CHERRY AND HER FRIENDS

Tricia POV:

"What do you me to do?" I asked him.

He looked at me with a smile on his face. Staring at me, he reminded me of how his parents loved me more than him. He told me of how he always thought that I was his sister, but changed after knowing that I am not his sister.

"I hated you from the beginning, but more now that I know who you are."

I stayed mute, and my anger grew. If only I had a place to run to I would have. He blamed me for his parents' death. How am I to kill the people who cared for me?

I am a harmless being, and doubt I could do such a thing.

"What do you want me to do?" I asked silently.

"Ah!" I allowed a small shout to escape my mouth as I felt his slap sting a bite on my cheek.

He got up and left to his living room. I looked up as I imagined the reason he called me. My knees were hurting but I knew not to stand up.

Alex was going to kill me if I ever got up. Soon, he walked out of the room with a folder.

"I need your signature on this," he said.

I looked at the folder and shook my head, looking at Cherry who stood with her hand folded akimbo.

I wanted to refuse but I knew it would result in my ill treatment.

Smiling, he gave me a pen opening to a page that I was meant to sign, not giving me the chance to read it. He told me that I would suffer more if I didn't sign it so I did.

"Very good of you, girl," Cherry said, walking to me and patting my cheek. "Get back to your room."

I got up and walked to my room, thinking of what I had just signed. My eyes caught a glimpse of the word 'Auction' before I signed. Were they trying to give me out to the highest bidder?

I shut my room door and walked to my bed with all sorts of thoughts flying through my mind. My eyes flew to the clock, and I knew that I was meant to prepare dinner five minutes from now.

Cooking food in the evening was easy for me, but with Cherry around, it was always bad. I wasn't allowed to eat before they finished eating. She always made sure I cleaned the house and washed their plates before I ate.

It was a regular evening routine whenever Cherry was around. Left to Alex, he doesn't care about how I spend the evening.

"You know, when I was your age, I was smarter," Cherry said. "I'm two years older than you, but can still fool you around."

I kept cooking not letting her words get to me, but stopped immediately she mentioned that I had accepted and signed into an ill-fated marriage.

"What!" I exclaimed dropping what I was doing.

"You heard me, right," she said, smiling and walked away.

I immediately turned off the gas and looked at the door. Did they want to give me out?

Looking at the pot, I felt anger grow in me. I felt belittled but the thought of having an ill-fated marriage made my face red. I had an ill-fated home and now an ill-fated marriage.

Dropping the handkerchief which was on my hands, I walked to the living room, and saw Cherry on my brother's lap.

"Are you done preparing the food?" He asked.

I went down on my knees and pleaded, "Please, you can't do this to me. I can't marry someone I don't know."

Alex pretended not to know anything I was speaking about. He asked me again if I had finished cooking, and I replied negatively.

I rushed back in to finish up what I was doing, and as I was about to put a few bites in my mouth, Cherry walked in.

"Do you know the reason you would be married off?" She asked, and continued, "Aaron's group slammed your brother. He can only pay by selling you to a small organization."

I looked at her feeling sad. All I could do was listen to her. Tears formed on my face as I looked up.

Cherry mockingly told me that she was happy that I was going to leave their life.

"I can't marry a person I don't know," I said within me.

A sigh of relief escaped my lip immediately she left me. I immediately threw some of what I was preparing into my mouth.

When they were done eating, I washed the plate and cleaned the house before going to the kitchen. Cherry followed me to the kitchen and poured out a little spoons for me to eat.

I ate like a dog before going to my bedroom.

.....

The next day, I woke up with a slight headache. The sound of music blasted everywhere, almost making me deaf.

Cherry had invited her friends over, and they danced to the loud music. Alex met me, by the way, and told me what to prepare, and I obeyed.

I finished what I was doing, and as usual, munched on some before serving. Joy crept into my heart when the music stopped and everyone settled to eat.

"Alex, you have a nice, and beautiful stepsister," One of the girls said. "Why not sell her off to someone to be paid."

Alex looked at me and smiled, "It has been taken care of. Her husband will be here in a day or two days."

Tears escaped my eyes as I thought about this. I only have enemies, no friends.

Cherry got up from where she was and walked to Alex telling him that she would be leaving with her friends. This made me happy but the fact that I would be meeting my husband in a day or two made me feel weird. The only way I could stop this is if I die.