AN: I might do like a side story of Riley Matthews to explain what's going on in her life and make that into a fanfiction of it's own. She'll appear in future chapters lol.

Chapter 3

"Church was really fun and interesting! It's a good thing that they were starting the bible from the beginning and how the earth and heavens were created," Katy gushed, placing her hat on the now clean table. The house was small and they had managed to get most of the cleaning done before church. Maya took off her heels and rubbed her feet a little as she sat on the small, old sofa.

"Never wearing anything called decent in New York here ever again. Those eyes were oogling me like I was flashing my vagina," Maya said. Katy gasped.

"Young lady I will not be having any of that language in this household," Katy scolded. Maya smirked and apologised, not very sincere at that.

"But seriously mom, I know my legs look really long and I've only just gotten used to seeing them but those ladies were all making a fuss and talking… poop about me," Maya said, hesitantly saying the word poop. Katy shook her head.

"Oh nonsense! They invited us to a massive barbeque tomorrow and all the townsfolk will be there!" Katy enthusiastically countered. Maya sighed.

"But mom, I have to unpack all my paintings…" She moaned. Katy shook her head.

"Honey, this isn't New York were everyone minds their own businesses and rarely get offended. This is Ahmsville, a Southern town of whom every single person is interlinked. Now how would that make us look if we didn't bother turning up for the barbeque?"

Maya groaned and ate the microwavable food her mother just heated up and cleaned up before going to sleep.

Barbecue time was nigh and Maya picked out her floor length, plain black bohemian type dress and didn't bother with makeup. She let her hair down. She put on some black sandals and rushed off after her mother. Missy's family seemed to be hosting the party.

"Come on up Maya! They're about to square-dance," Missy yelled, a glass of juice in her hand. She was laughing and cheering on the women's side of the crowd as the men stood on the other side, all the square dancers in the middle.

Everyone seemed to be yelling, clapping and cheering and that got Maya into the mood. That was until Charlie had appeared in the line and requested a dance with her. All the cheering and clapping stopped. A strawberry blonde haired girl emerged from the women's crowd and stood in front of Maya.

"You are actually disgusting. How dare you seduce my man when he's married? You witch!" The girl screeched and shoved Maya. Maya shoved her back.

"Oh shut up. Your dog of a husband keeps pestering me. Why don't you blame him instead?" Maya hissed back, for only the girl's ears to hear. The girl screamed and tried to push Maya but a blonde guy came and dragged the girl away. Maya stood firm although her face red from embarrassment. She sighed as the tension faded and the dancing resumed.

"Don't mind them, she's overly protective and he's just overly friendly. He hasn't actually cheated on his wife before, the strong point in their relationship is jealousy," a spectacled girl stated. She stuck out her hand for Maya to shake.

"Hi, I'm Isadora Smackle. That crazy girl that got dragged away is my cousin Nora," She said.

"Hi, I'm Maya and thank you," She replied, shaking her hand.

"Who was the guy who pulled her away then? The blonde guy with the green eyes..." Maya asked, building up the small talk. Isadora smiled knowingly.

"He's not from around here either… Not entirely sure who he is. He's rarely seen so nobody has any information on him other than him being a lawyer. He's the next town's new lawyer apparently," Isadora answered. Maya nodded.

Katy came running up to Maya, pulling her arm and pulled her away from the crowd.

"Guess what? I've hooked you up with the pastor's son!" She squealed. Maya looked at her in confusion.

"Impossible. He's married," She says monotonously. Katy rolls her eyes.

"Not that one, his OTHER son," She says. She smiles and starts waving Maya's hand all over the place in excitement.

It took a moment for it to sink in for Maya. She shrugged off her mother and left the party, stomping home. First the adultery insinuation and now this arranged bullcrap. Maya was seething and she couldn't wait to give her mother a piece of her mind.

Maya sat on the sofa, waiting for her mother to return. She stood up, her argumentative self ready.

"Mother, I believe you have wronged me. I never ever once said I wanted to get married and how can you even DO such a thing?"

"Maya, honey. I'm your mother. I can't let you stay single forever. I mean, you've never even had a boyfriend before! Besides, this boy is very smart and he's really handsome. I know you'd like him," She nudged. Maya wasn't in the mood to mess around.

"Can't you nullify this contract? It isn't a contract is it? How come it doesn't need my consent?" Maya asked. Katy smirked.

"Within this town, you need the consent of only your parents for marriage. If I say you have to get married, you must get married. It's a contract."

"How on earth can this barbaric, backwards city last then? And how could you do this to me?" Maya yelled, her chest heaving. Katy shook her head.

"Honey, the modern stuff doesn't work. Besides, you're a chaste girl and this town follows tradition and the bible to the core and look at the marriage success rate! Noone's ever divorced here or committed adultery," Katy said, smiling encouragingly, dodging the last question Maya asked.

"That's because these people believe in the commandments of the Lord and it's common sense really. Mom… I really don't want to do this. I'm not ready," Maya begged. Katy shook her head, adamant.

"I'm not torturing you for no reason. I'm making a life for you because you failed to make your own and you promised that if you didn't achieve anything within 3 years, you'd let me take over. This is me taking over and you swore an oath. I think you're ready baby girl and I have a feeling I've found the one for you. His face SCREAMS 'Property of Maya Hart' honestly. Oh, and he's some extreme eye-candy. A little older than you though. Wish I could find a hunk like that…" Katy lectured and then zoned out.

Maya retreated to her room and locked herself in, sulking.

"Maya honey, we've got church on first thing in the morning and then we're going to the Bradfords to help Missy with her wedding on the day after," Katy yelled. Maya threw her pillow at the door and screamed into her duvet.

"Oh why was I so stupid, naive and ambitious enough to swear an oath…" Maya mumbled to herself.