Forced (Ted Dibiase)| WATTYS 2016

Pushed beyond limits

After a couple of months, I am forced to go shopping for my wedding dress. I have decided that my maid of honor will be my sister, and my other bridesmaids will be four of my other friends: Stacy, my cousin; Brooke Hogan; Hannah Hickenbottom; and my best friend Maryse. So we all meet at the wedding boutique, and walk in to find the one person I do not want to see.

Ted Dibiase is sitting in a chair, and when his eyes meet mine they light up. I can't help but glare at him "Ted, what a surprise." He smiles "Since my son can't see your dress, I have to be here to give you a mans opinion." I look around "Where's Mary?" He points over his shoulder "She's already picking out some dresses. You're a size eight, right?" I grind my teeth together "Yes." He stands and offers me his arm "Shall we?" I stare at him for a second but eventually I begrudgingly take his arm. He leads me over to a private suite. It has a sitting room with a couch, and two chairs for the people I bring, and a separate fitting room. Mary is already waiting for us with four wedding dresses. I am pushed into the dressing room, and Stephanie helps me into the first one. It is a silk mermaid style dress with a sweetheart neck line. Stephanie shakes her head "I hate it. You look like a model, not a bride." I smirk "What's the difference?" She smiles "Oh stop it. You've always dreamed of this day. I remember you used to make dad buy you all of the wedding magazine so you could find your dream dress." I sigh "He let me dream about my wedding....knowing that it would end up like this...." Stephanie sighs "Well they're all waiting for us." I walk out of the fitting room, and everyone kind of wrinkles their nose. Ted shakes his head "I don't like it. Try on this one, I picked it out." A sales consultant hands Stephanie a bag, and we make our way back into the dressing room. The dress is a taffeta ballgown with rhinestoned straps, and I hate to admit it....but the dress is really beautiful. Stephanie wipes her eyes "You look so beautiful." I force myself to walk out, and everyone gasps "Oh you look beautiful!" Ted grins "Now you look like a bride." I smile weakly, but Ted only goes on "What do you think Elizabeth?" The look in Ted's eyes challenges me to tell him no, to say I don't like it. I clench my fist "I'm not crazy about it." Ted's grin quickly falls away, and he raises his eyebrow "Really? what's not to like? It suits you beautifully." Everyone nods "Yeah! It's absolutely gorgeous!" My cousin Stacy says, and Maryse nods eagerly "You look beautiful!" Brooke stands up and walks out, but she quickly returns with a veil. She stands behind me and clips the veil into my hair. She turns me so that I can look at myself in the mirror. She smiles "Now you really look like a bride." I sigh, and realize that I won't win this battle. My face breaks out into the biggest grin I can manage, and I turn "Oh! Now that I have the veil its just perfect! I knew something was missing." Ted's grin returns once again "I knew you'd come around." I look at the sales consultant "I'll get this one."

When I come out of the fitting room, Ted is waiting for me alone. I smile at Stephanie "You go on without me, I'll meet you out there." She nods and leaves the room. Once the door closes, Ted begins to chuckle "I've always liked you elizabeth, you've always had that fire inside of you. But fire can burn you, so don't get to caught up in your own. You may think that you can do what you want, and it's cute that you think that way, but that's not how it is. Today was just one example of how I'm the one in charge. Now," he offers me his arm again "Smile, and let's go get lunch." I glare at him "No." Ted frowns "I can play this game too, and I promise I play it a lot better." My anger boils over, and before I can stop myself, I raise my hand and I slap Ted across his face. I feel a moment of pride as I see his arrogant smirk fall from his lips, but it is quickly replaced by a sneer, and his eyes are aflame with anger. He touches his cheek, which is now red, and he glares at me "So you're going to be that way? Fine!" He pushes me against the wall, and the breath is knocked out of me. Ted leans in close to my face "You remind me so much of your father. You're stubborn, just like him. Well, sweetie, I'm not going to deal with a spoiled little girl!" I cower as he leans in even closer. One of his large hands come up to cup my cheek "If you ever raise a hand to me again, there will be hell to pay." Then he straightens himself, and offers me his arm once again. I feel ashamed of myself as I rest my hand in the crook of him arm, and I allow him to lead me out.