Chapter Four

SELENA'S POV

I ran my hand in my hair as the elevator door closed shut in front of me.

What was I going to do now? I had no other place I could go to. I didn't have friends because I don't like people. It was times like this that I cursed my introverted life.

I had gone to the bank but they refused to give me a loan because I had been getting a lot of those and I have a huge debt on my hands.

I sighed loudly as I fought to keep my eyes open. After my meet with the Maranos the previous night; no relation, I had gone to several places with the hope of being hired even if it was for a short period of time so I could pay for the bill by installments.

The elevator door opened to the floor where my mom's room was situated at. I sighed again and walked out, dragging my feet as I made my way to my mom's room.

On reaching the door, I opened it but was almost pushed down by a frantic looking nurse who ran out of the room. Weird. I opened the door again but was met with a couple of nurses pacing about with different creepy looking medical equipments and stuff and my mom was connected to tubes. She had an oxygen mask on her face and a doctor hovered above her getting ready to use a defibrillator on her.

"Charge it to 60!!", he barked at a nurse frightened looking nurse.

I just continued staring with horror without making a sound.

"Miss you can't be here, please", one of the nurses said coming all up in my face. She tried to push me out gently.

"B-But.... she.....", I stuttered while pointing at my mother's figure that kept jerking because of the effect of the defibrillator.

"She'll be fine but you have to wait outside please", the nurse successfully pushed me out and shut the door behind her.

Slowly, I found my way to a nearby bench and sat down and taking a deep breath watching as nurses would go in and out of the room.

What was I going to do? The thought of losing my mother scared me. She was in there fighting for her life and this being the one time she needs me the most, I can't help her because I don't have any means of paying for her bills.

As I felt my anxiety kicking in, I dipped my hand in my purse and brought out my earpiece and connected it to my phone before inserting it in my ears. Music was one of my ways of calming myself down.

I buried my constantly shaking hands in the pocket of my jacket and closed my eyes tightly as I tried to be engulfed by soothing calm of the music blasting in my ears but instead of being engulfed, I remained on the surface.

So much for calm.

Frustrated, I opened my eyes and saw the doctor coming out of my mother's room.

"Miss Marano my office, please", he said when he saw me.

I silently got up and followed the doctor to his office and on getting there he gestured for me to have a seat.

"How bad is it?", I blurted out not even giving the doctor a chance to talk.

He exhaled deeply, "I'm afraid her condition is getting worse and we have to commence immediate treatment on her"

I nodded, gesturing for him to move on to the part I've been dreading to hear.

"But you are unable to pay for the treatment and the fact that you don't have health insurance isn't even helping"

Hearing that out stings even more.

"I'm really trying to be generous here and I'm sorry but if you don't pay for the treatment, I'm afraid but we'll be forced to send your mother away"

Well..... that was a little unexpected.

"One week!", I spat causing the doctor to flinch a little,then I reduced my voice that I had unintentionally raised. "Please just give me one week, I'll pay the money by then.

"Miss Marano, I'll have you know that we aren't running a charity event here"

"Please..."

"Fine....", he exhaled deeply and closed his eyes as I fighting with himself. "One week..."

My lips curved up into a half smile. I thanked him continuously then left his office.

Now, I'm seriously fucked. Where was I gonna get fifty thousand dollars in one week. If I was to get a job for roaming around the city aimlessly, I'm sure as hell I would get the money for my mom's bills because that's what I'm doing right now. I had the slightest idea where I was going but I know I was heading somewhere.

Walking like this sometimes makes me remember how I secretly wish for a life without any responsibilities, I life that I wouldn't have to be left wondering where I would get money for my mom's bills.

When did I stop losing that irky proactive nature that just knew and made out a solution to every problem. The only solution that I had in mind made me cringe as I found myself standing in front of the Marano mansion.

Taking a deep breath, I pushed the door and went inside the house inwardly making the decision to ruin my life and making the people I loathe see me at my lowest was one way to do it.

I walked slowly into the house while greeting the doorman quietly who returned it with a small smile and a bow. Mr. Marano sat on one of the plush cream coloured couches with a newspaper in hand while his wife flipped through the pages of a fashion magazine.

"I was wondering when you'd come around", I flinched at the voice. I turned to see Adelaide coming down from the stairs and her parents whose attention were now on me.

"I'll do it, Adelaide", I said staring into her eyes.

"Oh honey, I know.. you didn't have a choice anyway", she smirked.

I balled my hand into fists beside me, trying not to dig my fingers into my skin through my jeans then I smiled weakly at her.

"Well, since that's settled...why don't you spend the night here", her smirk increased. "After all, tomorrow is the big day"

My eyes went wide at this... what did she mean by tomorrow is the wedding. Well what did I expect from an arranged marriage amongst elites.

"You must be overwhelmed", my step mom chirped in.

That was an understating way to put it.

"But we have everything everything ready, so you don't have to worry, dear child", she continued.

Adelaide took my hand in hers before leading me upstairs to a guest room.

"You should get some rest", she smiled at me, disgust and pure evil flickering in her emerald eyes. "I wish you a happy wedding"

What have I done.

...

Numbness....

That's all I felt as I sat infront of the mirror at the dressing table as a maid struggled to put my hair in a bun.

I glanced at the reflection of my wedding dress in the mirror one more time. If this was a dream... this would have been a pretty good time for my mom to tap me on the cheek telling me to get up and get ready for work.

I have to admit; before this situation I somehow found a way to put myself in, I never thought of the idea of marriage and living with a man. Even the thoughts of trying to impress a man made me gag.

Men made me sick.

Note to self, keep a dagger beside you at all times. I wouldn't be the first time I've gone to jail....I mean it was juvie but still....jail.

One thing that surprised me was the fact that they went all out to even prepare the wedding essentials for me. On a normal day, Adelaide would give anything to see me get married in a crop hoodie and baggy rag jeans.

"You look beautiful, Miss Selena", the maid smiled at me sweetly.

I turned my head to the mirror then gave her a small smile. She was right I did look beautiful.

"Urghh... finally", my head turned to the direction of the voice. Adelaide stood by the door picking her nails.

"Was beginning to wonder when you'd be done"

She took in my appearance as she looked at me from head to toe then scoffed.

"I don't see the point of this anyway", she gestured at my whole getup. "You won't be impressing anyone"

Fucking bitch.... but sadly she was right. My future was.....well, let's say unappealing and no one was invited. It was just gonna be me, the nigga and the people that hate my guts. Yay! Happy wedding. I've always dreamt of a day like this. I loved the way my sarcasm kept me company at times like this.

I'm weird. I know.

"Let's get this over with", I muttered.

I followed Adelaide to the garden where my wedding was taking place and took a seat on one of those fancy couple seats that are used at weddings.

You understand what I mean.

The Priest kept flipping through pages of The Bible while adjusting his glasses every now and then and the Maranos where a few feets behind me.

"Urghh... what sort of man doesn't keep to time", Sylvia grunted.

"Right? I can't believe he's late for his own wedding", Adelaide snickered.

"I heard arthritis doesn't soothe well", she whispered loudly to her mother who chuckled.

I rolled my eyes at their conversation.

"Oh my gosh Selena, where's your mom", Adelaide's voice rang causing my eyes to widen. "Oh..my bad, I forgot she couldn't....make it"

Sylvia chuckled.

"Why kind of mother doesn't make it to their own daughter's wedding", Adelaide whispered to her mother as I clutched the flowers in my hands tightly.

It took everything in me to not get up and slap her with the flowers continuously. I didn't care if there was a fucking priest around. She didn't have the right to talk about my mother in that manner. My mom was more of a mom than hers could even be.

"You know I'll never miss yours for the world Addy dear", Sylvia said but a gasp from Addy dear...I mean Adelaide was the reply.

I heard the clicking sound of shoes the interlocked ground. A loafer?... No..Oxfords.

Male shoes...he's here. I couldn't look......even though I wanted to.

I felt him sit beside me. I tried to sneak a peek from the corner of my eye. And much to my surprise, he seemed young, like my age type of young. That's relieving.

"I'm sorry I'm late", he said. His deep voice sent a little shiver down my spine. I turned slowly to look at him and he was already staring with wide eyes.

Not like 'Sheesh, what the fuck', type of wide eyes..more like 'What.. the...fuck', type of wide eyes...the good one.

Then he looked away, a very small smile present on his face.

Okay.. first of all, weird and second...I know this dude.

Come on, where have I seen him before, then it hit me as my head snapped towards him.

"You?", I blurted out.