1 ~ Aurora

Life in itself can be such a rigmarole. Everyone has a turning point. An experience that could change the course of your entire life can happen in a split second and most of the time, there is nothing you can do about it. You just sit and watch because struggling against the tide might drown you.

Whenever I get to look back at what my life was and all the lessons it had taught me, I can only let out a sigh of exhaustion and exasperation. Why do some people seem luckier than others?

I was a young, naive twenty year old who had no direction, living with old money parents who believe everything is a transaction - even marriage.

One very fateful morning, a business associate of my parents came to visit. I was carefree, having a good laugh with my helps in the garden as they tended to my hair - the luscious waves that were the only thing I could be proud of when it came to my physical attributes.

My father had one of his guards come to alert me of our visitors. I got on my feet and followed. It was the usual routine to say hello to any of the prominent guests we usually had and because my siblings were away, I was the one that would do all these greetings with polite smiles and shy hair flips. As the only girl child of my parents, I did not exactly realize that I was parading myself to be traded off in the most unruly manner.

"Good day sir, ma'am." I curtsied at the somewhat familiar looking guests. We had so many of them come around, it was hard to keep up with who was who.

"Hello beautiful." Senator Adams said with a warm smile. He seemed like a very nice and receptive man. I liked him instantly.

"Hello." His wife's face was as blank as a piece of paper but I made nothing of it. It was not my business if she was having a bad day.

My father made me sit. That was unusual. I simply just said hello to the guests and left after the exchange of pleasantries but this time around he asked me to sit.

"We have good news for you my dear." Father was still smiling. He hardly ever did that, his face was as stoic as a statue on most days. "They are going to be your new parents soon."

I hesitated for a bit, eyes darting to the said couple and back to him, "Father, I'm not sure I understand." I said softly.

"You're going to be married to their only son." He said with so much glee while my heart stopped for a split second.

"What?" I blurted out.

Mother gave me a subtle glare. I knew what it meant so I comported myself and gave a complacent smile as I said, "Okay."

I excused myself, going up to my room to throw a tantrum. I did, to the best of my ability if arranging and rearranging my stuff can be counted as a tantrum.

There was nothing I could do. My father would not listen to me no matter how much I tried to resist his decision but I still insisted on going to plead with him and even my mother to change his mind. 

When I was sure the guests had left, I ran down to the living where I thought they'd be.

"Father please I can't marry someone I do not know." I said. I had garnered the courage to speak to him and this was the best I could come up with?

Aurora! I almost wanted to slap myself in the face.

"Your mother and I did the same and look how we turned out." He said with a carefree shrug.

I shook my head. I did not want to turn out like them. I did not want to be anything like the loveless couple in front of me who only cared about impressions and making more money at any cost, even at the detriment of their children. They did the same to my older brother, why did I even think my fate would be different especially as their only daughter?

"Mother?" I turned to her for help. It was hopeless but at least worth a shot.

"His decision is final, there's nothing I can do about it." She said without batting a lid. Downcast, I found my way back to my room to mourn my seemingly inauspicious fate.

I wept for the longest time, thinking of finding an escape route but there was no way. I could not run away, this was the only place I knew as home all my life. My brothers - all three of them - were far away and leaving the house without my parents permission was impossible. I was stuck.

~~~

"They're serious?"

"Yes, they are." I sobbed into the phone. I called my only friend when I could not cry on my own any longer.

"Oh no. You have to do something." She said in panic.

"What do I do?"

"Talk to Antonio or Ricardo or even..." she suggested my brothers. I shook my head even though she could not see me, it was pointless.

"No. They can't help me. You know how my parents are,"

She sighed, giving up because she indeed knew how things were. "I'm so sorry Aurora. Do you need me to come over?"

"Yes please."

"I'll be there in no time." She said.

River came over with my favorite things, all to make me feel better. Ice cream, chocolate and lollipops, she had it all.

"You're so young, you can't get married Aurora." she said when she had finally gotten a laugh out of me.

"I wish my parents understood that." I exhaled at the thought.

"Is there a reason why they're doing this?" She asked.

"I don't know." I shrugged. There had to be a reason. There was always a reason and I was very sure money was involved.

"It's going to be okay. They could change their mind when they see that you don't want this." She still tried to look at the bright side of things. She had always been the optimist, the one who held on to hope and faith.

I scoffed, "You don't know my parents River."

This was the same thing we thought in Alessandro's case but they were resolute and he was married off to a girl from another wealthy family all to seal a company merger deal.

"This is bad."

"It is." I agreed with a nod.

She lit up as she said, "You'll be so pretty in a wedding dress though."

"River..." I sighed, dunking my head into the pillow.

"I'm sorry. I was only trying to make you smile." She apologized.

"I know. Thank you, I really appreciate you coming here. If not-" I was about to tell her I would be a mess if she did not show up when a knock on the door interrupted me.

"Who is it?" I asked, beckoning the person to let themselves in.

It was my mother. I sat up immediately, so did River who said a quick hello to her.

"I didn't know you were in here, River." She said.

"Oh. I came in not so long ago."

"I believe you've heard the good news." Mother beamed like it was the best thing in the world.

"Good news?" River decided to act oblivious. We both knew my mother knew that she knew already but she she decided to play along already.

"Your friend is getting married. Surely you're going to be her maid of honor, isn't that so Aurora?"

River and I exchanged glances for a bit before I answered.

"Yes... mother." I responded glumly. I wanted to be the one to ask my best friend to be my bridesmaid, not my mother forcing it on her. But it was too late now.

"Good. The Adams would be here tomorrow for dinner. You'll get to meet your fiancé so, look good." She instructed.

My ears perked up at the announcement. I was finally going to meet my supposed husband to be. Wow, this was actually serious.