CHAPTER 2....

      It was 7 am, I lay on my head with the pillow over my ears then sat straight up in bed, blinking at the ray of light penetrating through my window, hearing the chirping of the birds sitting underneath my window, the obnoxious alarm clock coming from our neighbor's house, the sound of bottom pot being scraped by a knife and on obnoxious yelling of my parents. Their voices echoed painfully even in my sleep.

       It was bad enough my mum's voice disturbed my dream, now the cruel summer wasn't doing any justice. The humidity level had picked up since yesterday afternoon. Every time I wiped my face, heat rolled down my back- drenching my nightwear again. Everyone knew how crazy California summer was. Often I wondered if California sinned the most; probably why they were getting punished. The humming fan above my head stirred hot air- it was near to invisible. You wouldn't tell if there was actually a fan if you didn't look up. Dad had promised to fix the air conditioner.

       I sighed aggressively and covered my ears with the pillow again. Before you conclude, I did want to come down but I was just being a respectful daughter. That was the last day I was probably going to argue with Lisa. I felt bad I couldn't tell her goodbye but all the same, I didn't want to ruin her big day. After all, I'm a fun killer.

      When their voices grew louder, my right hand stretched and reached for the mp3 in my room. While I was still listening to one of Taylor Swift's recent songs, my mum ran into my room rudely with Lisa's wedding gown. She was looking distraught. Her eyes went around, hands trembling.

      Is this an action movie or what? Lisa probably doesn't like this gown. Now they need my help. I thought to myself before throwing her a proud smile. Just ask whatever. I will gladly help you. And I thought you could do without me. I beamed, my shoulders stuck out like a hanger.

      "You have to put this on." There was a sudden pause in my head as if the world had stopped for a minute. The music player was still playing another of Taylor's songs but I could read her lips.

       Did I just hear right? Or was I just hallucinating? Wear Lisa's dress? I turned off the music and got out of bed. "What?" That was the only word I could think of. Does she know she's in the wrong room? I hope this isn't one of those video skits Lisa makes. But why do it on her wedding day?

      "Your sister has disappeared and the Smiths are here. The wedding is in 30 minutes and I don't know what to do. I really don't know what to do, Hannah. It's all over." Her eyes welled up with tears. The whole world suddenly disappeared for her.

      Lisa had disappeared. These words kept resounding in my ears. Why would she run away? We discussed the previous night but she didn't mention anything like this. Was that why she asked about my escape root? Oh, my cinnamon. This is bad. Real bad. I rushed out of the room with my mum behind me. She was screaming my name but I refused to listen.

      Running into Uncle Ben's room and pulling down the portrait, The small door was open. Lisa had escaped. Why? Why? Why? Did I just help my sister escape? How do I even tell them that I was at fault? Everyone was right about me. I'm a bit of bad luck. I shouldn't have had that conversation with her yesterday. My life is finished. I should run away too. It's not like they would kill Dad.

      Mrs. Brown, my mum pushed me to get my attention. "Hannah,"

      "Where is the bride?" A lady in an Italian gown asked. She was very pretty. From her looks, I estimated she was around her 30s. "It's almost time. You need to come out quickly. Everything must go as planned. Reporters and Journalists are here already." She couldn't see me because I was behind the door. After having a lengthy discussion with my mum, she walked out elegantly. Her fragrance filled the place as she descended the stairs. My head came out first before being accompanied by my body. I reached for my terrified mum, held her hands tight, and looked into her eyes. Her hands were shivering and she was sweating more than usual.

      "It's going to be okay. Maybe Lisa stepped out to get something." I hope that's the case.

      "It's not okay. She's gone. She ran away with her lover. Here's the letter she left behind. She squeezed out a paper from her pocket and placed it in my hands.

      Reading through the letter with tears in my eyes, my mum nodded. Lisa had run away with her lover. She's been in love with him for the past two years! Why didn't she tell anyone about this? She told me they broke up six months ago so when did they get back together?

      "We don't have much time." My dad snapped me out of my thought. "Use the other stairs. There are guests outside."

      "Come on." My mum grabbed my left hand firmly as I struggled to break free from her clutches. When we reached Lisa's room, six tall beautiful ladies were waiting to dress her. One of them was Lisa's close friend and make-up artist.

      "Mum, what am I doing here?" This can't be happening. 21 years is too young to get married. I have dreams. I can't answer Mrs. "Mum, please..."

      "Go and have your bath."

      "Mum,"

      "Now!" I entered the bathroom and took off my cloth, sat under the shower, and allowed the water to roll down my face. This wasn't one of my many fantasies. It was my reality. Lisa ran away due to my carelessness. She congratulated me in her awful letter for helping her escape. Now I despised her more than before. Today would have been a very exciting day for me but Lisa ruined everything again. She enjoyed doing this. It was almost like she took a class for offending me.

      Once I was done bathing, my mum stepped into the bathroom. It felt as though she was waiting for me to finish bathing. She brought along with her Lisa's wedding gown. Pulling down the second towel from the door, she dried my hair swiftly.

      "Mum, please don't do this," I begged. "I'm not ready for marriage. I'll never be happy with this man." I can't get married to someone I don't know. This is the 21st century, marriages shouldn't be forced on people anymore.

      "What do you think is more important? Your ego or your parent's self-respect? His father, Mr Smith will ruin our lives. If there is no wedding, you would never get to have parents again! Don't you love your family?"

      "Mum." I took the wedding gown from her and tried it on. It fitted perfectly. This gown, I've always dreamt of wearing it since I was a kid with the love of my life by my side. My dreams had been shattered. I could hear the ladies whispering about how the gown fitted me like it was my destiny to marry this so-called Liam guy.

      My mum opened the bathroom door and helped me out. I sat down in front of a mirror as Lisa's makeup artists did their work.

"You are gorgeous, Hannah. I'm proud of you." Lisa's friend said, softly.

       "Mum, I don't want to get married." Why is she doing this to me? I'm her daughter, not a stranger. I screamed in my head. Maybe I should just die. Suicide is the best option.

       "You must get married. You don't have a choice. You will eventually get married someday and that day is today." She took my veil from one of my hairdressers and fixed it in my hair. "You are doing this for your family. You must get married." Her hands reached for the knife on the table before my hand could. Throwing it on the floor, she said, "Don't think about doing anything foolish. You are going to be a bride today."

       "Bride? Mum, you must be kidding. I will never get married to someone I don't love!"

Feigning ignorance at my reply, she got up and said, "Come downstairs. Your dad is waiting for you."

       "Why? Oh, so I'm only good at covering up for Lisa's mistakes!"

       "You don't want to get married, right? Take off the dress." She opened the zip of the wedding gown. Here we go. Even a little kid could perceive the strong stench of emotional blackmail. "Go and rest. It's fine. Let Mr. Smith kill your dad and me. You don't care about us." My mum broke down in tears.

       I gave out a loud sign before reaching out for the zip. I didn't want to marry into the Smith house but I also didn't want to lose my parents. Mr. Smith was a dangerous man. One you would never want to joke with. Not just him but his entire family had an attitude problem. Lisa used to read about them in my room every Sunday night after the news of her fixed wedding.

       I zipped up my gown and looked at myself again in the mirror.

       "From today, I will no longer be known as Hannah Brown but Hannah Smith." How pathetic. I wish the ground would open up and swallow Mr. Smith and his hideous family. I mumbled.

       "You will get used to it." She held my hand as we came out of my room. We alighted the stairs together. "I know you would. Mrs. Smith has given me her word that she would take care of you."

       When we got to the back. Yes. The wedding was being held in the backyard of my house. It was my soon-to-be father-in-law's choice. My dad held unto my hand and walked me down the aisle. We got to the front, my soon-to-be husband took my hand and we stood opposite each other. I gazed around at the uncountable number of reporters and Journalists lurking around the house. Even CNN and BBC? I scoffed. For just a wedding. If I had any plans in running away, it ended there. The whole world was watching us like a Hallmark movie.

       The priest kept speaking words I wasn't interested in. I just wanted to run away. I kept staring at the entrance to know if Lisa will show up, but she didn't.

       "Liam and Hannah, have you come here to enter into Marriage without coercion, freely and wholeheartedly? 

       "I have," Liam answered.

Freely? Wholeheartedly? I glared at my mum before answering, reluctantly, "I have."

       The Reverend's father then asked again, "Are you prepared, as you follow the path of Marriage, to love and honor each other for as long as you both shall live?

       "I am." I was only doing this for my parents. How can I spend the rest of my life with him? Never. Once I clear my dad's debt, I'll get a divorce. The Reverend Father turned to Liam and asked,

       "Liam Smith, do you take Hannah Brown to be your wife? Do you promise to be faithful to her in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health, to love her and to honor her all the days of your life?"

       "I do." After I was asked mine, we exchanged rings. When it was time for us to kiss, Liam raised my veil and paused for a while. He had just realized that I wasn't the girl he was to marry.

       Before he could say anything else, I pulled him in and kissed him. Craziness wasn't an option if he wanted to save his family's image. All these efforts won't be a waste. Some reporters jumped to the front, falling on each other while trying to take a perfect picture.

       By now his parents had noticed the changes. I could see Mr. Smith arguing with my dad.

       Liam and I walked down the aisle and entered into the car that was waiting for us. I was already married to Liam. There was nothing they could do to my parents. They wanted a wife to clear their son's scandal and they got one.

"They've been dating for a year now. Now you know that my son couldn't have raped that girl." Mr. Smith answered a question asked by one of the reporters.

"Mrs. Hannah Liam Smith, how do you feel about marrying the love of your life?" A reporter poked her microphone in the car.

The love of my life my foot. How do I feel? I feel like shoving your mic down your throat. "Well," Mr. Smith's glare was enough to understand if I didn't give the right answer, my dad was going to spend the rest of his life in jail. "It's a dream come true. I couldn't be happier. If you don't mind, I'll like to go now. It's been a busy day."

       I relaxed my head on the seat, ignoring Liam's questioning gaze as our car drove away at top speed.