VULNERABILITY

Complications

I wake up in my bed. It's quiet. Too quiet. My room is filled with sunlight. I look to my right. My phone is gone. Daniel is gone. 

I need to get out of here. Right away. I recall last nights events as I throw the covers off my body. There was officers taking Daniel away. My family was looking at me with no ounce of pity. They didn't even move to help Daniel. The man who was holding me back glared at me with amber eyes of hatred. Then I blacked out. 

I get out of my bed as quietly as I can. I put my backpack on my back and slip on my tennis shoes. I tiptoe to my door and try to twist the knob. It's locked. 

I tiptoe to the window. It's been nailed shut. 

I fight the urge to cry. This time I'm actually trapped. I have no way to escape. Why have they done this? What is the reason? 

I walk back to my bed and sit down. I place my head in my hands. 

My flight is at 12. I'm going to miss it. 

What am I going to do? I can't do anything. It's like I walked through a puddle of glue and now I'm stuck in this mess of confusion. My phone is gone. My laptop is broken and to make matters worse, I'm still in this stupid wedding dress.

The door jiggles and then it's open. 

"Sweetie, you're going to miss your flight! Come on, grab your bag, let's go!" My mom stands there with her hands on her hips. 

Warning signs flash in my head. My door was locked and my window was nailed shut. She doesn't want me to leave. 

I don't have a choice. If I'm in a car, I have a chance. So I act. I grab my bag and smile. I hop into the car with my dad and my mom and pretend to be relaxed the whole time. 

"You excited to go home?" It's my dad who breaks the silence. 

"Yes. Very." 

My parents share a secretive look before we turn down a dirt road. 

I subtly try to open the door. 

Child lock. 

I swear I see the corners of my mom's lip turn up at my attempt. 

We take a dirt road that I don't recognize. That's when I know we're not going to the airport. 

"I know you aren't taking me to the airport," I say my thoughts out loud in the quiet car.  

My mom and dad don't respond to the statement. 

"I will get away. You know that right? You can't do this," I raise my voice at them and they still don't reply. When we pull up to a church I feel my stomach drop. They both get out while I'm stuck in the back seat. My dad opens my door. 

"I'm not getting ou-" I am cut short by my dad manhandling me out of the car. His fingers will leave bruises I'm sure, but I don't acknowledge it. I focus on fighting and kicking. I'm slung over my dad's shoulder. 

At this point, I give up. My mother keeps her head down and walks behind my father. 

"Poppy, you have to understand this was determined when you were a baby. It's not our choice but it's what we have to do. So if you could go through this ceremony without anything happening, we would be very grateful." 

Like hell I'll go through the ceremony without a fight. 

 I keep quiet as we enter the white, wooden church through a side door. The door opens up to a small room full of books and a big desk. I don't expect anyone inside. However, when my dad drops me to the floor, I look up and see Mr. Amber Eyes is sitting there in a black suit. He has a passive look on his face. I notice that his eyes glimmer when he looks me over. 

"Thank you for bringing her." His voice is like a rumbling thunder. 

"It won't be easy to get her down the aisle," my mother says with a sigh. She sighs as if she's the one who is being forced to marry some strange guy. 

"Damn right," I mutter under my breath.  They glance at me and then they go back to talking. 

"I know how to get her to walk down the aisle without any help. You may leave." 

My parents don't look at me as they leave. They lock hands and leave out the door we came through. Now it's just me and this man. I keep my back to him, not in fear but in defiance. 

"You are mad," he muses, "but you won't be for long,"

I can feel the thudding as he slowly walks towards me. I can feel his body heat he is so close to me. 

"What is going on." My words are not a question. They are delivered softly but firm. 

He sighs and comes up behind me. I keep facing the fireplace and try to ignore the current going through the room. My mind can't wrap around how our bodies can make . . . electricity. It's impossible. It's not real. 

"We are going to get married. In ten minutes. Or you will never see Daniel alive ever again. If I were you, I'd behave." 

His hand softly lands on my waist, contrasting with his dark threat. I want to wretch his hand off me but I keep replaying the words in my head. I'd never see Daniel again if I don't go through with this. I don't think that his threat is empty. I know his threat is full of promise and fury. I saw how he was last night. I  know he doesn't fuck around.

Defeat. Defeat is like a boulder rolling off a clip and onto your small, frail body. It pins you down. You can't get up for the weight is too heavy. So you must lay there, forever. 

"Why," I curse the crack in my voice. I curse this entire trip. I curse everything in this world. I curse this man. I curse the unknown. 

"It's complicated." 

This time I turn around and look him dead in the eyes. For once I am not breathless from awe at his beauty. I am breathless from the anger burning in my belly that I can not show the world. Daniel's life depends on it. 

"I don't know what you expect out of this marriage but I will always hate you. You've ruined my life. I will never forgive you." 

He looks angry. Like really angry. I hold my ground and brace myself for the anger. His fury doesn't come due to a soft knock on the door. 

"It's time." 

He looks at me, the anger now washed away from his eyes. 

"Remember, behave." He says before grabbing my hand and forcefully pulling me with him.