Arranged Alliance

Nora

Nicholas

I woke up and headed to the bathroom to take a shower and get into my closet to wear something, black pants with a white dress shirt and comb my hair. I looked at the time and it was 9:25. I went out of my room and headed downstairs. Everyone was sitting there. My father, stepmother, stepsister and brother.

I sighed and took a seat next to my father. "Good morning", I mumbled, and sat down. They all glanced at me, my stepsister smiled at me and my stepbrother patted my back. I smiled at both of them. I started to make breakfast; there was complete silence until it was broken by my own father. "There is a new deal in the office. Don't mind being in a meeting," Dad said.

"Yes, dad" I obeyed.

"Dear. Why are you working so much? It would be bad for your health." My stepmother said. "Besides, Seth can handle anything. Why are you pushing Nicholas? " I rolled at her fake worrisome She said glancing at me, for me it was glaring.

"I know but this i***t had to learn something about business. After all, he's the one who's going to handle the business, and don't drag Seth into this. He is still studying." My dad said harshly to her the last sentence. "Nicholas" he said softly this time.

"Yes dad". I answered, buttering the bread.

"Come into my room when you are done." He said to me. I nodded and he got up. Elizebath helped him and went to his room. My sibling also bid me goodbye and went to school. After a few minutes, she came back and said, " You surely don't want to be the death of your own father, right?"

"What do you mean by that?" I asked, confused.

She scoffed and said " Don't you play dumb in front of me. I already warned you that you have to stay away from business. Seth is going to handle it. But you don't listen to me. You are pathetic, just like your mother." She spat out the last sentence.

Pathetic, she even knew what the word meant, I didn't say anything. "James is calling you." She spat. I stood up from my seat, and went to dad's room.

I nudged her shoulder and walked upstairs, where dad called me. I knocked on the door and there was a 'come in' shout, so I went in. Dad was lying on the bed, he gestured to me to sit down on the chair that was beside him. I sat on it.

"Nicholas, do you know where Adrian is? He didn't come. I wanted to discuss something with him." Dad asked confusedly.

"He is helping his uncle; they opened another branch of the restaurant. He is a little busy. I was going to visit him."

"Nicholas, are you alright?" He asked, concern in his voice.

"Yes dad" I said, looking at my intertwined hands in my lap. He sighed.

"You are grown up now, you know, Nicholas. Just end your stubbornness. You are not a child anymore." He spoke. I looked everywhere but not him.

"I am sorry dad if I'm worrying you, but we talked about it, right?" I said to him.

"So, you are not giving up." I shook my head, still not looking at him.

"Nicholas, look at me." I did. "I know that you were too small to know that your mother died. But that is the truth, you know" dad said in a calm tone.

"Dad, I know you are worried about me, but I can't accept mom's death was an accident. At least for my own consolation, let me do it, please." I said, pleading. "And from now on we are not talking about this subject," I said sternly.

"Alright, not this subject, but I want to talk about a really serious matter," he said, getting a little excited.

I tilted my head and frowned, "what do you mean by that?"

"Nico, look, you are grown up, you don't have any girlfriends as far as I know," he said, scratching his head. I looked at him confusedly, "So, I want you to get married." He said it was the most fun thing in the world.

There was silence for some moments, I just stared at him disbelieving "WHAT". I asked, shocked, and got up from my seat.

"What do you mean by 'what'? Didn't you understand what I said, i***t," he said in an annoying tone.

I sat down, shocked, still on my face still " You" -I gestured my finger in his direction- "want me" -back at me- "to get married." I pushed the married word. He nods. I took a long sigh. "Why? Do you have someone in your mind?" I asked, glancing at my dad. My dad had a genuine smile on his face because he knew that I was going to listen to everything he said, "It looks like you have someone in your mind." I said, giving up on refusing. He nodded, still smiling. "Who?" I asked, not interested.

"She is my best friend's daughter", dad said in his own memory.

"She doesn't have a name?" I asked, looking at my dad like he'd gone crazy. Well, he is gone crazy. Marry or me, ha.

"What kind of nonsense? Of course she has a name." He said he was irritated by me. But what can I do? It's not my fault. I don't know her name.

"Her name is Nora, Nora duke." Nora. Not a bad name.

"So, are we going to meet 'her' or her family?" I said, quoting her.

"Yup, at dinner, be a good boy, I don't want to be disappointed by you." I smiled slightly at his statement.

"Okay," I said. "I think I have to get going. Adrian is waiting. I will meet you at dinner. Send me the location." I said to him and hugged him. I was going to walk out but he called again.

"Nicholas," I turned around and came face-to-face with the pillow. I grabbed it in my hand and made a questioning look. "Go to the meeting" he shouted at me. I looked at him in disbelief and walked out still in shock. Who gets scolded in the morning? I thought to myself and went out of the house and sat on my porch.

Evening

"I've been waiting for you almost 2 hours and now you are showing up." Adrian drops his hand on the table, scaring me.

"I am sorry. Dad wants to discuss something." I said, sipping my Americano.

"About what?" Adrian asked me, sitting across from me.

"You know about something" I said to him, not meeting his eyes, moving my hands round.

''And what is that something?" He asked me, mimicking me.

"Well, you know, just something."

"What is just something?"

"Just something" I said in my own dazed.

"Nicholas" He called.

"Hmm" I replied, still in my daze.

"What something?" I shrugged. The next moment, he grabs the vase and gestures that he is throwing it at me, "you are going to tell

me or not. I am already pissed off." He said in anger.

"You can't throw it away. Martin is going to kick you out." I mocked him.

"For your very kind information, this is my restaurant. No one can throw me out. So, tell me what this is something else." He mimics me and then again asks with gritted teeth.

"Okay, okay, I will tell you." I said to him, taking the vase out of his tight grip.

"Now, tell me, I also want to go elsewhere."

"Where?" I took a sip of my drink and asked him.

"My uncle said to me, to get some things there, seriously I am not the only one here." He says to me, annoyingly.

I laughed, "that's why you were throwing a vase at me, that you pissed at your uncle and now you are annoyed by it."

"Well duh, does he even bother you?"

"Who?" I asked innocently.

"My uncle or who do you fool?"

"Well, what can I say?"

"What is 'something' you were talking about?" He said, quoting the something.

"Yeah, my dad said something to me......" and I trailed off, making it know how to say it.

"Oh, come on Nicholas, I don't have a whole day for you." Adrian, plopping on his seat.

"My dad said to me to...."

"Too" he leaned on the table.

"To......"

"To what an i***t" he snaps at me. The customers are looking at us. We apologize to them.

"Say it or my uncle is going to kill me if I don't stop snapping at you." He hissed at me.

"So shut up, I am trying" I said, also annoyed.

"So don't try and say." He again snaps at me but in a lower voice.

"Okay -both my hands in front of him to calm him down- don't get too shocked." I said dramatically.

"Are you gon na say it, or I am going to kick you out." He threatened me.

"Uh... My dad said to me too... To ...get you know get married. I said fast and closed my eyes. First, I didn't hear anything, so I opened my eyes.

"WHAT" he shouted and got up from his seat. Drama queen.

"Lower your voice, i***t," I hissed at him.

"What are you talking about", Adrian said in a whispering tone.

"That's what my dad said." I whispered back.

"What? How? When? When are you getting married? " He threw a question at me whispering.

"I don't know" I said to him, plopping on my seat.

"Did you say yes?" He asked. I nodded my head, "What?" He shouted again, the customer bowed to look at us with a weird expression. Adrian put on a great smile and bowed to them as an apology. I chuckled a bit. He turned towards me, "When are you meeting her? And are we talking in a whisper again?" he asked innocently, whispering.

"Tonight. And you started it first." I answered his questions in a whisper.

"What about marriage? I swear I am not married." He said to me in a whisper.

" No dumb, I am talking about whisper." I whispered to him.

"Oh, I thoug- " he was cut off by Martin smacking his head. I laughed at his expression.

"What are you doing both of you?" He made a face that was disgusted.

"Nothing", Adrian said to him.He is Adrian's uncle, who is very honest, good, and caring towards both of us.

"So why were you talking like that?" He pointed his fore finger between both of us.

"Talking how? Nicholas how were we talking?" he said innocently, and I shook my head, shrugging.

"Adrian." Uncle said in a stern voice.

"Uncle, I was just leaving. Give me some time."

"No, I won-"

"Oh, that customer is calling you", Adrian said, pointing to a random customer. Uncle turned but didn't get foolish. He was getting

another smack, but I interrupted.

"I think I should leave; I have to go somewhere." I said, and both of them looked at me.

"Why? Where are you going?" Uncle asked curiously.

"I was go-" I was cut off by no one else, by Adrian.

"He is going to meet his wife" I smacked his head and Martin was shocked to hear that, although it was a relief he didn't shout.

"You are getting married? When? "He asked, shocked in his voice.

"Yeah, I am." I said, glaring at Adrian.

"So, who is she?" Martin asked.

"I don't know but dad knows her." I answered honestly.

"Oh. So good luck I guess " he said, smiling at me.

I smiled back and said 'thank you' " I am going, now"

"I am coming with you," Adrian said.

"You are not."

"Yes, I am"

"No, you are not." I said harshly.

"Yes I am." He said back harshly.

"No. You. Are. Not." Martin said

Adrian groaned beside me and said, " but I am going to meet myself to be my sister-in-law."

"I hope no one in this world has a friend like you," I said while sighing.

"Don't worry, I am the only one in this world," Adrian said, laughing. I can't help but also join him.