01

Six Months Ago

« What are you talking about ? » I whispered embarrassed as I excused myself and hurried down Collins street in the city trying not to bump into all the business men at this hour. Did they have to look so grumpy and terrifying ?

« I swear it was him Iv, just check it out, » whispered Rose clutching my arm. I scoffed where did she even hear that from. James and I had been together for nearly four years now and now she tells me she thinks he’s been cheating on me the whole time. The whole four years without me knowing ?

Defintiely not.

That was just absurd I tell you !

« Look Rose, You have the wrong person. Why would James cheat on me ? We’ve been together for four years in a week’s time. If he wanted to then he would have dumped me ages ago ! » I snapped.

Rose sighed grabbing my arm and moving me out of the way as a busload of more people got off. It was cold and wet as we raced to the tram and boarded it. It was a half hour journey to our homes that were thankfully a fair bit away from the city to avoid all the noise and pollution.

« Cause you’re beautiful, rich, and whoever marries you gets not only all your money but also fame and popularity ! » she snapped. I sighted sitting on the seat. I just didn’t believe her, I didn’t want to either.

If this was anyone else I would have slapped them as soon as I heard such a thing. But this was Rose, someone I grew up with and shared my best and worst with. She was the same when I told her about her crush not being the best, she hated me for it but when she found out about it and that it was true, she realised how love could make you.

I mean we’ve been together, this feeling was love right ?

« Fine, » I muttered. Taking out my phone I sent James a quick text.

Where are you ?

xxIvy

Rose smiled and tapped her leg impatiently like she does when she gets nervous. My phone vibrated and I smiled reading the message. See I knew James would never do such a thing.

At work

See you tonight love

Rose grabbed my phone from me and swore under her breathe and I raised my eyebrow.

« See, I t-« she grabbed my arm pulling me up.

« What are you doing ? » I asked as she pressed the buzzer and the tram stopped dragging me off. I looked around, it was only a street or two away from where we lived. Actually this was near James’s place.

« What are you doing Rose !’ I snapped as she dragged me across the footpath her grip too hard.

« Going to knock some sense into you, » she said. I looked around the massive mansions my palms sweaty as I realised she was taking me to James’s house. It wasn’t as big as the other but a small cozy house that he inherited from his grandparents.

« That’s spying ! » I snapped.

Rose shrugged pulling me fasted, « He say’s he’s at work and you’re his girlfriend anways, it wont be spying, » she snapped.

I nodded but somehow I felt uneasy down under. The closer we got the more nervous I felt. Why ? James would never do such a thing. Why would he ? And he would have never married me for my money or fortune, he just wasn’t like that. Instead of taking me towards the front door she lead me to the side windows that saw right into the lounge and kitchen area.

« Rose I reall-«

« Shut up Ivy, You have to stop being so trusting innocent and naive. You’re twenty now. You need to stop trusting people so easily and thinking everyone is good ! »

I bit my lip frowning, « But I am not naive, » I whispered back.

« Says the girl that nearly gave a hundred dollars to the charity on the street that claimed pigs were endangered animals, » snapped Rose. I shrugged, you never know they could be.

She pulled me over to the window with a grim face and pointed towards it. I sighed, what was the worse that could happen. Nothing I would find myself peering in to see a nice emoty house and, and a guy and a girl !

I blinked hardly and looked back in and sure enough there was James sitting with someone by the fire.

« I told you Ivy, » said Rose softly her arm on my shoulder. I shook my head, no it can’t be. This is James !

« That’s just his, friend. » I said. I could feel my body numbing and my eyes watering. It was just his friend I told myself but I saw him move in and their lips touch and that was when my heart broke. I had finally found out what true pain felt like.

Present Time

The door flew open and I sat up quickly only realising it was Rose and laid back against the couch.

« I thought it was the stupid French lady, » I muttered. Rose ‘tsk’ed me and sat down elegantly in the opposite chair. Without her I would have never survived the past six months with stupid tea parties every day and a party nearly every week.

Was this was rich people’s lives were like ? Boring and filled with a routine you couldn’t break ?

« Are you excited ? » she asked smiling and picking up a cushion she was knitting on. I wrinkled my nose in distaste, she was acting like she came out of the olden ages but knitting and sewing had always been her hobby and who was I to judge ?

« For what ? » I asked sighing. My body ached and all I wanted to do was go to sleep in a hot pool. Rose glared at me and I frowned, was I forgetting something ?

« Darius is coming home ! » she snapped loudly. I sat up.

« Your husband woman ! »

« Oh yea, » I said sighing. The guy I met 20 minutes at the aisle before I said « I do » and then spent 5 minutes in the car with before he left to the airport to finish his course. I couldn’t even remember the way he looked !

Rose sighed putting down her stuff and crossing her legs and smoothing the material over her knees.

« Look Iv, I know you don’t like this but we both know the reason you had to marry him. It can’t be that bad. He’s a nice man, rich, powerful and not to mention god damn good looking or have you not been reading the papers lately ? » she asked.

I nodded quietly, no I haven’t read any papers lately but I wasn’t going to tell her that and sign my death note myself. I had reasons to why I said yes, but why on earth did he accept to marry me as well.

Was the promise in his generations before as strong as mine. I had no choice but to marry him, that was my ultimatum marry him or say goodbye to everything and everyone and thrust into a dark life

But if these past months were anything of what was coming up, I really didn’t want this. I would have chosen the darker life over this boring routine one.

There were times when I went to the beach, the movies, the carnival with friends now all I went to was the backyard or some rich and famous’s house.

Not only had I lost all happiness in life I had also lost my health becoming weak and frail, I never knew that a lack of happiness could change a person entirely and somehow I wasn’t as convinced as Rose that all I needed was a husband to cheer me up.

A husband that left for six months and probably found some other skinny pretty model to hook up with and was going to ask me for a divorce the second he came in.

« Well get ready, he’s going to arrive any time soon, » she said standing up. I sighed standing up and tying my hair into a tight bun. I suddenly felt like a granny or an old woman not a twenty-one year old. Even my birthday was celebrated between people I had no clue who they were.

We walked to the front door where the maid and butler were waiting just as a limousine pulled up through the big white gates. My heart was thudding in my chest and U felt nervous.

How were you meant to greet a man you have barely met. How were you meant to great a man that was your husband for six months and you only knew him for an hour at the tops. How were you meant to great a man that you would spend the rest of your life with.

The answer I did not have,

The door opened and one shiny boot followed the other as he stepped out and Rose squealed next to me pinching my hand as my breathe stopped.

That was him ?