01.

Alva's POV.

The shouts were audible from her room where Alva sat that morning and she tried to block out the sounds. She had a painting brush in her hand and a painting weasel in front of her on which she drew the portrait of a woman she knew by heart.

"Madison!"

"What?!, why should I be the one to do it? I still have my life to live!"

"I know, but this is only for a year, then it would all be over."

"Doesn't matter. Alva should do it. It's not like she's contributing anything to this family or doing anything for a living. All she does is draw some stupid painting and leech off us. She should do this!"

"Fine, but I..."

"I'll ask her for you,"

Alva sighed as she heard them shout, she had absolutely no idea what they were talking about or why they were mentioning her name but she knew it couldn't be a good thing, not to talk of the way her sister's footsteps pounded to her room. The door banged open, startling Alva and she stared at her elder sister who stood in the doorframe, "Madison?"

"You're getting married tomorrow," she blurted, ignoring the question in her eyes.

"Wait what?"

"You heard me. You're getting married tomorrow, so you had better get prepared."

Her father walked in at that moment looking stern like he always did and behind him followed her elder brother, who is a twin, to Madison, looking just as stern. They all hated her... for a reason, something that happened many years back, something that haunted her every moment, something that made her wish for death every day but didn't come, so she had to face their hate every day.

They all stood there now, looking at her with the disdain that someone gave a scumbag and she totally felt like one.

"Dad, Alva has agreed to marry Jaxon,"

She snapped out of her bitter thoughts, "wait what? I-I di-- "

"You don't have to worry anymore. She would be a good wife to him and stay put for that year. I'll see to it," her sister interrupted.

"Then I will leave her to you, get her prepared for tomorrow,"

"Sure,"

Her father left the room not sparing her a glance, and she felt so alone even with her brother and sister still in the room, "so the naïve quiet one is finally getting married, huh?" her brother started, moving forward to sit down on the bed beside her.

"... I have to say you did her pretty nasty, though. You could have married the guy without all this fuss and still make it good in your career, so why?"

Madison smiled devilishly, "why should I? it's not like she contributed anything to this family so far, instead, she took away the one thing that mattered to all of us, she should be grateful we're not giving her over to some poor guy but Jaxon Smith," her brother sighed running his fingers through his hair and nodded his head in agreement.

She felt like they were talking about another person like she wasn't there and she would have loved to stay that way, but she couldn't. She just had to say something. She had to object to them and make her thoughts known. She couldn't just get married to someone so soon and to someone, she didn't know at all.

She cleared her throat, "Uhm I... want to... I don't think I can do it."

Her sister moved closer to her menacingly, "what did you just say?"

She immediately felt intimidated, "I-I don't think I can get married tomorrow," the words rushed out before she could stop them but her sister seemed to understand and before she could comprehend what was going on, her sister's hand connected with her cheek making her wince.

"Don't you dare say you can't do it, not after taking her away from us, not after being the cause of our misery, you can't say no!" a tear streamed down her sister's cheek and Alva wallowed in deeper regrets filled with guilts that haunted her from the past leaving her no choice.

"Hey calm down," Mason said supporting her as she broke down in tears leading her towards the door but before they could go out, she stopped turning back towards Alva, "another thing you don't have the right to do..." she walked towards Alva with hate emanating from her eyes and pulled away the paper that was on the weasel, "... is draw her."

She tore the paper in her hand, sprinkling the remnants to the floor before finally leaving with Mason behind her.

Alva stared at the pieces of paper that contained her memories with her mother and she couldn't help breaking down into tears. Yes, she probably didn't have the right to draw her since she was the cause of her death, but she also didn't have the right to tear the paper that was so precious to her.

Alva picked up her phone. She only had one person that could calm her at the moment and she called that person.

****

The drive to the cafe was very short and Alva was grateful that no one had asked her whereabouts when she was leaving. They had just gone back to their lives like they hadn't just ruined hers, and she was bitter about that. She parked in the parking lot of the café, grabbed her bag, and stepped out of her car, then took quick steps into the place where her friend was waiting for her.

"Jessie!" she exclaimed immediately her gaze fell on her best friend and ran into the open arms of her friend, "Je-ssie," her voice cracked as she hugged her friend tight almost squashing her.

"Hey, hey calm down," Jessie muttered and pats Alva back gently while running her left finger through Alva's sandy blonde hair.

Alva couldn't hold the tears back, "I-I ju-st--"

"Don't say anything, just let it all out." Jessie interrupted her with a soft smile curling its way onto her lips.

Everyone was probably looking at them, cause of the emotions she was putting on display, but she cared less about that at the moment. She had just heard the worst news in her life and right now what she needed was a shoulder to cry on and her dear friend was the only one who could offer her such a kind gesture.

She calmed down after a few minutes and her friend sat her down, "now tell me what's wrong... but before that--" she raised her hand for the waiter, "... let's make our order,"

Alva smiled warmly at her friend and Jessie reciprocated the smile back then placed her right hand over Alva's hand on the table and squeezed it reassuringly, Jessie was always there for her no matter the situation and that's why Alva always depended on her, if not, she couldn't even imagine her life without her.

The waiter arrived at their table and smiled at them. "What would you like to have?" he asked.

"One latte for me and mocha for the lady," Jessie answered.

"Sure, it'll be just a minute,"

"Okay,"

The waiter left and Jessie faced her once again, giving her full attention, "so what's the matter?"

Alva immediately felt the panic of earlier come back and she stuttered, "I-I..." she sighed, looking sad, and bite on her lower lips nervously.

"Hey calm down and just tell me in one sentence, okay?" Jessie advised and pulled her hand away from Alva's as she leaned back in her seat.

Alva nodded and cleared her throat. She closed her eyes, taking in shallow breaths before opening them and gazing at Jessie, who was staring at her, waiting patiently for what she was about to say.

"I'm getting married... tomorrow," Alva revealed in a low raspy tone, and it was as if she couldn't believe she said that as her voice faded away.

Her friend's jaw dropped. "What? Wait! You're what?" Jessie questioned with widened eyes and drew her chair close to the table, not believing what Alva said while making a screeching sound in the café.

"I'm getting married tomorrow, Jessie, I know it sounds surprising and I'm just as shocked, as you are too but Madison just barged into my room and told me the freaking news like it was a normal thing, and dad and Mason agreed with her, I don't know what to do, I'm confused I..."

"Alva, don't panic—"

The waiter came back again, interrupting their conversation and he dropped their drinks, "here are your orders."

"Thank you,"

He left and Alva grabbed her drink, downing almost half of it in one go.

"Don't choke on that," Jessie warned, narrowing her gaze at her and also looking worried about her best friend.

"Yeah, I just needed that,"

"So tell me, do you know this man you're getting married to?"

Alva shook her head, "No, I don't, and that's what makes the entire issue more complicating,"

"Jessie, I don't even know the man I'm getting married to." Alva let out a small chuckle as she dropped her glass cup of macho on the table. Everything seems funny and crazy to her, her family must distaste her so much and this was the only way for them to get rid of her.

"Alva! Alva!!," Jessie waved at her poor friend, who looks lost in her thoughts.

"Huh?" Alva jolted from her thoughts and stared at Jessie, blinking her eyes severally at her, and sighed before grabbing her cup of macho and gulping down the remaining content.

"So, do you at least know the name of this man you are getting married to?"

"Madison just called him Jaxon or so..." Alva answered, trying to remember the full name of the man her sister made mentioned this morning.

"Jaxon?"

"Jaxon what?" Jessie inquired curiously.

"Uhm! Jaxon Smith. I think that's what Madison told me this morning." Alva said and Jessie coughed, hitting her chest to calm herself while Alva stared a bit confused.

"Holy freak! Jaxon Smith?" Jessie exclaimed, placing her both hands on the table and leaning closer to Alva, who looks completely lost.

"Yeah, do you know him?" Alva asked, arching a brow at her best friend.

"I'm not so sure, but if it's the Jaxon I know, things can't end well."

"What do you mean?" Alva asked, her brows furrowed, and a bit interested. She has accepted her fate. The least she could do is to get interested in the man she was getting married to.

"That guy is so hot and handsome and he dates girls quite frequently until he got hooked on one recently. He is known to be cold to others and does business with big companies. He hates non-social people and..." Jessie paused when she saw the scared look on Alva's face, "... I'm sure he's not the one though,"

Her face didn't look so convincing, though, and that made Alva more anxious.

"Do you have to get married to him, though?" Jessie asked with an annoyed look.

"Yeah, it's for dad's business. Madison said something about me getting lucky to marry him, but I still don't understand," Alva informed and Jessie sighed, placing her palm on her forehead.

"Honestly, Alva, you should learn how to keep tabs on people," Jessie said.

Alva shrugged and folded her arms on her breast, "Not like I have a choice, marrying him is the only way I can amend for what I did years ago,"

Jessie's face changed. "Hey, don't say that. What happened wasn't your fault."

"But—"

"I don't want to hear it, Alva, stop blaming yourself for the past... it wasn't your fault, and that's it,"

They both kept quiet, sipping their drinks slowly for about a few minutes, then Jessie broke the silence.

"But if you're still going to get married, I'll help you with that. You know there's nothing I do better than getting a bride ready for her wedding day, especially when it's going to be my best friend."