The Forced Marriage

Chapter 20: Mouse and Cat?

"Alana!"

"What?!" I yelled irritated as I placed a pillow over my head. It's so early!

"Ugh, you're kidding me." my mother's voice was much closer now. "Wake up lazy butt. Your Nana just called and said that she wants you to visit the orphanage."

My head immediately snapped up and I looked at my mom with an unbelievable expression. "You're lying." I slowly said as a smile crept on my mother's full lips.

She sat down on the edge of my bed, running her bony fingers through my hair which was probably a birds nest at the moment. I haven't visited the orphanage ever since I turned 13. I don't know why, I guess I just wanted to stay away from the place I was given up to. Truth be told, I still felt a little heart broken that my real parents gave me away to the orphanage. There were times I wanted to find them but then would they want to see me after all these years of separation? It was their choice to give me up after all. But there were a lot of great memories in the orphanage.

I had a lot of friends that were like family to me. I even remembered a stupid deal I made with this kid I thought was cute. Leo was his name I think? It was vague but it had something to do with meeting again in the future and marrying each other. Hah! Guess that's too late now. Speaking about marriage, where's Hal?

"Hey mom, where's Hal?" I asked, jumping off my bed and fixing the wrinkled duvet and pillows.

"He's with your father downstairs. Having a boy talk as your father calls it." mom replied with a roll of her eyes as I just laughed and made my way to my closet. Whatever my dad was telling him, it had to involve the usual touch my daughter and I'll shoot your brains off lecture. He's overprotective of me, and of course, was surprised as well that he accepted the marriage proposition. My anger towards my father was gone. I couldn't get mad at the sleaze ball anyways even if I wanted to.

As I shuffled around my messy closet, which has yet to be cleaned, I picked out a knee length white dress with a thin black belt going around the mid drift area. It was plain with a black collar and the skirt cascaded off my knees freely. I wasn't going to go fancy. It's an orphanage, come on. The only flirting you'll get is go out with me and I'll give you a lollipop or you're pretty, you're my girlfriend now. Actually, I wouldn't have minded that if I was 10 years younger. 

"Come downstairs when you're ready hun." my mom said as she shut the door to my room and left me alone to get ready.

I sighed in annoyance as I was forced to sit down next to Hal and across my father on the lunch table. Hal was, of course, dressed in his usual Armani attire. God, this man had a whole supply of Armani! He doesn't even wear Nordstrom... how do I know this? Shaking my head with a look of disbelief clouding my face, I looked at my father who was intensely staring at Hal then to me, his eyes narrowed like a hawks. I felt a little uncomfortable as the silence grew around the table, my heart beat the only sound thumping in my ears.

Oh no, what had Hal told my father? This boy talk my mom had mentioned to me raised questions. The subject was definitely me since my dad was looking at me with a slight amusement in his eyes but his expression remained blank and hard. Hal on the other hand looked like his usual self, unfazed with a small smirk playing on his perfect lips, eyes brighter than the sky, and a perfect stubble trailing across his square jawline. I'm lucky.

"My daughter really admires you." my father's voice boomed throughout the silence, causing me to blush hard as he just caught me checking out the Greek God beside me. "Like I said Hal, take care of my baby here and don't even try to break her heart. I swear, if you do I wi--"