the window.
"Crows are a bad omen mum, maybe it's a sign." I told her. Mum looked pissed as she sat back down. "And what might that bad omen represent Annabeth?" My mother asked me. "Death." I responded.
One Year Earlier...
"Irish folk tale says that the banshee comes in the form of a crow, and when she screams that means someone is going to die." I read out loud. I had always been obsessed with the bird for its constant appearance in literature.
"Annabeth time to go!" I heard my father yell from the bottom of the stairs. I sighed and ran down the stairs. I was wearing a short and black Tiffany dress with black heels to match. Mum said since it was my first time seeing Riden I needed to look appealing. She told me a man wants to make sure that the women he is to sleep with forever, has a nice body. It made me cringe to imagine myself having sex with a twenty-two year old man.
We arrived to the Styles mansion, which made ours look small and cheap. It looked like a medieval castle, and had vines running all over it. I got out of the car and looked up. In a window I saw a young boy staring at me. He had curly hair, and I could spot his green eyes even though the dark. That wasn't Riden of course I had seen pictures of him.
This boy also looked more my age. He had a black suit on with a red tie. His eyes seemed sad and lonely. He noticed I had been staring back, and backed away from the window. I had been so captivated by the boy I hadn't even noticed the door had swung open.
"Well don't you just look lovely dear, come in don't catch yourself a cold." Anne insisted, ushering us into the house. When I walked in I saw my fiance. He was well built, and had on a nice suit. His skin was tan, and his dark brown hair was slicked back. When he saw me I watched as he looked me up and down. His eyes would linger in places I wish they hadn't. Then he finally reached out his hand. I offered mine, and he placed a gentle kiss.
"It's lovely to finally meet you Annabeth Victoria Haines." Riden said smoothly. Danger was laced in his voice like poison. He made me uneasy, and then I heard a haunting sound. A crow cried out outside, and I remembered what I had read earlier. Maybe it wasn't the crow that was the bad omen, maybe it was Riden...
Present day...
Beep
Beep
Beep
The machine hooked up to Harry gave me comfort. As much as I hated that I had to marry Riden, I would never take it back. It was fate I married him, but not so I could spend my life with Riden Styles. It was fate so that I could meet and fall in love with Harry Styles.
"We could try again... I mean I know it wasn't planned, but there's nothing more I want in this world than for you to bare my child." Harry suggested. I gave him a tired smile, and kissed his hand. Harry's suggestion was tempting but I wanted it wait. I still needed time to grieve over Californie. I had told Harry about what I'd seen in the time I was dead, and it had brought him to tears.
"I don't know if I'm ready yet my love. I need time." I told him. He nodded, and motioned for me to lay next to him. I crawled onto the bed, and laid my head on his shoulder. I was careful not to touch his wound. I looked over to the window and saw a crow perched on the window. I tensed slightly, and Harry looked over to the window as well. This crow didn't let out a screech though, instead a dove flew to the window, and scared the crow off.
"A dove." Harry said smiling.
"The symbol of love." I added on. My crow was now gone. Riden was no longer in my life. As of tomorrow when the divorce was final, I wouldn't be bound of him even by law. Now I had my dove. I had my beautiful dove Harry Edward Styles.
Two years earlier...
My name is Annabeth Victoria Haines, and I'm sixteen years old. Today was the day I've been dreading. Today was the day I met the mother of my fiance, whom I still haven't met. Mum pulled at the strings of my corset, and I groaned in pain. She ignored me, and continued to push my ribs right next to my lungs.
"That will have to do" My mum sighed knotting the strings that made my waist appear smaller. She slipped a dress over my head, and did a few more final touches. She stood back, and shrieked at my appearance. Even though I thought the outfit was a bit outrageous for tea, pleasing mother and father was a hobby of mine. I loved my parents, and they weren't as strict as the other parents holding their stature.
"Don't forget to smile." Mum said, pulling my cheeks upwards with here index fingers. The loud chime of the doorbell echoed throughout the house. Mum clapped her hands together, and rushed to greet our guest. I waited about five minutes to go downstairs myself. I saw an elegant woman who looked about forty talking to mother and father. She looked up when she saw me, and her lips turned into a huge grin.
"Oh isn't she just perfect. Riden is going to love her. Nice fit body, and such a pretty face. Come on down sweetheart, there's no need to be shy." Anne insisted. I came down the stairs remembering what mum had told me. Shoulders back, head up, and don't forget to smile! Sitting in mums tea room I listened to the two ladies make small talk. The were gushing over ideas for the wedding, but I wasn't as excited.
"How old is he?" I asked randomly. Both the women faced me, confused expressions written on their faces. I swallowed nervously hoping I hadn't said anything I shouldn't have.
"Um... Riden now old is he?" I clarified. Anne gave me a warm smile. Event though her class made me nervous, she also had a motherly enigma to her.
"Riden is twenty-one dear." Anne told me, and I couldn't help but to cringe. Here I am a sixteen year old girl being arranged to marry a grown man. He was five years older than me, and just the thought of it grossed me out. Why couldn't I be like other teenage girls and go on dates with the boys at my school? Oh right because my mother has already promised me to a grown man.
"Well I'm only sixteen, I won't be able to marry him anytime soon." I told them. Maybe if I can stall my parents will change their minds. As much as I want to please them, I don't want to marry a stranger even more.
"Well I do suppose your right about that dear, we'll just have to wait until your eighteen." Anne told me, patting my knee. My mum had a warning glare on my face. She knew I wasn't thrilled with her and fathers decision, but I don't think she cared. They had an arranged marriage which was "successful" as they would say. But this whole concept made my stomach turn. I jumped as two crows let out a screech outside. Mum sighed and closed the window.
"Crows are a bad omen mum, maybe it's a sign." I told her. Mum looked pissed as she sat back down. "And what might that bad omen represent Annabeth?" My mother asked me. "Death." I responded.
One Year Earlier...
"Irish folk tale says that the banshee comes in the form of a crow, and when she screams that means someone is going to die." I read out loud. I had always been obsessed with the bird for its constant appearance in literature.
"Annabeth time to go!" I heard my father yell from the bottom of the stairs. I sighed and ran down the stairs. I was wearing a short and black Tiffany dress with black heels to match. Mum said since it was my first time seeing Riden I needed to look appealing. She told me a man wants to make sure that the women he is to sleep with forever, has a nice body. It made me cringe to imagine myself having sex with a twenty-two year old man.
We arrived to the Styles mansion, which made ours look small and cheap. It looked like a medieval castle, and had vines running all over it. I got out of the car and looked up. In a window I saw a young boy staring at me. He had curly hair, and I could spot his green eyes even though the dark. That wasn't Riden of course I had seen pictures of him.
This boy also looked more my age. He had a black suit on with a red tie. His eyes seemed sad and lonely. He noticed I had been staring back, and backed away from the window. I had been so captivated by the boy I hadn't even noticed the door had swung open.
"Well don't you just look lovely dear, come in don't catch yourself a cold." Anne insisted, ushering us into the house. When I walked in I saw my fiance. He was well built, and had on a nice suit. His skin was tan, and his dark brown hair was slicked back. When he saw me I watched as he looked me up and down. His eyes would linger in places I wish they hadn't. Then he finally reached out his hand. I offered mine, and he placed a gentle kiss.
"It's lovely to finally meet you Annabeth Victoria Haines." Riden said smoothly. Danger was laced in his voice like poison. He made me uneasy, and then I heard a haunting sound. A crow cried out outside, and I remembered what I had read earlier. Maybe it wasn't the crow that was the bad omen, maybe it was Riden...
Present day...
Beep
Beep
Beep
The machine hooked up to Harry gave me comfort. As much as I hated that I had to marry Riden, I would never take it back. It was fate I married him, but not so I could spend my life with Riden Styles. It was fate so that I could meet and fall in love with Harry Styles.
"We could try again... I mean I know it wasn't planned, but there's nothing more I want in this world than for you to bare my child." Harry suggested. I gave him a tired smile, and kissed his hand. Harry's suggestion was tempting but I wanted it wait. I still needed time to grieve over Californie. I had told Harry about what I'd seen in the time I was dead, and it had brought him to tears.
"I don't know if I'm ready yet my love. I need time." I told him. He nodded, and motioned for me to lay next to him. I crawled onto the bed, and laid my head on his shoulder. I was careful not to touch his wound. I looked over to the window and saw a crow perched on the window. I tensed slightly, and Harry looked over to the window as well. This crow didn't let out a screech though, instead a dove flew to the window, and scared the crow off.
"A dove." Harry said smiling.
"The symbol of love." I added on. My crow was now gone. Riden was no longer in my life. As of tomorrow when the divorce was final, I wouldn't be bound of him even by law. Now I had my dove. I had my beautiful dove Harry Edward Styles.
Notes
Shitty chapter I know... but I hope you like it a bit... Let me know what you think... Don't forget to vote lovlies!!!
All the Love,
~JR
They have been reported by me and Allie Miller for stealing our stories... thank you all so much for you're support.... I've been writing on here for years now and I never thought this would happen to me... I'm going to start keeping an eye out for everyone's stories...
1/6/19