I finally have the next installment! Sorry about the delay. The next couple weeks are AP testing and I had an exam on Monday I was studying my butt off for and I have one next Wednesday I will be studying for even more. So don't expect a new chapter until after then. I want to thank my wonderful beta, gammadolphin, for helping me edit and improve this chapter. And thank you BookAddict67, for the wonderful review. It made me smile and to you I say DFTBA :) Now without further adieu, chapter 2! (Hey that rhymed!)
The following two days passed in a horrible blur. My mother spent the time scuttling around making the already spotless house perfect for our coming visitors. My brothers, who had somehow found out about everything, gave me pitiful glances when they thought I couldn't see them, and my father just flat out ignored me. It was absolute torture. I would go down to my special spot, but trying to read proved futile and so I spent my time staring off in the distance at the mountain across the valley. I would think about my brothers or about my mother- anything to avoid thoughts of the engagement. But mostly, I would think about my "friend" who lived in the far away house. I would think about who they were and what their lives were like. I wondered if they had siblings, what their favorite color was, and what foods they liked to eat. And I often wondered what it was like to live there and wished there was some way I could.
The night before Bela's arrival I could not sleep. There was a gnawing feeling in my chest and stomach that seemed to eat away at me more and more as the night went on. The seconds felt like minutes, the minutes like hours, and the hours like days. By four AM I just couldn't take it any longer. I threw on a baggy shirt and sweatpants over my boxer shorts before exiting the house. I didn't even bother bringing the book with me this time- I knew I wouldn't read a word. Every stair seemed to creak extra loudly on this particular morning, but I somehow managed to make it down the stairs and outside without waking a screaming father. Once outside, the feeling of the cool, dewy grass between my toes brought a welcomed sigh from my lips. A smile almost bled onto my face. Almost. When I arrived at my special spot I promptly sat down and curled my legs into my chest.
Despair pooled into every facet of my body. It was a paralyzing emotion that no happy thoughts could dispel. My torso ached and my chest clenched up painfully. Hours passed, and the further the sun rose into the sky, the more the depressing darkness inside me turned into fiery rage. A frustrated growl unfurled from my lips and I stood in a whirlwind of flapping limbs. Emotions took over reasoning and legs began kicking at anything they could reach- the closest thing being the ancient pillar I had been sitting against. Foot met marble again and again and again and again. I almost seemed to have an out of body experience. No pain met my feet from the powerful blows I was delivering; only the comforting feeling of released frustration.
I don't know how long I stood there, kicking and screaming, before I collapsed on the ground once more. It could have been seconds or it could have been hours, but when the adrenaline finally wore off and the exhaustion set it, I fell to the ground and I wept. They were loud, ugly, sobbing tears that burned down my cheeks as the despair returned with a vengeance. I couldn't do this. I didn't want this.
But I didn't have a choice. And that was the worst part.
"Hey," a familiar voice sounded from above me, causing me to jump. I snapped my head up towards the sound to see Balthazar. He had his hands in his pockets of his dress pants, and a tie hung loosely from his neck. He wouldn't meet my eyes. "It's time to go inside," he said, surprisingly gently.
My heart clenched.
I considered not getting up. If I refused to move what would happen? Would Balthazar just drag me inside? Or would he call my father out and have him do it? I didn't even want to think about the consequences if the latter were to occur, so I reluctantly stood, swaying precariously before beginning my ascent towards the house. Balthazar walked quietly beside me as we trudged our way home.
"It'll be alright," he finally spoke, placing a hand on my shoulder. "I'm sure she is really nice and everything will be ok. Besides, just think- you get to get out of this boring old house before even Michael or Lucifer! You can go see the world, you can have adventures, you can-" He stopped abruptly when I lifted my eyes to meet his.
My voice came out as little more than a whisper. "I don't want to get married. I don't want to leave." I couldn't stop the tears that rose to my eyes. "I didn't ask for this."
Balthazar stopped our procession to step in front of me and pull me into a tight embrace. I left my arms dangling by my side.
"I know, brother," he said, and I could hear the genuine regret and sympathy in his voice. "But there is nothing we can do about it. This is father's wishes. There's nothing we can do," he repeated solemnly. He released me and held me out at arm's length. He forced a smile onto his face. "Now, dry those tears and let's get you ready to meet your fiancé."
In my room I found a set of clothes laid out on my bed. There was a pair of neatly folded black dress pants and freshly starched white shirt to match. A royal blue tie was placed next to it along with a pair of black socks, and dress shoes sat on the floor. A suit jacket hung from the back of a nearby chair. I took a very long time putting on the clothes to avoid the inevitable stares of my reflection in the mirror.
I knew I would be a mess, but I didn't expect to look like an absolute train wreck one I stood in front of the glass Dark bags framed my bloodshot azure eyes. Tufts of my jet black hair stuck up in every direction, and the attempts to brush my comb through it didn't help a thing. They just stayed there in defiant protest of the coming day, and I was too tired to give a damn. I turned, slid my feet into my shoes, and exited my room.
I kept my eyes trained on the ground as I descended the stairs. When I reached the landing of the second floor, I moved to continue down when I heard a door creak and the timid sound of my mother's voice calling my name. She beckoned me towards her and disappeared into her room. I followed without a word. The room was dark, but light flowed out of her bathroom so I moved towards it. My mother stood at the counter, reaching around in the cabinet, and when she saw me she gave a small smile and motioned for me to sit on the toilet lid. I obeyed.
"Look at you," she began quietly, "My little baby all grown up." She pulled opened a drawer and pulled out a comb. "Going to be married." I didn't respond as she turned on the faucet. She ran the comb under the water and began work on my unruly locks, wetting and re-wetting the comb over and over again.
"We're going to get you all fixed up to meet Bela." There was a smile on her face and lightness to her voice, but it all seemed forced and painful. She place the comb back down on the counter and began running her fingers through my newly tamed hair. She soothing motion caused me to sigh gently and relax a little into the touch. "My baby," she cooed.
Her eyes closed and she bent over to place her forehead on mine. Her bright red hair fell over my face. It took all my will power not to start bawling again in her arms. I instead held my breath, wishing the choking feeling in the back of my throat to go away. I brought my hands up to hers, which had slid down to rest on the sides of my face.
"Anna?! Have you seen my cuff links? I can't find them anywhere!" My father barged into the room, and my mother pulled away quickly, wiping the beginnings of tears from her eyes. He stopped short when he saw us, and he looked into my eyes for the first time in days. "Castiel, you need to be downstairs ASAP," he barked at me. "Our guests will arrive any minute." I mumbled a deadpanned 'yes sir' before leaving mother, much to my grief, to assist my father in his search.
The Talbot's arrived at exactly 12 o'clock. Mr. Talbot, my fiancée's uncle, stepped out of their expensive looking car first. He was a tall man with a thick build and a balding head. Mrs. Talbot stepped out of the passenger seat following her husband. She was short and thin, with large poufy brown hair that almost seemed double her height. When Bela stepped out, it was quite obvious she was not their biological daughter. Her dark blonde hair was straight and glossy, cascading down her back. She was thin, yet curvy in all the right places, and the dress she wore made sure to show all of that off. Her slender legs were long and powerful looking. There was no doubt denying she was beautiful. It didn't make the situation any better though
As the three approached our front door, my father walked out to meet his business partner with a familiar greeting and firm handshake. "Bela," he spoke, as I approached behind him. "This is my son, Castiel." He pushed me forward and caused me to stumble towards her. She didn't even try to mask her laugh. Great, I thought as I took her hand to shake it. Thanks for the great first impression, dad.
We all ate a small lunch in the formal dining room before my father and mother took the Talbots and me into his office. He had set up extra chairs around his desk and the coffee table. My father and Mr. Talbot sat around his desk while my mother and Mrs. Talbot sat on the small sofa against the wall behind the table. Bela took one of the chairs and pulled it up against the back wall that faced towards my father's desk. She took a seat, crossed her arms and then looked up at me with an expectant face. When her eyes flicked down towards the other chair and then back up to me, I took it as my queue to follow her lead. Once I was seated she turned to me with an analytically look in her eyes.
"You don't say much, huh?" she asked in a thick British accent, which both of her guardians lacked. It surprised me enough to respond.
"Not really," I mumbled with a small shrug. I had hoped that would get her to drop the attempts at conversation, but instead she let out an overly dramatic sigh.
"Well I hope you aren't like this all the time, or else that's going to make this whole marriage thing rather boring, now isn't it?" She almost looked like she was smirking.
"I'm sorry if this offends you," I lied, because even after such a short time in her company, I could tell that I did not like her. "But I really don't want to marry you." I kept my voice low enough so the other adults couldn't hear me.
She let out an amused snort. "I don't want to marry you either! But it's not like we have a choice in the matter now do we?" She turned her attention from me to her nails and said, "Now shush. Let's listen to the grownups."
My father was speaking very loudly to Bela's Uncle about the wedding. "Now Castiel isn't eighteen yet," he said, as if the matter of marrying off his teenage son was a matter he dealt with often. Though it wouldn't surprise me if it was. "We will have to wait at least another three weeks for them to be able to wed, but I think that gives us just enough time to make all the arrangements."
"Well I would like this all to be over with as soon as possible," Mr. Talbot voiced gruffly.
"Well then how about we do it on his birthday?" my father suggested. "Three weeks' time and they will be happily married and on their honeymoon." He looked over at the two of us, with a businesslike smile on his face that made me sick to my stomach. "How does that sound?"
I felt like a brick was dropped on my head. My birthday?! Was this his idea of a cruel joke? Or was this more punishment for me not doing what he wanted. I opened my mouth to protest but Bela spoke first.
"Sounds splendid!" She flashed a winning smile in the direction of the two men.
That was the end of that. I knew I would get no say now. My mother took the family to our guest bedrooms where they would stay until the wedding. I sat there stunned. My vision was spinning and the world swayed. I somehow managed to get to my feet and stumble drunkenly down the hallway. Up the stairs I went, hyperventilating the whole way, and I fumbled with my doorknob. I slammed the door, stumbled to the bed, and promptly passed out.
It took me a week to come up with my plan. I spent day in and day out wracking my brain for some way to get out of the wedding. Until then I had spent day in and day out wracking my brain for some way to get out of the wedding. Anything! I considered feigning sickness, but that would only work for so long. I thought about acting disgusting or gross, like how people do in movies or books, but my parents would see right through the act and I would get into even more trouble. At one point, I began wondering if my death would be the only way out.
Meanwhile, I was getting to know Bela. I did not like her at all. She was, to put it simply, the complete opposite of myself. She was snobby and entitled and really enjoyed messing with people. I could tell my brothers didn't think too highly of her either. She was always up in their businesses, asking them rather personal questions and making snide remarks about their responses if they had been stupid enough to reply. And she never dressed in anything casual. Every day she dressed in a different dress and heels combination with beautiful jewelry to embellish the look. I could never fathom how she was even remotely comfortable but not once did I see the hint of a grimace of pain or frown of discomfort. She was just conceited and nosy and, quite frankly, a bitch.
I don't know if it was because of sleep deprivation or some form of PTSD but my brain refused to work. The only thing that kept me sane was my nightly ritual. The sight of the flashing light that responded to my own brought me a comfort that defied words. I felt as if there actually was someone out there who cared and wasn't out to use me for their own sick personal gains.
The idea came exactly two weeks before the wedding and after a particularly brutal day. We had gone suit shopping for me and my brothers, who were to be my groomsmen with Balthazar as my best man as I knew basically no one else. My mother and Mrs. Talbot had me in and out of one suit after the other. I couldn't understand what the big deal was as every single one of them looked identical, but every time I would stand before the two, Mrs. Talbot would find something to criticize- That one doesn't lay right or I don't like the shape of this one and other ridiculous things. I really developed a strong distaste for her that day.
Just when I couldn't stand her high pitched, whining voice for another second, she finally found the perfect suit and tie. I had never been more grateful to leave one place in my entire life. We had been there for hours and it was dark by the time we got home.
I convinced my mother to let me eat in my room and after quite a bit of begging, she took pity on me and allowed me, telling the others I wasn't feeling well. The stairs were taken two by two and I sighed in relief once my door was securely shut and locked. I looked down at the plate of food in my hands and decided I was too hungry to care that I didn't really like salads or salmon. All we had eaten since the Talbot's arrived was fancy food that lacked in size and taste. But my father wanted to impress, so we all had to suffer.
Once the food was devoured I went to my window lantern. As the last light flickered off from across the valley, my brain flickered on. The wheels dusted off their rusting grime and began turning once more. I genuine smile crept onto my face. This was it. I was sort of ashamed that I hadn't thought of it earlier, but I was too excited to care. For the first time since this whole thing began, I felt light and free. I couldn't keep the mad grin from my face as I curled up under my covers and got my first good nights' sleep since this whole ordeal began.