Bad Romance(Book1)

Chapter 3-Stranger Things Have Happened

So far you've survived 100% of your worst days...You're doing great.

"I like this.", he said, taking a framed photo of me and my mother and looking at it.

"Thanks..."

"You have your mother's eyes. Now, Clara, I never imagined this to be the Irish hospitality everyone is talking about."

"It isn't, but you looked like a kid in a candy store. And I could be the one breaking the magic, right?"

"I do sometimes, I don't really like acting my age to be quite honest."

"Your age being twenty something?", I asked him raising an eyebrow.

"I wish...I'm forty four."

I raised my eyebrows again and didn't know if he was joking or not. He didn't look a day over twenty eight.

"So, Clara, tell me about yourself."

"Do you want a cup of tea? Or wine?"

"I don't drink. I stopped doing that around my late twenties."

"Tea it is then. Are you hungry? Do you want me to order something? My fridge is a bit empty. And what I have in it doesn't really suit everyone's tastes."

"I'm very picky when it comes to eating. So I will have a cup of tea. Or no, better, let's sit and talk."

"About what?"

"Tell me something about you. What makes you tick. What are your fears? What are your hopes?", he said pulling himself closer to me.

I started thinking. My hopes...my fears. All of the sudden it was just me and him. The rush from the concert just vanished. And my thoughts came in flooding, painfully gripping onto every piece of myself.

He put his hand on my cheek and looked straight at me, waiting for an answer. I didn't even realise when he pressed his lips onto mine. For a couple of seconds I answered hungrily to that kiss and then I pulled myself backwards, leaving him confused.

"I'm sorry, I thought you wanted this. I thought you...Sorry I assumed wrong.", he said gently.

"This is wrong. You want to know my fears? My hopes? I hope that I don't have to get married to someone I don't love. I really hope that I find true love. Or at least I hope I will fall in love with my future husband. I'm afraid that one day I might die and not know what happiness is, you know that one thing people are trying to fake all the time....I'm disgusted that I have to lose more weight than I already have, to fit in a wedding dress that I loathe. I'm scared that the only refuge I have is music and, to be quite fair I liked kissing you."

"Okay let's take things one step at a time. What do you mean you are getting married to someone you don't love?", he asked calmly.

"My parents and his parents have known each other for years, and they decided for us to get married ever since we were kids. The only problem is that me and Luke are friends. No other feelings."

"And why are they forcing you? I mean it's 2016. People don't have to do stuff they don't like anymore."

"His family and my family are two very old and wealthy families in Ireland. Different conceptions, I guess."

"But does he love you?"

"No."

"Then I'm sorry but why the fuck doesn't he man up and take an attitude?"

"Because he is okay with the idea."

"And what about you? Are you okay with the idea? Cause from where I stand you don't look too happy about it."