Arranged Marriage

My grandmother stepped aside to reveal the figure. His brown curls hung around his face perfectly and his green eyes were positioned delicately above his nose. His pink lips were held in a smirk as he made his way into the room. My jaw was still on the ground.
“Hi, I’m Ha-” he began in his raspy accent before interrupted him,

“Grandmother, a word?” I said trying to compress my anger and earning a laugh from the boy.
We stepped outside together and I was speechless for a moment. I eventually caught my words as she was looking at me in confusion.

“What. The. Fuck” I said slowly not making eye contact,

“Porsha, Language” she scolded to which I gave her a look of even more disbelief

“Arranged marriage, what are you thinking?”

“Porsh-”

“I decline the offer, thanks but no thanks” cutting her off.

“Porsha, you better watch your language and your attitude, I am your grandmother and I think I forgot to mention. It’s not optional.” She said sternly

“Not optional? It’s my life” I plead

“Yes, and as a family, we believe that you need a suitable partner. You’ve never been in a serious relationship Porsha, I’m not going to live forever” she says condescendingly, insinuating that since I haven’t been with someone yet, I can’t make a good decision. “So, we have given you the perfect man, he’s well mannered, and smart and a hotty” she says trying to lift the mood. It didn’t work.

“Okay you did not just say that” I wine, “I’m not marrying a boy I’ve never met, Grandmother, and that’s final” I protest. Her face turned harsh,

“You must at least try Porsha, it’s not a question, it’s an order” she says, matter-of-factly “me and your grandfather were arranged you know” she attempts to lift the mood once again.

“URG” I scream and storm out back into the dining room. Harry chuckles lightly as I walk back in and steps out in front of me offering his hand.

“Harry” he said, expecting me to shake it, I look down at his hand and then back to his face with disgust.

“Porsha” I say, not accepting his gesture and walking straight out of the dining room and continuing on out of the house. I sit down on a little bench in my Grandma’s front garden and whip my phone out. I dial my best friend’s number.

“Happy birthday, girl” she shouts down the phone.

“Emily” I wine

“What’s up” she asks concerned. I inform her on all of the happenings of today and she replies to it all with shock. She pauses for a little while before speaking again

“So, is he hot?”

“Emily!” I shout, laughing a little because he totally was. “I mean he’s not bad looking bu-”

“Not bad looking? Is that your idea of a compliment Porsha?” a familiar rasp spoke behind me. Could this day get any worse? I turn to see his annoyingly cute smirk.

“Gotta go Em” I say, slowly into the receiver and hang up. “What do you want” I say quickly turning my head to Harry.

“Oh feisty one you are” he imitates Yoda, and it takes everything in me not to laugh.

“Shut up, who sent you out here?” I question

“Your mum asked me to see if you were okay, since we ‘going to be married’” he imitated my mother’s voice and this time I had to laugh, quickly returning to seriousness though.

“We are not getting married” I spoke, shaking my head.

“It’s not that easy” he said looking down. “your Grandmother signed a contract” he finishes hesitantly and I whip my head around to him.

“What?” I snap.

“You clearly don’t know this, but your grandmother signed a contract with her first business
partner when she was 18 saying that if they ever have grandchildren of the same age and opposite sexes, they shall get married” he spoke.

“What? Why would she do that?” I question with tears in my eyes, not tears of sadness, but anger.

“Your grandmother had a business partner who helped her make ‘Grace’ the company it is today, the only problem was, they fell in love when your grandmother already had an arranged marriage planned. Your grandmother had to let him go but she made a promise to him that they wold reunite if they had grandchildren of the same age one day” he said finally looking up at me “that man was my Grandfather, and to make sure she didn’t break her promise, he asked her to sign a contract ‘pronouncing that said grandchildren get married’” he imitated a posh Englishman when he said the last bit causing me to breathe a little air out of my nose in an attempt of a laugh. I sit there staring into nothingness contemplating why I had never been told this.

“So here we are” I say finally with a groan.

“Hey, I don’t want to do this either” he said defensive.

“Yeah, yeah, I know. But at least you knew this would happen” I said

“I knew it would happen, but I never knew who you were. My grandfather never gave any details of who you were, turns out you’re hot so who cares” he laughed

“You know I’m pretty fed up of people belittling this situation, do you know how serious this is!” I shouted and stormed back into the dining room.

“we’re going home” I say looking directly in my mother eyes.

Notes

thank you so much for all the love on the first chapter, Enjoy <3

HB xxxxxxx