Chapter 7: Arianna

After I put my dresses away, venturing down stairs and into the kitchen. Elijah was still sitting at the kitchen island, typing away at his laptop. I started moving around the kitchen opening cupboards and cabinets. Looking through each one.

"What are you doing?," I turned around. Elijah was looking at me. Our eyes met, his sapphire blue eyes focused on mine.

"Nothing really,'' I said while turning back around. "I just want to see what's behind all these doors,". I finished opening the last cupboard. I turned around facing Elijah and leaned my back against the counter. I watched him for a few minutes.

"What," he asked, not looking up at me.

"Who is all going to be at the banquet later?," I asked in response.

"My Father," he said harshly. "Crew's parents, important government leaders from other countries along with their wives or girlfriends,"

"Will my mother be there?," I asked. He looked up at me with pity in his eyes.

"No," he said.

"Will she be at the wedding?,"

"Nope," he said.

"Was she even invited?," I asked, getting irritated.

"No but she was informed that she could not go due to safety reasons," he told me, his face turning serious. My body felt heavy. I wanted to cry.

"So I am being forced to get married and my mom is not even allowed to attend," I said on the verge of crying. Bailey came running from the living room and sat next to me. I sat on the floor. She crawled on my lap and laid down. I started to pet her. I was trying so hard not to cry. Elijah went back to typing away at his computer. I sat there petting Bailey for what felt like a long time. I got up and went up the stairs.

I went into my room and walked over to my dresser. Grabbing the picture I brought from home I went and sat on my bed. Bailey jumped up and laid next to me. Looking at the picture, remembering the day it was taken. It was a sunny day in August and we had taken a drive to the nearest hiking trail. We hiked to the top of a hill. I remembered that I complained all the way up. My mom started to get irritated at how i was acting. That's when my dad picked me up and placed me on his shoulders. We walked on until we reached the top of the hill. The view was beautiful as we looked out over the forest below. We got together and took a picture. Even though I hated the hike, I loved taking the picture on top of the hill. It made the five year old me feel like a creative explorer.

A tear rolled down my cheek. I layed down holding the picture to my chest and drifted off to sleep. I woke up to the crash of glass breaking. I ran down stairs and Elijah in the kitchen looking at the ground.

"What happened?," I asked worriedly. He looked at me, then down to the ground and back up at me.

"Sorry i didn't mean to wake," he said apologetically

"But mean to break something?," I said sarcastically.

"No, i accidentally knocked a glass over,"

"Where is the dustpan and broom?,'' I asked.

"In the office. In the back right conor,". I went into the office and retrieved the broom and dust pan. Going back into the kitchen I carefully monoverd my way around the glass. Giving Elijah the broom and dust pan, I retraced my steps out of the kitchen.

"What time is it?" I asked Elijah.

"I think it's 3:45," he responded while sweeping up the glass.

Shit… we have to leave at four for the banquet.

I ran out of the room to look for Genna. Then doubled back.

"Elijah," his sapphire eyes met mine.

God he is hot!!! Shaking my head to get that thought out.

"Do you know where Genna is?," I asked quickly.

"I think she went and found Crew down at the lake," he answered, while still cleaning up glass.

"Thank you," I yelled while running out of the room once more.

Down at the lake Genna and Crew were sitting at the end of the dock. They heard me coming and turned around. Genna stood up and met me halfway on the dock.

"What's up? Why the rush," she asked.

"It's 3:50. We need to start getting ready," I said through heavy breathing. She grabbed my hand, and we ran back up to the house.

Back at the house Genna and I crowded in the bathroom. We rushed to do our hair and make up. Genna went with a simple make up style. For eye liner she decided on a cat eye look. She put on mascara and very little blush. I went with a very simple eyeliner look, only doing the top eyelids in eyeliner and ending it with a little wing. I applied a little blush to my cheekbones. Genna and I took turns straightening our hair. We ran up stairs to put our banquet dresses on. When I reached my room the door was closed. I knocked.

"Come in," a voice said. I entered. Elijah was standing next to his dresser, with only his dress pants on. He stood there looking at me. It was so hard keeping my eyes on his face and not his abbs.

God damn. I get to marry that.

"I….I….can come back later," I stubbled to say, while turning back to the door.

"No, it's fine. I am about to put a shirt on," he said, reaching over to the dresser where a black shirt was sitting. Dropping my eyes to the ground I walked over to the closet and pulled out the black dress from earlier. Walking over to my bed. I laid the dress on the bed. Turning around to Elijah.

"Don't look," I said to him sternly.

"I won't," he said putting on the shirt and started buttoning it. I raised an eyebrow at him. "I promise," he said, smirking. I rolled my eyes and turned my back to him. I started to get undressed. I heard a dresser drawer open. I looked over my shoulder. Elijah was pulling a red tie out of the drawer. I continued to undress. I pulled the dress up over my legs, sliding my arms through the off shoulder straps. Holding the dress to my chest I walked over to Elijah, turning my back to him.

"Can you zip me up?," I asked. He mumbled something and started zipping the zipper up. I held my hair out of the way.

"Done," he said and then walked out of the room. I heard him walk down stairs.

I followed a minute after. Down stairs Genna stood in the kitchen talking to Crew. when she saw me she came running up to me squealing.

"Look what Crew gave me," she squealed, gesturing to her neck. Around her neck sat a golden chain with a single stone pendant at the center. The stone was some type of crystal surrounded by gold wire twisted to look like roots. The wiring met at the top and was woven into a little ring, where the gold chain was threaded through.

"It's gorgeous," I said, smiling at her. I looked at Elijah to see his reaction. All he did was roll his eyes. His tie was still not tied. I pointed at his tie.

"I will tie it later," he responded, glaring at me. I just shrugged. Altogether we walked out onto the front porch. Where a sleek black limousine was packed behind the hummer. The driver climbed out of the vehicle and opened the doors for us. We walked up to the vehicle and climbed in.

The limousine was so huge on the inside. It had jet black leather wrap around seats. A small tv was attached to the wall to the left of the door. In the front of the vehicle, toward the driver was a small window. That led to the driver cab. The small window was closed though. I sat down toward the driver's cab, facing the tv. Elijah sat down to my left but kept his distance.

Not surprising he would sit there.

Crew sat across from him and Genna sat across from me. As soon as we were seated the vehicle started moving. The limousine's windows were made of one way glass. I watched the scene moving behind Genna's head.

"How long of a drive will this be?," Genna asked, looking at Crew.

"About an hour and a half," he responded.

"Where are we going?," I asked hoping he would give a hint at what province we were in.

"We are just going to the nearest banquet hall," Elijah mumbled while looking out the window.

We sat in silence for a while. The only sound present was the vehicle. Once and a while Crew and Genna would have a hushed conversation. Every time they talked I looked at Elijah seeing his reaction. I secretly hoped he would talk to me, but he just kept looking out the window. Time passed very slowly as we drove on. I looked out the window as trees, rivers, and lakes went whooshing by. I looked at Elijah.

God why doesn't he just talk to me! Just look at me and talk to me. DO SOMETHING, WE ARE TO BE MARRIED TO ME TOMORROW ARE WE HAVE HAD ONLY ONE CONVERSATION!

He turned around and looked at me. Then his face looked angry and he was glaring at me. I rolled my eyes looking away from him, huffed out an exasperated sigh and fell back against the seat. He turned around again and went back to staring out the window. Crew saw this. He kicked Elijah in the shin. Elijah jaunt glared at him as well.

"I suppose this is the best time to say we need to be on our best behavior tonight," Crew said, only looking at Elijah. Elijah just continued to glare at him. "which means we have to act like we enjoy each other's company, and act as if we are in love. Tonight makes or breaks our relationships between many countries," Crew finished glaring back at Elijah.