Broken Fantasy

Chapter Six

C H A P T E R S I X

Audrey's Pov

I walked towards the living room making sure that I had my happy face set and ready. I hoped that I could talk to grandpa about this marriage.

"Hey, grandpa I really need to talk to you," I asked. I shifted my feet as I felt restless. My heartbeat was out of my body and nowhere to be found. I hope that he'll take my side and actually listen to me.

"What's the matter?" He asked as he shifted himself to sit up straight from his seat. He put the mug down on the table and turned his phone off giving me his attention.

"Hello, dear." Mr. Black sat down next to grandpa on the couch with a mug in his hand as well. Him and my grandpa may have had similar clothing sense but the aura was completely different. Sitting in front of Mr. Black intimidated me even though he was giving a friendly gesture. His smile wasn't comforting at all and I knew that I shouldn't be quick to judge but I couldn't help it.

"Hello, Mr. Black." I said formally since I wasn't sure what I should call him.

"Call me Jullian or even better call me grandpa since we are practically family," he smiled at me which then I forcefully smiled back.

"You, my dear, are the right girl for Connor and I hope I can have a granddaughter or grandson soon." My cheeks slightly burned in embarrassment as they both laughed. My grandpa smiled at me unsurely, he probably noticed how uncomfortable I was. I looked at grandpa to see his attention elsewhere, maybe I should discuss this after they all leave.

"I'm going to go drink some water," I smiled once again and made my way towards the kitchen to see Connor, Ryder and Chloe standing at my kitchen table. Ignoring them since I wasn't in the mood. I opened the fridge and grabbed the jar of water and put it down on the table. I grabbed the cup that was flipped upside down on the table and poured water into it.

"How do you know Sarah?" Connor asked. I looked up to see him leaning against the counter while both his arms folded. How did he know that I know Sarah? I don't think I mentioned her name once since he came here.

"You know Sarah?" Ryder put his phone in his back pocket and straightened up confused but amused at this situation.

"I'm not sure who you're talking about," I take a sip from my cup hoping that they won't continue with this topic.

"Sarah Carter," I put the glass down on the table. He wasn't going to drop this topic. I hoped that Kylie could come in the kitchen and save me once again but she is in the bathroom.

"What about her?" I questioned. No one knew about Sarah and me because she didn't want anyone to know about me. I was okay with that because I didn't want the attention. I grabbed the jug of water and walked towards the fridge; I tried to keep myself busy so that I wouldn't be as scared.

"Do you know her?" He continued to get information out of me.

"I mean yeah she goes to our school, so what about her?" I could see that he is slightly frustrated but I couldn't help but wonder why he is asking about Sarah. I wanted to ask him why but I couldn't because it would get worse.

"Are you a new kid or something?" Ryder asked.

I mean we have been going to the same school for about five maybe six years now so yeah maybe I am the new kid. Connor choked on his drink and Ryder's eyes went wide. Did I say that out loud? Oh god, good job Audrey for making it not obvious.

"Are you serious?" Connor asked in disbelief as he put his drink on the table. The look on his face stayed there for a while but he recovered when someone yelled their names out. I walked back to the table to grab my phone, this is my chance, I should leave.

"Connor, Chloe, and Ryder we are leaving." Lauren yelled out.

"You two go I have to talk to her," they both nodded unsurely and made their way out of the kitchen. Connor walked around the table slowly, step by step, and stood right next to me.

"Break this marriage, I mean I would but under some circumstances I can't." The tone he used made my small smile disappear. He took a step forward and put his hand down harshly making me slightly flinch.

"And how did you know that Sarah and I are dating," He asked. At that moment I realized that he was the one standing by the door.

"Connor let's go," Lauren said but he didn't budge. He stood right in front of me waiting for me to answer but then he did something that caught me off guard. He grabbed the glass that I was drinking from my hand and brought the cup to his mouth and gulped it down without breaking eye contact with me.

"Audrey, was just giving me water isn't that right?" He asked. The look that he gave me forced me to nod hesitantly.

"I'm glad that you two are getting " Lauren laughs but Connor ignores her statement.

"You won't tell me now but you eventually will," he puts the glass down and makes his way out. I put my hand down on the table slightly flustered. Shaking my head, I make my way towards the living room to see my parents talking. Kylie must have left, but where is grandpa? Before I could look around my parents beat me to it.

"I know who you are looking for and he isn't going to listen to you. The decision has been made. You are marrying him and that is final, but if you still have a problem with this marriage go ask your grandpa. After all he is the one who set this marriage up," she said sternly. A couple seconds passed by and she looked at my dad.

"Where is Rachel? I completely forgot about her," her eyebrows scrunched up in concern. Her eyes slightly softened as she looked at my father.

"She is sleeping over at Amy's," he said so that she won't panic.

"Is she okay? Did she take her things? Oh god I am a horrible mother why didn't I-" she stopped and dad reassured her that she was okay and that she didn't have to worry because he called an hour ago. I took a step back as I felt my heart slightly ache. I wish they would care about me like that, they never look at me the way they do with Rachel. I shouldn't think about this, I can't be selfish.

"I-" She looked at me and her concern for Rachel faded away and she looked at me with anger.

"What are you still doing here? Get lost, can't you see we are busy here?" She said annoyed. I nodded and looked down trying to hide the tears away. Maybe one day she will accept me and love me the way she loves Rachel. I hoped that she would hug me and told me that she was wrong for treating me the way she had all these years. I stood in front of grandpa's office knocking on the door three times so that he would know that it's me.

"Come in," he said sternly and I opened the door and made my way inside. My hand slightly shook because he was in 'work mode'. I sat down on the chair in front of his desk.

Going straight to the point I released the tension, "Grandpa, I can't marry him" I don't have time, he needs to understand.

"You have to, you don't have a choice," he said and took a sip from the same mug from before.

"Why? I need a real reason as to why I have to marry him grandpa," he sighed and looked at me.

"Jullian and I made a contract that my eldest granddaughter has to marry his eldest grandson at the age of eighteen." He sighed and looked at me.

"But, why?" I questioned. Why would he make a contract like that? How can he do this without my permission? Without consulting me?

"I can't tell you that. Just know that there is no way out of this? And why are you asking me this? You signed the contract. Why are you acting as if you don't know about the agreement Audriana?" He questioned and looked at me curiously.

"What contact? I didn't sign a contract? What are you talking about grandpa?" This didn't make any sense. I don't remember signing a contract and even if I did receive a contract I would never sign it without reading it multiple times. The nervousness that I left out of this room made its way on my chest. How could this happen to me?

"You did sign it. I don't seem to understand why I have to repeat this. Did you recently fall down the stairs or something?" he asked slightly amused. I shook my head 'no' and his small smile went away. He shifted in his seat, now concerned.

"Okay, a couple of days ago I gave your father a contract so that you could sign it and just yesterday I got it back. It was signed. If you don't believe me I can show it to you. In the contract that you signed it reassures that you will marry Connor along with some other clauses. It says that once you turn eighteen you have to marry Connor. Didn't you read the contract? I've told you many times to read it before you sign it. Unless, you've forgotten, is this ringing any bell?" He questioned.

I remember my father giving me a piece of paper and that was the day when he called me over for the first time in years. He asked me to spend time with him. day we were all practicing our signatures. I said yes because I wasn't sure when he was ever going to willingly ask me to spend time with him.

I was going to throw away the scratch paper but he had offered to throw it away. I remembered him giving me the biggest smile that day. It had truly warmed my heart up because I've always yearned to spend time with my father and I did. Knowing that it was all a lie saddened me because he used me.

I bit my lip slightly and looked away as I felt the tears threatening to fall out. Why didn't he tell me? Why did he have to use me like that? But it was also my fault what made me think that my father would actually want to spend time with me. Someone knocked on the door and grandpa told him to come in. I have to tell grandpa, I don't care what it takes but I have to stop this marriage. If there are consequences then I am ready to face them.

"You can't do this to me." The feeling in my chest grew, fear captured my lungs as I tried to breathe, and my mouth went dry. I tried to speak.

Questions were making its way into my head, confusing me. I don't see why he is forcing me to do something that I don't want to do. I kept my hands on my lap, as my head pounded, giving me a severe headache.

I felt nothing physically, but emotionally I felt everything, and I couldn't wrap my head around it. 

"You don't have a choice."

"Who am I, Grandpa? Someone who you can raise for seventeen years and then just send away?" Scared, I was going to lose her. Terrified, I was scared that this was going to happen. Betrayed, never thought that the one person that I trusted the most was going to turn his back on me. Emotions ran through me, each one hitting me like a bulldozer.

"You have no choice, Audrey. There is no point in arguing with me," he slammed the folder down harshly. His forefinger and his thumb were on his temple, massaging it. Stress is what he felt, but not as much as he gave me.

"But, Grandpa," I begged. My eyes burned, the tears wanting to let loose and be free like a bird in a cage trying to break out. Like a bird hiding in its nest so that its predator, the eagle, won't see it. I was the bird and he was the eagle. I felt trapped and helpless because he had control. He didn't care, the expression on his face said it all.

"No," he pushed his glasses up with his tanned hand.

His white hair that was toppled on his head had slightly risen due to the tension. His dark brown eyes pierced right through me, daring me to continue.

"Grandpa, please just listen to m-"

"I said no, goddammit! Why don't you listen to me?" That was the last straw. He was breathing heavily now, trying to control his anger.

"You have to marry him, you have no choice. Now leave." Giving me a stern look, he grabbed the folder that he put down a while ago.

"I just think that-", I tried once more even though I knew that it wasn't going to work.

"What did I say, Audrey? It's final! Now leave," he said and gave me the look.

The look that told me that I should stop. I clenched my hands tightly. I felt my nails scrape against my skin. I looked down at my hands to see marks and smile, but it quickly went away. No, don't even think about it, I thought. I raised my head to find his nose right against the file again.

"Just give me-"

"No, Audriana this is final, you are getting married," I flinched back by his tone. He never spoke to me this way before.

The tears finally let loose and ran down my red cheeks from all the anger. I felt helpless, but more importantly useless.

I can't marry my best friend's boyfriend.

"Grandpa, it's not my fault, this was all-" someone's phone rang and I realized that it was my phone. Ignoring the call I looked at grandpa desperate to tell him the truth. He needed to know that I hadn't sign the contract.

"Even if you didn't sign the contract, Audrey, you'd have no choice but to marry him," I was going to ask him why but my phone rang again.

"Aren't you going to pick that up?" He asked while pointing to my phone. Who is calling me this late? I looked at the contact name and it was unknown.

"Hello," I answered.

"Hi," she answered back.

"It's me Sarah. I'm using my mom's phone. I just came back, come over." She said and ended the call before I could respond. Sighing, I excuse myself and make my way out. My heart slightly raced as I made my way out. I couldn't help but wonder how Sarah would react and I didn't want to know.