Ava ran her hands over the hem of her wedding dress and heaved a sigh. Her wedding day was supposed to be the happiest day of her life.

It turned out to be the opposite.

She was getting married to Max, a man she barely knew neither did she have the slightest bit of affection for.

His rolls of fat and his mousy hair colour repulsed her instead, and his hair was so large and bushy that a family of seagulls could have easily moved into it.

Getting married to Max was a hit or miss. It would either go great or suck horribly.

She hoped it wouldn't be the latter.

Her best friend, Andrea, shuffled into the room on autopilot. Her bizarre combination of a Mohawk hairstyle and a bridesmaid gown and flat shoes made her look like a mascot. Ava threw her head back in laughter and Andrea narrowed her eyes.

" I'm sorry, I needed a little laugh".

"I'm only doing this for you. I look like a clown".

" Don't worry. The wedding would only take a few hours", Ava managed to reply between laughs.

Andrea never wore dresses or skirts. Her signature outfit was ripped jeans and a loosely fit vest. Getting her to wear a bridesmaids gown was a tug of war.

Standing behind Ava, Andrea placed a hand on her shoulder. "Do you have such a low opinion of yourself that the only way you can help your parents pay their debts is getting married to that weirdo?"

Ava groaned and sauntered towards the window. "Not again, Andrea. You're beginning to sound like a broken record".

"I'm your best friend, Ava. This whole sham wedding is monumentally stupid and you're going to make a big fool of yourself".

Chewing the inside of her lip, Ava glanced up and faced Andrea who had a look of worry etched on her face.

A little worm of fear wiggled into her, but she squashed it, knowing that it was too late to back out.

She couldn't betray her family.

"I don't have a choice". Ava responded flatly and gazed outside the window. Her brothers were already dressed and they helped to carry her boxes to their dad's old trunk.

She walked back to her dressing mirror and sat on a stool while Andrea picked a hairbrush to style her hair.

" Of course, you have a choice. Marriage isn't child's play. You don't even know this man " Andrea whispered harshly into Ava's ears and pulled her hair a little harder than necessary which made Ava wince.

"Ow! That hurt. You're such a drama queen ". She sighed and gazed at herself in the mirror.

" My dad will kill me if I refuse to get married to Max. We owe them a lot of money, and my marriage to him is the only way the debt can be cancelled".

"You know deep down that your dad is all bark and no bite. Don't do this. How are you going to cope with getting married to someone you don't love?"

With a mental shrug, Ava realized she was just too tired to care. And her day was just getting started. "Just grin and bear it, I guess".

A sardonic smile flickered on Andrea's lips. " Do you realize what you're getting yourself into? You'll never experience what romance feels like".

" Shhh! Lower your voice. My aunt is listening". Ava warned Andrea. " Romance is overrated".

"Oh yeah? What happened to your dreams of getting married to a Greek god who would send you over the edge into a thrilling and terrifying vortex that would consume your body and engulf you until you pass out? Your first sex would be with pork-faced Max!"

Andrea rambled on and Ava stared at her with a look of confusion on her face. "What are you talking about? Who said I was planning to have sex with him?"

The thought of having a naked Max above her, thrusting into her and gazing into her eyes disgusted her. She didn't even want to think about it.

A laugh broke through Andrea's lips "How do you plan on living with him in the same house without having sex with him? What are you going to do during your honeymoon? Stare at the ceiling? Andrea asked pointedly and Ava poked her tongue into her cheek and inhaled a long breath.

" I'm not having sex with him. It's gross talking about it. Can we go onto a safer topic of conversation, please?

Andrea chuckled and picked up Ava's wedding gown. "I'm wondering how you're going to pull that off. Let me get you dressed. I don't want your mum coming here and glaring at me like a possessed woman".

"I'm going to be so lonely". Ava grumbled with a sad voice.

"Ava, listen to me", Andrea squatted and held Ava's hands. " There are other ways to pay your dad's debts. Have you considered working extra hard to raise money? And what about your brothers, Anthony and Thomas? The three of you can raise money for your Dad".

"You think I haven't tried? I worked as a receptionist in the local newspaper in the mornings and as a waitress in Lauren's restaurant in the evenings, yet I emptied my savings and gave my dad all my money the last time Max and his father threatened to sell our house if we didn't pay up".

Andrea huffed and secured pins in Ava's hair. " How much is the money?"

"Fifty thousand dollars". Ava replied with a tinge of sadness in her voice.

Andrea widened her eyes. " Fifty thousand dollars? You're being sold off for a mere fifty thousand? That's ridiculous".

Ava touched her temple and closed her eyes. She wished she had the money. She sagged into a chair and stared down at her palms.

"Can you loan me the money? I promise to pay back. I'll do anything possible to raise the money. If I had it, I would pay without batting an eyelid. I can't stand Max".

Andrea was crestfallen and placed her back against the wall. " If I had the money, I would gladly give it to you. But I don't even have up to two thousand dollars in my account".

Andrea pulled Ava into a hug. " What's your mum saying about this sham marriage?"

Ava scoffed. Her mum didn't seem to be bothered. "She thinks getting married to Max is a noble thing to do and told me not to worry because Max is a good man and would treat me right".

" You guys didn't even date. Besides, why are his parents picking a wife for him at his age?" Andrea asked with a raised eyebrow and Ava shrugged.

She had no answer to that question. One thing was for sure. Max's mum had him wrapped in her finger.

" Ava, You're an intelligent and ambitious woman. Are you going to throw all your dreams and plans of becoming one of the richest CEO's in the United States away to marry a merchant's son who is not even your type and who depends on his mother to make decisions for him?"

Ava snorted. "I don't want to think about his mum. She constantly disrespects me and my family".

" I think you should run away. You can come with me to California and get a job", Andrea whispered to Ava.

"Andrea, you know I can't do that. My family will never forgive me". Ava glared at Ava as if she suddenly grew horns on her head and Andrea raised her hands in surrender.

" If you say so. When you regret your decision, don't say I didn't warn you". Andrea murmured and helped Ava put on her wedding gown.

She took a step back and gazed at her with admiration.

"You look beautiful, by the way. Absolute knockout. This dress just stole the centre stage. Unfortunately, you're getting married to pork-faced Max".

Ava gazed at her reflection in the mirror. Her brunette hair was securely placed in pins and the eyeshadow made her blue eyes pop.

"Ever since I was a little girl, I always dreamed of falling in love with a handsome man and my wedding day would be the happiest day of my life. Right now, I feel like shit". She flattened her lips and laughed with an edge.

" Think about what I told you. It's not too late". Andrea picked Ava's bouquet when she spotted Ava's mum at the door.

"Ava, darling. You've been in here for too long. The officiating priest hates lateness. Your friend should know better, but she decided to chit chat instead of helping you get dressed". Stella, Ava's mum glared at Andrea.

" Mum, we're almost done. Andrea has been of help. She helped with my hair and makeup. The least you could say is thank you". Ava ground her teeth.

"Whatever. Just come out. We ought to be in church now". Stella adjusted her scarf and glared at Andrea again before leaving the room.

Andrea tilted her head to the side and crossed her arms. " Why does your mum hate me? If eyes could kill, I'd be dead by now".

Ava pressed her lips together in a slight grimace. "She envies your confidence and independence. Something she can never be". Ava blurted and Andrea's mouth widened in shock.

" That's not true. She just has a natural dislike for me".

"No. She told me herself that you were too independent and unladylike. She believes that women should pop babies and enslave their lives in the kitchen".

" Ava, are you ready?" Elizabeth, her sister peeped in through the door. Ava got on her feet and Andrea covered her face with a veil. The clock struck 10 am.

"It's time". She muttered to herself.