Chapter 1: Chapter 1
Bye guys", I said to my friends after they dropped me home from our friends birthday party. "Bye Alicia see you at school tomorrow" Zack said smiling.
"Sure guys take care", I replied and watched them drive off before going inside, the four of us were all just coming back from a friend's birthday party and I am really tired, I just want to drop on my bed and sleep.
I entered the house and wow its pretty quiet are the James Family asleep. I went to the sitting room and there they are but everyone present in the sitting room seems to be in a solemn mood but I ignored it, I am their happy pill so they are obviously sad without me
"Hi everyone I shouted and hugged mom and dad, I kissed them both on the cheeks as well and I hug my two elder brothers too. "Welcome sweetheart, did you enjoy the party with your friends" my father asked smiling. "Yeah dad I had a lot of fun", i replied with a happy smile, i really enjoyed the party.
"That's good" mother said and stood up "I will get you something to eat" she said and was on her way to the kitchen. "No mom don't worry I had enough at the party, just sit with me" I said and made her sit beside me.
My eldest brother Julius stood up as well "I have to go out dad I will be back soon", he said, my immediate brother Justin also stood up and said "I have to do something too" the both of them were on their way out of the room when dad also stood up.
He is going out too now this is weird, I look at the four of them suspiciously and cross my legs. "Go back to your seats all of you" I commanded, turning to my brothers I said "and what could the two of you possibly want to do that you didn't do until i came back its already late at night now you can't go out, so sit", they all hesitated for a while but I glared at them and they all sat down. "What's wrong with all of you ?"
"Why aren't you looking at me and why are all of you so quiet"
"Answer me mom" I said to them getting angry this was so unlike my family, I couldn't understand why all of them were behaving so strangely everything was okay when I left the house this morning. "Honey we have something very important to discuss with you but we don't know where to start" Dad said. I looked at him anxiously and said "you already said something dad so just continue".
"Please listen to us sweetie you don't have to worry about anything we will find a way to solve it we just thought to let you know" mom said. Both my elder brothers came to sit beside her and held each of my hands then looked at me nervously. What exactly could they want to say that they all look scared, I look at all of them and shouted "get straight to it guys you are scaring me".
My dad shifted uncomfortably in his sit and started" Baby, do you remember Grandpa Collins your granfather's best friend",
"yes dad", I replied "but its been almost fourteen years since I last saw him,".
Grandpa Collins and his entire family moved out of California six months after my grandfather passed away and I haven't seen him since then.
"What about him Dad, is something wrong with him" Alicia asked again "He is still fine Alicia but something might happen to him" Mr James said
"What might happen to him dad" Alicia asked
"actually my dear... uhmm the thing is that he and your grandfather had made a promise many years back when they were both still young to get their children married to each other so they could strengthen their friendship but since both of them gave birth to sons first they shifted the promise to their second children. Grandfather Collins wife did give birth to twin girls with her second pregnancy but my mother passed away when when she was pregnant with my sibling and the promise couldn't be fulfilled but we all had thought that they dropped the idea because we never heard them discuss it again but who knew that they had moved it to their grandchildren instead, after your grandfather passed away Uncle Raymond and his entire family moved out of California to New York fourteen years ago because of some problem but they moved back here to California five years ago. In the last fourteen years we were always in touch but uncle Raymond never mentioned anything related to the promise but suddenly they want to fulfill the Promise and get you and their eldest grandson Nathan married".
Alicia was shocked and speechless when she heard the news and she was pulled out of her reverie when I heard her father continued "you never saw Nathan in your childhood because Uncle Raymond's son Anthony and his wife Kisha were based in New York but they moved back together with the entire family five years ago" Mr James said nervously he was really scared of his daughter's reaction.
"But don't worry Alicia we will find a way to break the arrangement if you don't want it", her mother quickly added. "WHAAAT.... Marriage, How, When, why and what do you mean by if I don't want it uh un?, of course I dont want it and exactly why do they suddenly even want to push through with the arrangement after so many years" Alicia shouted and stood up.
"Grandfather Collins is currently in the hospital and in critical condition and he wants his and his best friends promise to be fulfilled before he passes on" Mr James said. "I am just nineteen dad and I am not ready for marriage so you guys better find a way to end this, end of discussion" Alicia said with finalty. "Can't you get one of my brothers married to a daughter of their family if it is so important to keep the promise", Alicia asked with her hands folded on her chest before Mr James could answer Julius shouted "that can't possibly work out with me dad I mean I have a girlfriend whom I love very much and you all know her what am I even going to tell her she has never offended me before".
" I also have a girlfriend brother and I love Zia very much as well I mean I cant live without her" Justin James said.
"So because I am single I should be the sacrificial lamb is that what you guys are saying" Alicia asked her brothers with fury filled eyes.
"No pumpkin that's not it.... no one has to be the sacrificial lamb dad and mom just said they will handle it so relax" Julius comforted Alicia.
"Yes my dear don't worry we will find a solution to this" "they do have daughters though their eldest daughter Ria is 27 years old but she is already married with a one year old son Ron and their youngest child Stacy is only sixteen years and she is still in high school", Mr james answered his daughter.
"Anyways dad I dont know about all that all I know is that you have to find a way to solve this because I am not ready to get married and I won't be either" Alicia said decisively picked up her bag and went upstairs to her room, It was obvious no one was going to be able to change her mind.
"She is obviously not changing her mind", Julius said while watching his sister run up the stairs.
"Don't worry my dear we will handle this you should all go to bed, its already late", Mrs Julie james told her sons. "Sure mum goodnight" the two said and went up to their respective bedrooms.
Alicia slumped on her bed immediately she reached her bedroom and stood up after five minites to go shower. She came out after ten minutes and entered her walk in closet she chose and changed into her favorite pink pyjamas and went back to sit on her bed she opened her bedside drawer and took out a picture from there, she looked at it for a while and rubbed it lovingly
"Look Mickey they are about to get me married to someone i don't even know and you have no idea about it, do you even remember me and the promise you made to me....I really wish I could meet you just once but that's next to impossible isn't it....I don't even know where you are or if you are alive or dead or if I will even be able to recognize you, its been ten whole years" a drop of water fell on the picture frame and she rubbed her eyes, Alicia looked at the picture for a few more minutes before putting it back in its previous place, she laid on her bed and switched off the lights, she dozed off immaimmediately her head touched the pilow.