The Marriage Contest

Chapter Fifty Nine - The Calm Before the Storm

Chapter Fifty Nine - The Calm Before the Storm

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Every time I close my eyes
It's like a dark paradise
No one compares to you
I'm scared that you won't be waiting on the other side
Every time I close my eyes
It's like a dark paradise
No one compares to you
I'm scared that you won't be waiting on the other side

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I felt numb. I felt like my body was on auto-pilot. My feet kept moving, but my mind wasn't registering what was going on. The world was a big blur of color and loud noise. I felt people touching me and talking to me, but I didn't remember who was saying what. I felt my mouth opening to say my reply, but I didn't know what came out. My mind was focused on one thing and one thing only- a question; what if I didn't win?

"Miss King?" My chauffeur's voice snapped me out of my stupor. I looked around and noticed that I was outside. The sky was gray and dark. It was cold out as well, but my numb body hardly registered that fact. I looked up to see my chauffeur with the carriage door open and a hand reaching out towards me. I walked up to him, placing my hand in his while the other picked up the skirt of my dress. Once I was settled in, he shut the door and started the ride home.

I knew that I hadn't done my best on that test because of the dream interrupting my thoughts, but to do so bad that I tied with Sue?! Not only did I tie with Sue, but Ophelia beat me! I couldn't blame it all on that dream, though, I just wasn't focused. I couldn't get my brain to quit wandering off into space and look at the problems in front of me. I should've tried harder. If only I had woken up earlier so that I could've cleared my mind by playing piano.

There was nothing I could do about it now. What was done was done and I couldn't change it. The only thing that I could change was my future. The only thing that I could do was work my bum into the ground starting Monday and only pray that whatever I did was ten times the amount of preparation that Ophelia and Sue were doing.

The carriage lurched to a stop and a few seconds later my door was being opened by the chauffeur. He helped me out and grabbed my luggage for me. My parents opened the door and quickly wrapped me up in their arms. I hugged them back, but my body was still numb with shock. They ushered me into the house and I sat down on the couch. My father took my luggage up to my room while my mother poured me a cup of tea to warm me up. They both walked back into the living room at the same time. Mother handed me the cup of tea and my parents sat down on either side of me on the couch.

"How did this month go?" Mother asked with eager eyes. I looked up at her and then over to my dad. They both had a hopeful look in their eyes and I knew it was because they hoped for a better life for their daughter.

"Not so good," I sighed and took a sip of the tea to try and get rid of this numb feeling inside.

"What happened?" My father asked with concern lacing his voice.

"I'm no longer in lead. I'm not behind anyone, but I'm not the only one who has claimed the first place title. For this month only I tied in second place and overall I tied in first place. I underestimated my opponents and I shouldn't have done that. I'm scared that my best won't be enough to win this competition and then...I don't know what I'll do," I said, my voice cracked on the word 'win' and trailed off as I neared the end.

"You can do this, Belinda. I know you can. You're smart. You're strong. You're determined," My mother said. I heard my father start to say some encouraging words to me as well, but my mind didn't register them.