CHAPTER 002

CHAPTER 002

As soon as I stepped in the air inside the house felt different. It smelled warm, like roasted chicken and herbs, but the smell made me want to taint. Maybe it was just the weight of the air or the way Mom and Lilith sat silently across from me at the dining table, their faces blank, unreadable. At the head of the table, Dad looked stiff, as if he were guarding something most important.  

Mom didn’t look up. “You’re late.” Her voice was as sharp as a knife cutting through the space where only quiet should have been.  

I set my bag down near the door, mumbled, “I came as fast as I could.”  

She frowned and moved a plate closer to Dad. “Dinner’s cold now.”  

I walked to the table and sat down in the empty chair farthest from everyone else. My hands were clenched so tightly in my lap that they hurt. No one spoke. It was just the clinking of silver ware on plates, and it made my skin crawl.  

Dad finally broke the silence, clearing his throat loudly. His voice was calm but firm; we’ve made a decision, he said.  

I glanced up. His eyes were cold and unflinching, on me.  

“What decision?” I asked, my voice small.  

He said simply, as if it were the most natural thing in the world, 'You're getting married.'  

I thought I misheard him for a moment. I blinked, staring at him, waiting for him to correct himself or laugh and tell me it was some cruel joke. His expression didn’t change, though.  

“What?” I whispered.  

His tone offered no room for argument, and he said, you heard me.  

I checked out Mom; she refused to look at me, cutting her chicken into unrelated, neat, precise slices. I looked to Lilith who smirked, and took a slow sip from her glass.  

“Married? To who?” My voice was trembling now.  

Dad sighed, clattering his fork down. To a man who can provide for you. Someone respectable. Someone wealthy.”  

The words swirled in my mind like smoke, and I shook my head. “I don’t even know him. I can’t—”  

He interrupted, hard. “You’ll do as you’re told.”  

“Dad, please,” I begged. “I’m only eighteen. I haven’t even finished school yet. How can I—”  

He barked, slapping his hand down on the table. I flinched at the sudden noise.  

I forced myself to speak, tears pricked my eyes. “I don’t want to get married. I want to go to college. “I want to finish my education,” he said.  

Mom snapped, finally looking at me, “You want, you want.” What about what this family needs? Do you ever think about that?”  

“What this family needs?” My voice cracked as I repeated. I’m doing this because you’re the ones forcing me to. “I’ve never cared about what you want!”  

Dad’s face darkened and he leaned forward, his hands gripping the edge of the table. “Sarah, don’t raise your voice at me.” We’re even giving you this opportunity, so you should be grateful. How many girls would kill to marry into a family like his?”  

“Grateful?” My tears spilled over as I stared at him. “For what? For ruining my life?”  

Lilith’s fake concern dripped “Don’t be dramatic” from her voice. “Like you were doing anything important.”  

My head snapped toward her. I spat, “You don’t get to talk.” 'You've never had to work for anything in your life.' ‘Everything’s been handed to you.’”  

Lilith’s smirk widened. ‘Jealousy, Sarah? It doesn’t look good on you.’ “Maybe you wouldn’t be in this position if you’d tried harder.”  

“I said Lilith, stop,” I shook my voice.  

“She’s right,” Mom said. “You’ve wasted enough time. ‘It’s time to grow up and do something useful for this family,’ he said.”  

Useful. I didn't expect that word to hit me so hard.  

I tried again, my voice breaking, “Dad, please.” “I’ll do anything. Just let me finish school first. Let me—”  

Dad said coldly, “Stop embarrassing yourself.” “This isn’t a negotiation. You’ll do as you’re told, and the wedding will happen.”  

I wanted to argue, but the look in his eyes stopped me. He wasn’t going to be swayed.  

The rest of dinner was silent. The lump in my throat made it impossible to swallow, I didn’t touch my food. I went upstairs without a word when it was over, my legs heavy like lead.  

As soon as I shut my bedroom door, the tears came. Tears that were hot and angry, that blurred my vision and soaked my pillow. I hated them. I hated this house. I hated my family.  

How could they do this to me? How could they just take away everything I’d worked for, everything I’d dreamed of, and throw it away like it didn’t matter?  

I cried until I couldn’t anymore, my body was exhausted but my mind was still racing. School memories, friends I’d lost touch with, dreams I’d buried, they all came flooding back.  

Somewhere in the chaos of my thoughts, a new feeling started to grow.  

Anger.  

They wanted to control me. To make me feel powerless. I wasn’t going to let them win, though.  

By morning, the tears were dried up, replaced by something stronger.  

I sat down to breakfast, facing them again, my hand steady, my voice sure beyond what would be considered merely rational.  

“I’ll do it,” I said.  

Dad raised an eyebrow in surprise. “Good. “I’m glad you’ve come to your senses.”  

“But,” I said, staring him in the eye without blinking, “I won’t get married until I’m twenty.” “But only if you let me go to college for two years first.”  

I didn’t look at mom, she scoffed.  

“What if we say no?” His tone challenging, Dad asked.  

I said simply, “Then I’ll run away.” “You’ll never see me again.”  

The room fell silent.  

Would they call my bluff? Or had I finally found a way to fight back?