Ch 4 Betrothal & Nagotionating
"Not happy about the arrangement either I take it?" I turned around and looked to see Quatre standing there behind me.
"How long have you been standing there?" I asked whipping my eyes.
"About as long as you've been running. I run out here all the time when something like this troubles me. That's about the only thing I can do to escape. Run."
"It's not the arrangement that troubles me."
"Then what is it that does?"
"It's the fact that my dad was going to keep it secret from me."
"You mean you didn't know what this whole trip was about?"
"I purely thought it was to come meet the winner family and to have my birthday with my friends. I was completely wrong. It was only so my father could make negotiations of my future."
"Well there's not much we can really do about it."
"Oh yes, there is. I'm going to run away."
"Why? That's just crazy to run from a problem."
"Well do you have any other bright ideas about how to deal with this?"
"I think we should confront our parents about this and tell them we don't want to be used as pawns to keep peace."
"Even if we did go along with this it wouldn't change much. The colonies would still find something to war about."
Quatre walked up to me and put his hand on my shoulder.
"then tell them that. The answer isn't in running away from your family." I looked into his eyes. And nodded. Maybe I could change my fathers mind. He helped me up and we headed back together. He was very sweet. Now I was confused. We approached our fathers to tell them how we felt.
"father." Quatre began. "We know about this arranged marriage. And… we simply cant do it."
"what? Well why not Quatre?" then I stepped in.
"We just wouldn't feel comfortable being forced into a relationship. Even if we did fall in love it…it just wouldn't feel right." My father looked to me.
"Tamara… Don't you think you should give each other a chance at least? Your being united may save the colonies and keep peace." I looked down. Now feeling guilty. Damn it! He had to play the peace card! I did like Quatre and all. But this relationship just wouldn't feel right. And common. I'm only 10! I would have few years left and a bacheloret. I explained this to my father, as did Quatre. They came to an agreement that Quatre and I would not be betrothed. But instead good friends as children between the colonies. Now I was happy. Quatre looked at me and smiled. We went back to the party. Alicia saw us walking together and gave me a look that was saying, Oh! You went to make out! I walked over to her and knocked her upside the head. "Stop that! We were only talking to our parents."
"I'll be they were disgusted by your kissing."
"Shut your trap!" I hit her again.
"Owwie! Alright, alright!!" Alicia and I had been friends since we were born. Her mom met my mom when they were in the hospital together both pregnant. Boy what a coincidence. My mother and her mother talked and talked. Alicia was due in about another month. I was due a few weeks after. So technically I was younger than her. Her mom and my mom became good friends and when she brought Alicia over we would play together.
Suddenly Quatre's dad ran up to us and rushed us all inside the house. I wondered what was going on as I saw him and my father walk down to a basement after we were all inside the house. I sneaked over and followed them. My dad was getting into some sort of machine… this machine was familiar looking… I had seen it before … I think my dad called it a gundam. That's it! It was a gundam! I ran down to a bunch of controlls and looked at Quatre's father.
"What do you think your doing down here young lady you can get hurt."
"What's my daddy doing in that Gundam?!"
"well he's….uh…"
"I know what he's doing… he's going to go fight isn't he?"
"well…"
I ran away from there back upstairs and tripped over Quatre who was beginning to run down to the basement.
"Tamara what were you doing down there?"
"Get out of my way!" I pushed Quatre out of the way and ran past him out side. There were gun shots flying everywhere. I saw my father in the Gundam. Was my Vision coming true?! I could feel it. Death and fear all around me.
