Arranged Marriage

Chapter 1

I sat in the crowded expensive, Italian restaurant with my parents, waiting for the other family that was supposed to meet us for lunch. I looked at my nails bored and wondered what could be so important as to warrant my presence. Staring at my phone, scrolling through Instagram, I looked up in time to see two people and a kid maybe around my age sit down at the table across from us. The boy was kind of cute, but he also seemed kind of cocky. We ordered our food and politely made small talk until the waitress took our empty plates.

My dad pulled out two identical house keys, and two sets of car keys, one to a Lamborghini and one to a Porsche. Then the boy's dad began to talk. "Hayes my boy, you are 18. You're growing up and we'd like you to settle down and find a girl." Then my mom took my hand. "Olivia dear, you just turned 16, you're turning into a fine young lady, and we think it's time for you to settle down too." I looked warily between my parents and Hayes' parents. "What do you mean?" My dad put a hand on Hayes' shoulder. "Olivia, meet your new husband."

I jumped up. "What?!" Hayes jumped up too. "Hell, no!" He shouted. "I don't need some immature teenager following me around, needing attention!" I scoffed. "Well, I don't need an egomaniac husband who doesn't give a crap!" The entire restaurant was staring at us in amused horror. We both turned to our parents. "We're not getting married!"

My dad tossed a house key to Hayes and one to me. Then Hayes' dad tossed the Porsche key to him and the Lamborghini key to me. I caught it in surprise. Hayes pouted. "She even gets a Lamborghini? Spoiled brat!" His dad just smiled. "Hayes, you already have one." I looked at my hand. Attached to the key was an address. Hayes looked over at my key. "Oh no, we are not living together." I gathered my purse, and stormed out of the restaurant. A shiny white Lamborghini was sitting next to a Porsche of the same color. I got in the car and was about to drive away when Hayes stuck his head in the window. "I'm only getting married because it will boost my career, so you better not do anything stupid." Then he got in the Porsche and took off.

I thought about just taking the car and running, but then thought better of it. I went to the apartment and walked in. The rooms were huge, and all my stuff was already unpacked. I wasn't amused that there was only one bedroom. There was also stuff in the drawers and closets that wasn't mine, but I assumed it was Hayes' things. I waited for Hayes to get there but he never showed up so I sat down and watched Pretty Little Liars.

When he got home later that night, he walked past me without looking or talking to me. I yelled, "I'm leaving!" and took my stuff. I got in my car and called my friend Maryn. Then I went over to her house and she opened the door. "What happened?" I grimaced. "My parents said that I have to get married to this douche, and we have to share an apartment. I was there and he came home and completely ignored me, so I left." Maryn gave me a hug. "Oh, you poor thing! Just know that you're welcome here whenever you need it." I brought my bag into the guest room and went back downstairs.

I was watching The Walking Dead on Netflix with Maryn when my phone rang. The caller id was unknown, but I answered it anyway. "Where the hell are you?" It was Hayes. "Why do you care?" I could practically hear him rolling his eyes. "Because your my future wife." I laughed humorlessly. "That didn't stop you from ignoring me while I was right there." "Just come home, please." I sighed. "Fine."

I hugged Maryn and got back in my car. When I got home, Hayes was sitting on the couch looking at his phone. I stood there waiting until he noticed me. "Hey." I looked away. "I said, hey." I walked through the bedroom into the bathroom and started washing my makeup off. "Hey, respond to me when I talk to you." He turned me around. I pulled myself from his grasp. "Don't touch me." I went back to the bedroom.

"Okay, you want to know the real reason we're getting married? My agent said that he'll drop me if I don't get my act together and stop partying. My parents decided that the best way to do that would be to get a girl. They saw you and paid your parents to be okay with it."

I turned around. "How much?" I said quietly, my voice cracking at the end. "$250,000." Hayes replied. I sat down on the bed, my head in my hands. "I thought I was worth more than that." I felt the bed sink and I knew Hayes had sat down beside me. His arm snaked around my waist and I laid my head on his shoulder. We sat like that for several minutes before I pulled away. "I've got to get ready for bed." He just sat there, so I went to the closet and pulled out a pair of sweatpants and an oversized sweatshirt.

I changed and came back to the bedroom, my hair in a messy bun. Hayes was sitting on the bed on his phone again. "Where am I going to sleep?" He looked up and patted the bed next to him. I shook my head. "No. I'll just sleep on the couch." I started to walk out of the room, when Hayes stopped me. "No, you don't have to, I'll sleep on the couch." I went back to the bed, and sat down. Hayes looked at me and then left the room. My phone vibrated.

The same number that Hayes called me on came up.

xxx-xxx-xxxx: goodnight

I put him in my contacts as Asshole. Then I sent him a text back.

Me: night

Asshole: ly

I didn't respond. I didn't know if I would ever love Hayes. With these thoughts plaguing me, I fell into a deep, fitful sleep.