chapter 3

I was meeting my boyfriend Calvin and my friends, Zoe and Asher later in the evening. I kept rummaging my head thinking of a way to tell them this news.

I sat in front of my dresser putting on my version of minimal makeup, which was basically a mascara, eyeliner and lip gloss.

I dreaded meeting up with them, and so i tried coming up with various excuses just to cancel this meeting.

But I knew that if I butt out they would automatically know something was wrong. So reluctantly, I just settled on meeting up that day.

We met up at our favorite corner cafe in town.

We were four in our friend group, me, my friend turned boyfriend Calvin, my childhood friends, Zoe and asher.

“Hey, hey, hey”, Asher said walking in with Zoe. “How’s everybody doing”.

“I’m good”, I said standing up to hug them. “Where’s Calvin” Zoe asked.

“Oh, he’ll soon be here, he’s just looking for where to park his car, you know he’s crazy about his car”. I said calmly while sitting down.

Zoe noticed my mood and asked “Whats going on kiana, you’ve kind of being avoiding us”.

“I kinda have something to tell you guys i said looking at them with a sullen face, but lets wait for Calvin” I said.

I heard the door jingle from the bells hanging above it and we all looked towards the door to see Calvin strutting in.

He looked as handsome as always, strutting towards us in his casual black joggers pants and plain white tee.

He sat in the chair next to me giving me a light peck before sitting. “Hey guys, how you doing” he said smiling showing his perfect smile with his little crooked incisors teeth showing. I’ve always loved that about Calvin’s smile.

“Fine, Kiana here said she has something to tell us, so spill” Asher said turning to face me.

“So guys my dad just brought up something yesterday. He kinda wants me to get married”. I said ripping the band aid off.

Three sets of bulging eyes suddenly face me, “sorry, what!!” Calvin said.

“Yeah, my dad wants me to get married.

“As in to get married to Calvin, you mean.“But isn’t that a bit too early for you guys!!”, Zoe exclaimed staring at me as if I had suddenly grown two heads.

“No, I mean he wants me to have an arranged marriage”. I said while bowing my head down to avoid their gaze.

Calvin looked at me with confusion, “you mean he wants you to get married to another man that’s not me”. I nodded positively with shame.

“But he does know you have boyfriend right?”. “He must know right”, he said pleading with his eyes for confirmation to his question.

“He doesn’t know”, I said bowing my head in shame.

Why doesn’t he know", he said disappointingly, you should have told him you had a boyfriend for God’s sake.

“I tried telling him but he wouldn’t take no for an answer!

“He must have a reason for saying this, right asher asked persuasively. He just cant make this type of decision without good reason, So spill”.

“Okay so you know how I’ve been talking to you guys about my dads business failing, they all nodded in unison.

“Yeah so he kinda had some bad dealings with some shady people and that made him lose a very huge amount of money and it also lead to him, firing his workers as he couldn’t pay their salary for the sometime and closing down his business.

So how does the marriage come to play Calvin. asked.

Well as he was searching for people to lend him money to pay up the salaries of some f his workers and to be able to reopen his business again.

He met Mr Alexandria Cartwright.

“Wait Alexandria Cartwright., Alexandria Cartwright., that name seems familiar.

I know I’ve heard it before. I just can’t place where”. Zoe said placing her hand on her chin and her face all scrunched up from thinking.

“Is it the Cartwright that owns almost half of all the real estate and casinos in our town you’re talking about?”. “That Cartwright, that’s known for being very stoic and also cruel to debtors in his casino.

“I think so, or is there another Cartwright.”, I asked.

“No, there’s not only that one I think”.

I turned to Calvin with desperation showing on my face.

“You know I love you right, I love you so much but I have to think about my family, right?.

“If I don’t do this there’s a possibility my dad might go to jail and as you all know hes the major breadwinner in my family, and his family abandoned us and made it very clear that there are not going to hep out in anyway”.

“So there’s nowhere else to run to, The bank has just threatened to foreclose our house very soon, its only just a matter of days or weeks, it depends on just how soon my dad pays back a certain amount”.

“Please I hope you can put yourself in my shoes and think about it from my point of view, please I have a little brother who’s just one year old to think about and also my parents”.

Calvin stared at me, not saying anything, his face expressionless, after about what felt like forever he just stood up, picked up his car keys and left.

Asher looked at me with pity written all over his face. “I understand and feel for you, I really do, honestly, I do, but you’ve got to give him some time to come to terms with it as you only just told him now.

“I’ll talk to him”, he said and stood up to leave, chasing after Calvin.

I turned to look at Zoe who had been unusually quiet, she opened her mouth to say something but couldn’t speak then closed her mouth.

Then after like thirty seconds, she then looked at me then said “I really don’t know what to say, seriously, this is a very serious matter and also a big decision that can change your life literally and figuratively”.

“But I love you and I know it took a big amount of courage to be able to tell us this and for that I am grateful, so I am going to support you in every decision you make along the line”.

I sighed in relief and said “thank you, thank you very much, I said standing up to hug her.

I hugged her so tight basking in her sweet lavender scent, while trying not to cry, “I really don’t know what I will do without you”.

“But you know you have to talk to Calvin sooner than later cause this means your relationship is officially over”.

“I know, will do that tomorrow when I know he has calmed down a bit”. I love you so much.