Beautiful Monster

I tapped my pen repeatedly against the desk listing to my professor go on about the same equation that we started on an hour ago. I was ready to go home and I could feel a migraine coming on. The professor finally finished his lesson up and we were all permitted to leave. I stood up being one of the first to get out of the class. I walked to the court yard and waved over at my best friend Kim and plopped myself on the bench beside her.

"Tell me why I want to be a teacher again" I say dramatically setting my books now.

"Because you love kids Chloe. Duh." She says.

"Yeah, yeah I know. Do it for the kids!" I say.

"Come on let go, are you riding with me?" she asked standing up and gathering her stuff together.

"Yeah, are you okay with dropping me home" I asked standing up and following after her.

"Yeah that's fine"

Kim dropped me off at my house not far from our university. I still lived with my parents as of now, but I was planning to get out as soon as I can. Twenty-One and still leaving with your over protective parents, that like to control your life sucked. I walked into the house and my mom was standing in the kitchen doing some baking, which she always tends to do when she is stressed. I walked up to the counter and set my books down.

"What's going on mom?" I ask as she pulls another baking pan with cookies out from the oven.

"Oh, Chloe you startled me. Its nothing we are just having a few guest of your fathers over for dinner." She says looking over at me.

"Oh, they must be important" I say watching her franticly running around the kitchen.

"Something like that. Why don't you go up and change into the outfit I laid out on your bed." She said. I stepped out of the kitchen and made my way upstairs to my room. My room was fairly simple. It had blue walls and hard wood floor. I had a couple of old posters hanging up on the wall and my bed was made nicely with a pretty white comforter. I looked down at the outfit laid out for me on my bed and cringed. It was a pink lace dress, with long sleeves. It was not me at all. The guest that my parents had coming over must be very important if I have to wear this.

I dropped my bag in the chair near my bathroom door before undressing and taking a quick shower. After I showered I pulled on the dress, that immediately made me itch when I put it on. I looked to see some nude flats placed at the end of my bed and slipped them on. I went over to my mirror and brushed out my long red hair letting it fall down my back into soft waves. I decided on no makeup, for I wasn't trying to impress anyone. I heard the door bell go off down stairs and I quickly finished up before making my way down. I looked to see my dad open the door and a older man around my fathers age smile and shake his hand before walking inside. Behind him was another man but he was younger, but older then me. He look to be in his late twenty's and he was fairly handsome. He had dirty blond hair that was styled nice and wore a clean blue suit with a maroon tie. You can tell he was well built and he was much taller then my five foot three form. I noticed his dad was wearing similar attire. He was in a black suit with a blue tie. As I walked down I listened as my dad made one of his many corny jokes. When I hit the last step my dad turned to me bringing the attention to me.

"Ah, Chloe I'd like you to meet a close friend of mine. This is Greg Solem" He said looking at the older gentlemen in the room and smiling. I walked over and reached out my hand with the best smile I could muster.

"Hello, nice to meet you Mr. Solem." I said politely and he smiled shaking my hand.

"Well its nice to meet the famous Chloe that your dad can't seem to stop talking about" He said letting go off my hand. I smiled and laughed softly.

"And this here is Cain my son" He said talking about the devilishly handsome man standing behind him.

"Hi, nice to meet you" I say holding out my hand. He makes a small noise in the back of his throat and looks down at my hand before looking away. His dad looked at him sternly but ignored his rudeness. I set my hand back at my side feeling a little annoyed.

"I'm going to go see if mom needs any help in the kitchen" I tell my father as I walk off to the kitchen. I heard my dad tell the men to follow him to the dinning room to take there seats.

"Mom, do you need some help with anything" I say stepping into the kitchen.

"Oh yes how about you bring the salad bowl out and set it at the table" she said taking off her apron as she also grabbed a dish of beans and potatoes to follow me out. I grabbed the salad bowl and walked into the dinning were all three of the men were sat at the table. They were all engrossed in a deep conversation about work as I set the food down on the table. I watched as Cain looked up at me only to scrawl and look back at my father. What the hell was his problem. He didn't even know me and he was being a complete ass.

My mother set the last of the food down at the table before taking her seat on the left of dad. I took the seat next to her leaving me right across from the beautiful man in front of me. We began to eat each serving ourselves, my parents talked about work and family with Mr. Solem. Me and Cain listened and ate in silence.

When we moved to dessert the attention moved in a different direction.

"So Chloe, how is school going" Mr. Solem asked me

"It's going well, its my last year so I'm happy to finally get it over with" I say

"That's wonderful, we will have to start looking for some opening positions for you near Austin" He said which caused me to stop eating and look up at him.

"Why would I need to look for places in Austin when I live In New York" I say looking over at my parents.

"Mr. Solem we haven't actually told her yet" my mother whispered softly and looked at me with sad eyes.

"Told me what exactly" I say setting my fork down and looking around at the table. Even Cain looked a bit shocked I wasn't aware of what was going on.

"Honey, don't get upset and try to keep an open mind" my father said looking over at me.

"What is going on" I say feeling my heart pick up.

"Well we have signed a deal with the Solem's that you are to marry his son Cain" my father says and I sit there shocked. I was so shocked I didn't even believe what he was saying was true. I started to laugh and not just a little laugh just a hard down laugh.

"Darling, we aren't joking" My mother said reaching out to grab my hand. My laughing stopped and I looked around the table to see no one else amused by the conversation.

"Well it is quit funny, because it is not happing. I am a grown women I don't need my parents to arrange a marriage for me" I say standing up

"Chloe, the deal is already done. If you do not marry him we will lose are home and everything we have" my father says pleading with me.

"What do you mean? How can you just sale you daughter off" I say the anger now coming to my voice.

"We didn't really have a choice, we were going to lose everything" My mother said looking sad.

"So you decided to sale me off to some family, and man I have never met" I say yelling now.

"Chloe calm down" my father says standing up too.

"Calm down! You want me to Calm down, When you sold me off and expect to me to marry a man I don't know and move across the country were I know no one! I will not fucking calm down Dad" I say my face red and my breathing ragged as the anger overcomes me. I look over at the Solem's and see Cain with his hands fisted but he says nothing. Mr. Solem is just watching the scene happen.

"Look we should have told you sooner but we just wanted you too meet Cain and see what happens" My mother said

I picked up mt phone and grabbed my bag at the door before leaving the kitchen and walking over to the front door.

"Where are you going Chloe" My father said chasing after me.

"To get some fucking air. Is that okay are would you like to decide that for me to" I say throwing my hands up and opening the door. He doesn't say anything and I slam the door behind me. I begin walking quickly to the woods near my house knowing exactly where I was going to get some peace.