Whats Love Got to do With it?: An Arranged Marriage to a Stranger

Arranged Marriage to a Stranger (16)

Note: There will only be three or four more chapters of the story before it is over. I have given another clue as to how the story will end in this chapter, can anyone find it? Enjoy!

Chapter 16

After Ezra and I had spent the better half of the afternoon trying to train Fruit Loop, I came to the conclusion that my dog is dumb as rocks. He didn't learn one thing- except for how to step in his own poop, three friggin times!!! I think I'm going to buy him booties- at least those will be easier to clean.

After we had cleaned up, Ezra and I sat down at the table and waited for dinner. When everyone was seated, I asked the question that had been eating at me all day.

"So, whats my surprise?"

My mother opened her mouth to answer, but was quickly cut off by my father.

"How about we wait until after dinner to reveal the surprise?" He stated more than asked. "Wouldn't want to ruin her birthday, after all." I heard him mumble afterwards. I gulped, that can't be good. I glanced at Ezra but all I got was a nervous smile in return. Crap! I'm really starting to hate my parents surprises.

After dinner had finally finished, and the birthday cake was served, I prompted my parents again about their "surprise".

"Surprise time?" I asked anxiously. Though I dreaded finding out what it actually was, anticipation was killing me. My dad sighed.

"Ella, go ahead. I know your dying to tell her." My dad spoke exasperatingly.

"Sweetheart..." my mother beamed, "we set the date for the wedding. The hall has been booked and the invitations are on their way. Surprise! Your getting married in three months. Isn't that the best birthday gift ever?!?" She squealed.

"Yup, just what every girl dreams of for her seventeenth birthday." I replied, only slightly sarcastic. I couldn't decide what I wanted to do more at that moment, pass out or jump my mother. The "surprise" had hit me like a ton of bricks, I did not expect the wedding to be so soon. Next September I would be a senior in high school, and now I would be a wife too. It just didn't sound right. I vaguely heard my mother rambling about dates and dresses and flowers... but I couldn't focus. This was so not how I pictured my senior year, attending prom with my husband?

"Carmella, are you ok?" Ezra asked quietly. I looked up at him, he didn't seem phased by this news at all.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Its just a lot to take in is all."

Ezra squeezed my hand in reassurance, and I was glad that at least I was going through this with him. I had really lucked out with Ezra, I knew he always had my best interests at heart.

"Carmella, are you even listening to me?!?" My mother snapped, quickly bringing me back to reality.

"Huh?"

"I said, in three weeks you'll be out of school for the year. I've already made an appointment at the dress shop for 4 pm on your last day of classes. Cara and I will pick you up at the front of your school, so don't stop to dawdle with your friends, the shop is on the other side of town."

I groaned. Cara's coming? As if a trip to the bridal shop with my mother isn't bad enough already, now I have Cara there to tell me how horrible I look in every dress. Was this punishment for something I did in a past life? Karma trying to get me back for something? What the hell did I ever do that was so bad? No wait- don't answer that.

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"Shut up Cara, I don't want to hear it anymore. Hell would have to freeze over first before I wore this dress to my wedding." I screamed across the bridal shop as I made my way back to the fitting room. I looked at myself in the mirror one more time and shuddered. I had been trying on dresses for two hours already and each one I tried on was worse than the one before. At the moment, I was shoved into a floor length gown two sizes too small. The back was completely cut out down to the small of my back, and had to be taped to my body to prevent some "crack" slippage. The front was worse. The bodice was cut into a deep v-cut with straps pulled into a halter. The dress hugged every curve of my body in a way that was more appropriate for a rap video than a wedding. None of these characteristics, however, were the worst of the dress. What completely did the dress in from first sight was the thousands of sparkling sequins covering the fabric.