I HaTE THEM

wake Up! wake Up! wake up!

Ivy heard this several times in her subconsciousness, she wanted to wake up too, but she just couldn't, the fear of the unknown future wouldn't let her.

Ivy knew her father wouldn't tolerate lateness, especially on this day, so she forced herself to open her eyes, to her dismay, the first thing she saw when she opened her eyes was her father's annoying wife.

what a bad day she sighed "her ugly face literally spoilt my whole day" Ivy thought.

" Are you awake now? "can't wait to marry you off" the shrill voice came,

sigh! again Ivy wished she could disappear.

" I will be down soon" she said tiredly

Her father's second wife, Mrs Susan whom Ivy refused to recognise as a step mother has always been hostile to her, Ivy always wonders why she envies her, they practically had nothing to do with each other.

"come down stairs quick, my dear bride to be"

the shrill voice came again, and giving her the usual annoying smile, Mrs Susan Peters fondly called suzzy by her equally annoying husband, (Ivy's father) winked at her and left the room.

A quick glance at her room inbetween her repeated yawns, she wonderd if she was going to miss her room, this room she had always hated, the room that has always caged her, this room she had always dreaded coming back to, on the rare occoccasion she went out.

yes! she was definitely going to miss her room, at least in this room, she was safe from, the unknown husband, once she leaves this room, she would become Mrs Wilson, yes! she was getting married to Mr Wilson today, an arranged marriage of course, she would never marry that monster willingly otherwise, after today, she would become his wife, the thought brought tears to her eyes, but she didn't have the time to cry, she needed to get dressed soon, she could hear her mother walking upstairs, towards her room, she hurriedly wiped her tears and hurriedly rose from the bed, just as her mother entered

" good morning mother" she greeted and hugged her mother quickly to hide her tears,

but Mrs Veronica, her mother saw them.

Ivy couldn't hide the tears anymore, she didn't want to worry her mother but the tears had been accumulated for years, she let it all out, her mother understood and gently patted her daughter in the back, her own tears were brimming.

" I hate them" was all she could say

" I know" her mother nodded in tears "I know my daughter"

" what should I do mum, I don't want to marry that monster, I really hate them all" she lamented

" Don't argue with Mr Wilson, that man has a terrible temper, divorcing you in a minute means nothing to him, and you know what that means right?

yeah she knew, it it ever happened, her father would finally go bankrupt, and she wouldn't be able to come back home after the divorce, her father would kill her immediately she did, imagining the scary scene, she won't dare come home, her mother won't escape from the punishment either. Not knowing which one was better between a terrible father and scary husband, she considered crying the best option to let out her frustrations, it had weighed on her chest for a long time, her mother cried with her.

Ivy didn't know how long the both of them cried until her mother gently pulled her back, the big wet patch on her mother's dress evidencing her tears, a quick glance at the golden wall clock told her it was few minutes after seven already and she needed to get dressed quickly.

"All will be well darling, If you need help don't hesitate to contact me, I will protect you at the cost of my life dear"

placing a hand on her daughter's back, she tried her best to console her, Ivy watched her mother small face change from pity into a strong look of determination, the tears streamed down her cheek, tears that broke her daughter's heart.

kissing her daughter's forehead, the mother left the room hastily, if her father found out that the duo had cried which he tagged as weakness, her mother would have been badly hit.

outside she heard her mother quietly telling the beautician to keep the make up light and simple. She shook her head and went into the bathroom, she would tell the beautician to make her look very ugly. looking in the bathroom mirror, Ivy loved that she was already looking her worst, with red puffy eyes, swollen checks, and dry lips, she was convinced she would make the worst bride.

The thought of the disappointed look in Alexander Wilson's prideful face when he saw her looking ugly, that too before the distinguished guests, and her father's fury filled face made her smile a sad smile. she hated this two, any dissatisfaction of theirs made her happy, She was suddenly exited to see their faces, so brushing her teeth and taking a quick bath she prepared herself for her arranged marriage with a blank mind, she just couldn't think of anything.

***

Ivy almost ran back when she came out of the bathroom, she was surprised to find the highly sought after beautician in the country and her assistants already inside her room waiting, she summoned courage though and walked further into the room, sitting in front of the closet sized mirror, she let them do whatever they wanted to her face, and wore her wedding dress afterwards, tears in her eyes, mind blank, she didn't even look in the mirror.

After dressing her up, the assistants and servants left the room, Ivy didn't realise immediately that someone else was still in the room with her, the palm on the back of her shoulder almost made her shout, she was glad she didn't.

Ivy raised her her head to look in the mirror, her eyes flashed in surprised, it wasn't the beautician concerned face, but her own reflection in the mirror, her mouth dropped wide open with suprise