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

Whats Love Got to do With It? (Sequel to Arranged Marriage to a Stranger, 1)

Note at bottom from now on.

Chapter 1

"Well, at least your single again, so now you can go and party and not have anyone at home tying you down." My friend Ryan cheered over the phone.

"Yeah, I guess." Was all I muttered back. The truth is, I didn't want to go out or party, or have any fun really, I couldn't muster enough enthusiasm for any of those activities. All I wanted to do was go home, lock myself in my room, and sulk. Yes, I was feeling bad for myself, so sue me, my life pretty much sucks right about now. Why, you ask? Hmm, lets recap shall we.

After the fiasco at my bridal shower, and of course the announcement of my cousin's pregnancy by my fiancé, my own wedding was canceled, which was actually my idea, so I can't really whine about it (well I shouldn't, but I will anyway). Then, of course, all of my guests had to be informed, my friends included, and by the time school started everyone was talking about how I was 'left at the alter' or how the groom 'ended up being gay', WTF?!? Great way to start out your senior year of high school, huh? I mean, come on, who doesn't like a good piece of gossip?

But wait, it gets even better. My cousin Rafaela, now five months pregnant, has started to show a little baby bump. At first I was ecstatic, thinking that her scandal would outdo my mine on the gossip scene at school. How naive I am sometimes, God so doesn't like me that much. On the first damn day of school, Rafaela arrives in a shiny blue sports car. Hmm, sound familiar? And before she can even open the door to get out, the one and only Ezra Biton, my ex-fiancé and Rafaela's baby daddy, hops out of the driver's seat to open her door.... in front of the entire school. Would you like to hear the rumors now?

"OMG, wasn't that kid Carmella's boyfriend? Wow, thats really low for him to dump her for her cousin."

"Boyfriend? That was her fiancé! I heard that the whole time he was secretly in love with Rafaela, and in the end he just couldn't marry Carmella."

"Holy shit! Is Rafaela pregnant?!? I bet you ten bucks that Ezra kid is the father, and thats why he left Carmella."

Its funny sometimes how close rumors and gossip can come to the truth.

Did I mention that my life sucks?

Oh, and I almost forgot the best part. About three weeks later, a small envelope arrived at our house, addressed to the entire family. It was an invitation...... to Rafaela and Ezra's wedding!! That steaming pile of Fruit Loop poo! "I can't live without you" my ass, because apparently, he can!

Right now it was a Saturday night, and I, of course, had absolutely nothing to do, other than sit in my room and listen to music. My friends and family have long ago given up on trying to coax me out. Yes, I was sulking. No, I do not care.

As I lay on my bed I heard my computer beep, signaling a new email. I got up and went to my desk and opened it. The email was from Ezra, shit. I hadn't actually spoken to Ezra since the day of the bridal party. He had tried to come by my house later and "explain", but that didn't go so well. Unfortunately, for him that is, I actually found it quite amusing, my brothers answered the door first. It was the second time we had to call the ambulance that day.

I stared at my computer screen. As much as I wanted Ezra out of my life, having zero contact with him had kind of sent me into withdrawal, and I was really curious. I quickly glanced around the room, as if there were any other people there to witness my moment of weakness. I turned my platypus doll away from me, he didn't need to see this. I opened the email.

"Dear Carmella,

"Since you won't answer my calls, return my messages, speak to me in person, or even meet my gaze when we're in the same vicinity, this is my last attempt to talk to you before I result to tackling you to the ground and forcing you to listen. After my relationship with you, I am no longer afraid of public embarrassment.

"I know that I hurt you, and lied to you, and betrayed your trust, but those were never my intentions. I would formally like to beg for your forgiveness. I don't expect it, but if you could find it in your heart to give me a second chance, I promise I wou...."

I stopped reading. Forgive him? Give him a second chance?!? He was marrying my cousin in five months, what the hell was I supposed to be, his mistress?!? Besides, there's no way in hell I'm going to be some kid's step-mother at the age of 17, especially not to my cousins kid, thats just too Jerry Springer for me, though I wouldn't mind throwing a chair at Ezra right about now. Anyway, how are you supposed to explain to a kid that his step-mother is also his second cousin?

I looked back at the email, unsure if I still wanted to keep reading, but in the end deciding I would just skip through the mushy, 'take me back' crap instead.

"...even if we can't be together, we should at least be friends. We're going to be in each others lives now, no matter what- we'll be family, we should at least be cordial. "

I felt queasy, I wasn't sure if I could be friends with Ezra. I mean, I had been intimate with him, ok maybe not as 'intimate' as Rafaela had, but that was a lot for me. How am I supposed to be in the same room as him, let alone be his friend? I looked back at the email, suddenly loosing interest in it, the rest was senseless groveling and crap anyway. I was about to close it when I noticed a side note at the bottom.

"P.S. Would you be the godmother to my baby?"

I sucked in a breath. That flaming bastard! How in the hell can he ask me something like that? I began to see red. I grabbed the nearest thing to me, which happened to be my platypus doll, and chucked it at the screen. I then proceeded to freak out when I realized I actually broke it.

I moved to my bed, fuming. Why was I breaking my crap, when the only piece of crap I wanted to break was Ezra? I sighed, he was right though, no matter what, there was no way of getting him out of my life now, and all the anger and hatred I had towards him was draining my energy. I will never forgive Ezra or Rafaela for what they did. They both made a conscious decision to break my heart. I will never be friends with them either, but maybe I can try to get over it and move on. What's done is done and I can't change the past, but for my own sake, I needed to let this go.

I rolled back on my bed and stared at my ceiling.

"Fine, Ezra", I spoke to myself aloud. "You want to be friends, then I'll just be the best damn 'friend' you ever had!"

"Carmella!" I heard my mom yell from the other side of my door.

"What?" I shouted back.

"Who are you talking to?" She asked, hesitantly. I rolled my eyes. After the breakup with Ezra, I think she thought I was having a mental breakdown or something. More than a few times she tried to get me to visit a shrink.

"Just my imaginary friend, we're having a tea party. Want some cookies?" I shouted back innocently.

I heard my mother mumble something before she walked away. I sighed, why does life have to be so complicated.

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Ok, so first chapter of sequel, what do you think?

I know its not that interesting, but I just needed to lay the foundation for my story. I already kno how its gonna go, and I think you'll be surprised, and of course like it.

reviews and critiques always welcome :) Thanks for reading.