This is a joke, right?I ask myself as I stare at the message, I couldn't possibly be picked. I'm about to dismiss the message when another one comes in. Startled, I click on it.Dear applicant, We hope this E-mail finds you well. We've read through your application and have decided that you would be a perfect fit for the job. If you're interested, please reply.Stunned doesn't even begin to cover what I'm feeling right now. Despite my better judgment, I start to reply.I'm interested. I click on send. After a few agonizing moments of waiting, another mail comes up again. With a bated breath, I check it out.In that case, we would have to meet physically. Which day would be most suitable?I almost type that today is fine but I don't want to come off as desperate. I take a deep breath, trying to calm my racing heart.Wednesday will be perfect.Send.Very well. we would be having our date then. We would be sending you the details later on. I look forward to seeing you, Miss Franklin.
The world is a blur. I can't see anything.Mom? I call out to the increasing crowd on the sidewalk, hurried footsteps surrounding me, getting louder by the second. I swallow, my eyes darting around. Still, I can't make out a single thing.Mom! I call out, even more, frantic this time. She's always like this, leaving me behind every time we go out together. It's like she wants to abandon me here.I'm right here! I hear her scream, her voice laced with anger.My lips start to tremble. I can't see you, I yell, my voice shaking.What do you mean you can't, I'm right in front of you! Walk faster!You're blurry, come closer. I take a step forward, the crowd pushing me in all directions. I try to follow her voice but I trip over myself and land facedown on the sidewalk. The tears I fight so hard to keep are on the surface now, blinding me further.Mom... I mumble, my voice racking with sobs.You insolent child! A voice grits in my ear and I'm picked up by the collar. She starts dragging me a
Closing off early at my warehouse job at the factory, I return home with a bag of groceries and a pounding headache. The house is silent as I step in and a sigh escapes my lips. Although there's still a long way to go before it's time for my date, it won't be bad to get started early. I eat a late lunch and spend the rest of my time, cleaning the entire apartment and preparing a meal for my sister when she arrives. She's on a strict diet thanks to her gastrointestinal disease and the last thing I want is a flare-up. I wasn't joking when I said I have no money to give anyone.By the time I'm done cleaning the rundown apartment, there's another E-mail waiting for me in my account. This time, it looks like I'm going to be picked up by a driver. How do they even know my address? I chuckle, dropping the phone on the couch. They've probably done their research. Freaking Billionaires. I check the wall clock. It's just past four. I have less than an hour to prepare. I step into the shower a
It took only one glance to know she was the one... And I have bad eyesight. Staring at the woman before me, whatever image I had conjured on how my prospective blind date would like burned away to dust. She exceeded all of my expectations and more. To the point where I had difficulty speaking. Realizing she'd been standing for a while, I finally manage to force out some words."Nice to meet you as well," I reply, standing to my feet to shake her outstretched hand. Thankfully my voice doesn't reflect the surprise I'm feeling at the moment. A sizzle of electricity courses through me at the contact of our palms and I'm mentally kicking myself in hopes that she didn't feel that as well. Her expression doesn't change so I'm guessing she didn't. "My name is Devon Reeves and just like you guessed, I am your date. Please, have a seat." "Thanks." She says, pulling her hands away. Draping her coat on the seat, she pushes it out of the chair and sits down with me following. She places her bag o
When I finally arrived home, Emma was still up, waiting for me. The second she saw me, visible relief crosses her face and she jumped out of her seat, her eyes immediately scanning me. Seeing I didn't come home with any weird marks on my skin, she lets out a sigh, a smile on her face."Welcome home." She says, ushering me in."Thank you," I mutter, smiling at her."So, how was your date?" She asks as she goes back to sit, her voice laced with interest. I let out a small sigh, removing the coat from my body."Great? At least, I didn't get killed since that's what you were so worried about." I tell her, removing the jewelry I have on. She smiles, rubbing her palms together."I can't help it. You tend to do worrisome things.""So I've heard," I murmur."Who's the person, though?" I pause, then decide to tell her the truth. "Devon Reeves," I say simply, walking to the kitchen to grab myself a bottle of water."Devon Reeves?" She repeats, staring at me, her eyes widened in surprise. I nod
A reply was already waiting for me in my email and when I check out my email the next morning, he had agreed to the terms. Which means, by Saturday we should be married. A weird feeling spreads through my chest as I read the message and the extra information he had written down concerning our wedding arrangements.The terms were rather simple although a bit problematic. *No sexual intimacies of any sort,*No questions about my past and;*Fuck any non-disclosure terms he might have, my sisters would be aware that this was a contract marriage. Although it wasn't worded like this, that was the point. I also added that I would be moving in with my teenage sister since I was responsible for her. Seeing that he agreed, he must be as easygoing as he looks.Replying with a simple thanks, I start to prepare for my day at work. There's no food at home so I make Emma promise she'll have something to eat before school starts before heading to work.I arrive and meet Stephanie waiting for me. Af
Returning from my fake wedding, I've never felt so despondent in my entire life. Once again, I've thrown myself into another precarious situation in which I have no idea whether I would come out alive or not. But that wasn't the one giving me the greatest anxiety. Telling my sisters about this new development was. I reach the door of my house, my white dress safely tucked away and the ring removed from my finger. Hesitating for a while, I take a deep breath and knock. I hear Emma call out before she throws the door open. A smile hits Emma's face as she sees me and it only makes me want to hide away in shame. She's still so oblivious and it hurts me so much. I walk into the apartment, forcing all the painful emotions down as I give her a small smile."How was work?" She asks and my throat tightens. I glance at her, watching as she rushed back to the kitchen."Fine. Have you had dinner?""Not yet but already started cooking!" She says as she stirs whatever she's cooking on the stove. I
The ride to Devon's house is awfully quiet. Emma stares out of the window the entire time, headphones in her ears as the driver drives along. Though she looked calm on the outside, I could tell how tense she was coming along with me. The hands tightening on her jeans was a dead giveaway. I bit my already sore lips, letting out a sigh. Houses zip by us as the car drives along and my stomach twists painfully. I should not have done this, I repeat to myself over again... But, what was I supposed to do? Bringing out my phone, I went to my email and read the last message that was sent, and my breath caught in my chest. 'My driver will come to pick you up,' it read. I can see my hands shaking and I quickly take deep breaths to calm myself. It has already happened, I might as well deal with it. It's already late and dark purple streaks are lining the evening sky.We finally arrived at a residential area of some sort and there was a quick change in scenery. Huge homes lined the streets, all e