Fate in Captivity

Chapter 9- The Fateful Dinner

(Aubrey)

Aly and I are now here in front of the restaurant, dad said that they would go ahead of me. So for me to get a less awkward, I went with my great cousin. I am wearing a not-so-me outfit but I need to act confident and arrogant in front of him, thinking how humiliation I got when I let involved myself to him. I just let out a deep sigh and stride towards the restaurant. People are staring at me because of my outfit but I don't care, I just let them enjoy the view as I did not did it for their eyes, I did this to show to the person who embarrassed my youth. 

"Are you ready?" Aly asked me as she asked the receptionist about the private hall for our families. 

"More than I could ever be." I confidently answered and the receptionist guided us towards the allotted space for us. 

"Should I come with you inside?" she offered but I just shook my head. 

"I can do this on my own." I firmly answered and she just smiled at me. 

Holding the strap of my bag tightly, I just had a deep inhale and huge exhale before I finally entered the hall. I nodded at the receptionist and she opened the door for me, upon opening, I saw my parents who were talking to the other side, which I cannot see their faces- but I am positively sure that the man who was sitting in the middle is the person I hated so much that but unfortunately, the one I would be getting married to. My life really sucks. 

"Aubrey! There you are, my daughter!" Dad yelled and they automatically looked back on me. His mom, his dad and he, with a grin on his face. But of course, I won't let him have the winning side of the coin. I stride towards them confidently with a huge smile on my face, the smile that could give them an impression of how tough I am. 

"Is that your daughter? She sure looks amazing!" His mom exclaimed and I just gave her a kissed on her cheek. 

"I am well told about that Miss? Are you the sister?" I jokingly said to her, somewhat silence but she burst out laughing but with loving in her tone. 

"She also talks so well. I love your daughter." she said and my parents just continue smiling at them. This is the most pretentious meeting I have ever been in my whole life. 

"Well, this is there son, Julius." Mom introduced to me and I just smiled at him. 

"You looked exquisite tonight, Aubrey." he flirty said to me. Shut up dude, I can smell your trashy mouth. 

"Not just tonight, you will see." I also answered to him and our parents were still laughing about it. 

He is staring at me with his arrogant look and I just scoff and fight him in a staring game, I won't let myself lose with this little bug in front of me. 

"I can really see that our children are match made from heaven." his mother exclaimed. I just scoff and they looked at me. 

"I just felt happy about it." I plainly answered and sipped from the glass of wine. 

"I want your wedding to happen as soon as possible. I want you as my daughter-in-law." his dad said to me, okay! first level done! 

"Don't be so haste, mom. We can have it when she's ready." Julius said. 

"No! No, don't be worried about me. Just tell me when you are ready." I fight back to him and he just scoff. 

"Looks like you got your great opponent, son." his dad said and I just laughed at it, softly as I could like a fine lady. 

The dinner went well that I have expected, the food was fine and the place was good but the man sitting in front of me is not. He keeps on bothering me while eating, getting what food I want to have and even teasing me in little things. 

"Please excuse me, I have to go to the restroom." I said and they nods at me. I grabbed my bag and stare at him, no, glare at him. 

I went out and walked towards the comfort room, I hear heavy footsteps behind me but I am not looking back nor stop walking. I am still confidently striding through the hallway and when I reached the door of female's restroom, I stopped walking and the footsteps also stopped. I just scoff and held the doorknob for now, I turned it open and looked back for once, I see no one but only me, alone at the hallway. I closed the door and looked back fully. 

"Stop hiding, you coward." I said and I heard someone chuckles. 

"I thought you won't talk to me." he said and showed himself, that jerk no other then Julius by the name. 

"What do you want?" I asked to him and crossed my arms. 

"Nothing, you, what do you want?" He carefully said those words as he walked towards me, slowly. I am not moving from the place I was standing, I am not scared of what he could do to me, he just cannot. 

"I want you to stop bothering me." I arrogantly answered and he just laughed out loud. 

"Me? Bothering you? Come on, Aubrey. I haven't forgotten that day." he arrogantly answered to me. 

"Really? What a shame, I already forgot it." I said then smiled and he nodded slowly. 

"Then should I have you remember it?" he playfully asked. I walked towards him, closer than inches as what people commonly described. 

"I can't wait for it." I whispered and entered the restroom. 

Ugh! I hate the guts of that guy! I really regretted doing that in my younger years. To tell you the story, he was the guy I confessed to when we were tenth grade. I went to a co-ed school where rich people are attending, with of course my friends. I had a crush to this guy, as cliché stories went, he is a heartthrob, leader of the basketball team and even swimming team. I know this guy maybe perfect from one glance but he has the most trashy personality I have ever met. He is a jerk, that's the context. I confessed to him, as I thought he also likes me too, judging how he treated me, but it turns out he is like that with everyone else, and he is flirty in nature. I just fell to the tricks of a seductive devil, that's what I thought after I confessed and my mind just processed everything that happened. 

The student body learned about it as he made sure that the kids from broadcasting would record and broadcast it to each classroom. He acted like he don't know about it but I already heard everything, you see, money was already the center of everything. My bestfriends did everything they can to know everything about it. That is why I just accepted it and made my way out of that embarrassment. 

I went out of the restroom and I saw him still standing and acting like he is waiting for me. I just continued walking without paying attention to him. When I arrived in front of him, he put out his feet in front of me and I stopped walking. 

"Is this your new way of being a jerk?" I sarcastically asked and he just smiled. 

"I don't want to get married." he directly said to me. 

"Oh, did I ask your opinion?" I said to him and was about to walk away when he grabbed my wrist and forced me to face him. 

"Did you really like me? You really want to get married with me?" he asked and sounded like he is in disbelief or in amusement. 

"Did you bumped you head or something? Why are you saying those disgusting things?" I answered back on him. 

"Then why are you not opposing to this ridiculous agreement?" he asked to me. 

"Because I want to get back on what you did to me. Eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth." I just answered and left him. 

I walked back to the hall and I saw my parents and his parents were drunk already. They were having a dance party which I don't know if there are some music playing in this whole room or did I just became deaf without me realizing?

"Look at them, they were so happy about it." I was surprised when someone talked beside me. 

"I know, and I hate seeing my parents upset." I answered and entered the hall with a huge smile on my face. 

"Daughter! Here you are my beautiful daughter!" dad yelled and keep on kissing me on my cheek. Typical dad who loves his daughter so much. 

"I know, I know. Let's go home dad you are now drunk." I said to him and trying to sit him down. 

"Mom! Stop drinking from the bottle!" I said to her and constantly grabbing the bottle in her hand. 

"Aubrey! Let's have another round!" mom yelled to me. 

"No! we are going home now." I said to her but she is not listening at all. I looked at them and they are still partying like this is the last night of their lives. I just let out a deep sigh and sat on the couch. 

"You can't control them." Julius said to me and sat beside me. 

"I know, I will just wait for them to be wasted and sleep." I answered and poured myself a drink. He grabbed the bottle and he is the one who poured it for me. 

I grabbed the glass and drank the alcohol in it. I put down and he continue pouring in it. 

"Are you trying to get me drunk?" I asked and he just chuckles. 

"Yeah, maybe I could have you sign something." he jokingly said to me and I just laughed. 

"Shut up, con artist." I said and drink it again. 

After some minutes, I saw our parents one by one sitting on the couch, some are staring, some are banging their heads and at last! my parents were already drunk and wasted. I stood up and was about to approach them when Julius grabbed my hand and forcedly sat me on his lap. I strongly pushed him but he is just too strong that he is still holding my wrist. 

"What do you think you are doing?" I said to him while trying to fight him back. 

"Do you really want to play this game with me?" he arrogantly asked me. 

"What in the hell are you talking about?" I am now frustrated, what really is his problem with me?

"Let me go!" I yelled and I finally let myself out of his grasp.

"I am thinking of marrying you seriously." he seriously said to me and I looked at him and gasp in disbelief. 

"So, what do you want me to say? Thank you? What a honor to me?" I sarcastically asked and he stood up. 

"Do you know how much you affected me since that day?" he firmly asked to me. 

"No, I don't know. And I have no reason to know it." I seriously answered and left the hall. 

I get my phone in my bag and dialed Aly, I should just let her take care of my parents. 

"Hello, what happened?" Aly asked as soon as she answered the call. 

"Hell happened. Can you pick my parents up? I need to go ahead first." I said to her and ended the call as soon as she agreed for it. 

I get in the taxi cab parked in front of the hotel. 

"Aubrey!" I heard him called my name but I just ignored him and closed the car door. 

"Artemis Palace, please." I said to the driver and he quickly started driving. 

I really hate that guy! Should I just put off the arrangement?

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