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Best Man   12 Floral
NATHAN"I'm going for a conference at Australia, I'll spend most of the summer there" I say and Ashley sighs and drops her fork down.I couldn't help but just watch her on my bed when I came back, she looked so harmless, like her sharp mouth can't literally wound a soul. I understand the reason for her being like that, she's had a pretty rough childhood and she grew up in a violent home. For these 9 months that we'll be married, I hope I can make it the best time for her, I'll treat her like a younger sister. I agree that I needed company and it took Ashley coming around for me to realize that I've been pretty stuck up and emotionless to even care about myself, talk less of others. She opens her mouth to say something but she decides against it. "I'll drop some money with you as your allowance, Roy, my driver will take you anywhere you want to go, keep me informed on your whereabouts, I have so much on my plate to worry about you getting kidnapped. Roy is capable of protecting you a
Best Man   13 Impatient
ASHLEYI drop the paint brush and look at my work, critically, through the painter's eye of course. I smile inwardly at another master piece created by me, this one is more special than the other paintings that I've birthed, yes I like to call my paintings my babies. I look around the room smiling in satisfaction, Nathan would be so surprised to see that I've turned the room into an exhibition room, it's already three weeks since he travelled and honestly, I've been enjoying this free time alone, just thinking of my life and trying to make worthwhile decisions especially as I'm about to start college. Although some days I just wanted to talk to him desperately, I missed him and his bossy cold tone. As much as the alone time did some good to me, sometimes I just felt extremely lonely, even though Kate was here on some days.I'm also happy that I was able to buy all my paint tools with the money Nathan gave me. This particular drawing reminds me of how I felt when I kissed Nathan for
Best Man   1 The news
ASHLEYAunt Stacey covers her hand over her mouth and I know instantly that this matter is serious, it's unlike those other ones that my uncle will do. I look at my Aunt and I inhale deeply. There is just this bond, this feeling I get whenever I look at my Aunt, she always reminded me of my late mom, of course they were twins, identical ones at that. My eyes settle on her cracked lips, cracked with bruises and my heart sinks in disgust. I've always wondered why my Aunt still stays with her husband, I've always dreaded the sounds of beatings and arguments every night when Mr. Ray comes home drunk. It's like a second nightmare to me. I am not left out from the bullying, most times he'll come home totally wasted, reeking of alcohol and putrid desires and he'll pounce on me, letting out all his frustrations of taking care of me– which my Aunt bears all the cost of– and will beat me till my Aunt will step in to help me and sometimes he'll stop, but other times he'll put my Aunt in an und
Best Man   2 Terror
I grab a tissue and clean my eyes. My eyes dart to the picture of my mom sitting on my nightstand and I pick it up and hug it to my chest. My mom would never allow this if she were here. If my mom were in my shoes, what would she do? Run?I carefully weigh my options and I let out a breath. If I run, I wouldn't marry anybody, that would be better for me. Mr. Ray will be arrested, at least a worthy punishment for all his crimes but the house? Aunt Stacey and Kelly can find their way. I would leave to another state probably and start a new life there, just me and when I've worked there for a year, I can come back here and apply to college again. I can't sit here and waste my time crying. Nobody can decide my future, nobody should tell me what to do. I'm almost eighteen, I can't be forced to marry someone I don't know, someone I don't love, at least I deserve a near happy ending right? I take out a duffel bag from my closet and I start shoving some of my things inside. I take few c
Best Man   3 uncuffed prisoner
I'm taken to the car and shoved into the back seat. What a way to have his wife treated! Goosebumps appear on my skin at the thought of being married to an oldie.One of the men enters the car and sits beside me. A sound clicks signalling that the doors have been locked I lean on the window as the tears freely roll down my face.I am going to be an uncuffed prisoner, that is sure. My eyes are blurry from the tears and I look behind at my Aunt's house as it gets smaller till the car takes a sharp turn. This is it! I look at the road carefully, trying to grab the routes so I can cook up a perfect escape plan even though the only thing my brain can assimilate right now is the tears that cascade down my cheeks. I cry very quietly, I do not even have the freedom to cry the way I want. I look at the guard beside me but his face is straight as he looks ahead. It's already dark and after an almost unending drive, the car stops in front of a huge gate. The gate opens revealing a terribly hu
Best Man   4 meeting her
NATHANMy uncle's call sounded so urgent. He made it clear that he wanted me to be at his place yesterday as he needed to discuss something important but I was too tired to go to his place. I need a long nap, lately I've been too drowned in work to even think about my mental health.I walk into my uncle's living room and his lips curve into a half smile as he looks at me. "You sounded so urgent" I sit on a couch opposite him and one of his maids serves me a cold juice. "And you came today" my uncle scans my appearance coldly as he clears his throat. My uncle is one hell of a character, very mean by face but kind at heart. I know that because he was so kind to me, he saved me and took care of me even when every other person in my family wanted to dispose me, he took me in as his child and currently I'm his son, his nephew, his business partner and friend."I'll just get straight to the point" he pauses and closes the magazine he's reading and tosess it on the table. "I've gotten you
Best Man   5 Mr Nathan
ASHLEYThe kind of temporary relief that swept through me when Mr. kriss told me that wasn't his wife was just so much that it radiated on my face. So here am I standing with my supposed husband on Mr. kriss' driveway. He crosses his legs and leans back on his car. He looks amused and I feel like digging my nails into something just to keep my sanity intact. "And who told you I want to save my family" I snap. He takes a bold step towards me, towering over my slender form and I step back. He holds a similar energy just like his father's but I refuse to be intimidated by him."I don't want to have anything to do with you, clearly you're nothing like the girls I like. You're simply not my type". he smirks as his grey eyes scan me, more like checking me out. Oh I definitely know how to deal with cocky jerks like you! "The feeling is mutual Mr..." I try to remember his name"Nathan" he completes "Nathan" I repeat. You can't be my type, you're too old for me, what are you like, 30?"
Best Man   6 Graduation
The graduation ceremony is over and they're bodies everywhere, everyone is trying to take pictures. I already took dozens of those with Kate and the others before Kate took off somewhere. Mr Kriss agreed to let me come for my graduation, of course he had his driver drop me off and wait for me. "Ash" Aunt Stacey says behind me. I've been avoiding her and Kelly today, I'm still really upset about everything.She holds my arms and turns me around so that I'm facing her. "Happy graduation" she hugs me and I have no other choice but to hug her back. "Your mom would've been proud of you if she were here" A tear escapes from my eyes as she pats my back fondly. "I'm sorry Ash, I'm sorry" I pull away from the hug immediately, as much as I need to hug someone and cry for a full 20 minutes, I can't trust Aunt Stacey with that. Yes, call me a crybaby if you want but sometimes that's the auto reset my brain needs anytime I go through something shitty. I can't trust Aunt Stacey with that, she'
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