"What's going on?" I muttered, rubbing my eyes, still half asleep. My mother and Emilia were seated at the dining table, staring at multiple papers and whispering to each other.
"Oh, look, Sleeping Beauty is finally awake." Emilia threw me a dirty look.
"Good morning to you too," I muttered, stretching.
"Bitch," she muttered, purposely knocking her shoulder into mine as she left the room.
"If you have a problem with me, just come out and say it, Lia," I called out to her.
Emilia stopped, not turning around to face me. "A problem with you?" She laughed meanly. "How bold of you to ask after what you did last night." She whirled around to face me, her eyes blazing.
I winced inside. "I'd completely forgotten about that."
"Look, I'm sorry, okay?"
"Sorry?!" she spat. "Sorry's not going to cut it."
"Fine, then how can I make it up to you?"
"Enough of that, girls." My mother called from where she was still seated, looking through papers and whispering to herself. "We have more important things to discuss."
"But, Mother…" Emilia whined.
"I said enough, Emilia!" My mother cut in, and I winced at her sharp tone. She walked towards me and grabbed my shoulders, her eyes gleaming and her perfectly manicured nails digging into my skin. "I have no idea what you did last night, Rachel. But the Kingsley family called this morning. They want the wedding moved forward."
"W-what?" I spluttered, trying to process her words.
"Keep up, would you, Rachel?" Emilia rolled her eyes, leaning on the door frame. Seemed like she'd mellowed out after Mum yelled. "The wedding's no longer in three months; it's in two weeks. The end of this month."
I stumbled, bracing myself against a chair. "Two weeks?"
"They wanted it this weekend, but I told them we'd need at least two weeks to arrange everything." My mother added, waving her hand like this was all some minor inconvenience, like she wasn't turning my world upside down.
I sank into the chair, my breath quickening. I'd accepted the idea of getting married, but I'd thought I still had time.
"Your sister and I will handle the guest list," my mother continued, her tone brisk. "And you will go break things off with that boy."
"Jacob," I breathed, stiffening. I'd told him we still had three months. He was going to be furious.
"Yes, him," she muttered dismissively. "I don't care how you do it, just make sure it's done before the end of the day. We can't have you embarrassing this family any more than you already have."
Her words stung, but I bit my tongue. There'd be no point going against her—I always lost.
---
I pulled up in front of Jacob's house, my hands gripping the steering wheel so tight my knuckles turned white. I took deep breaths.
"Okay, you can do this. You can do this. It's just Jacob—Jacob, who you love more than anything."
My fingers flexed on the wheel. "I can't do this," I groaned. Then I shook my head. "No, I can. I have to." I sighed. "I'll just come out and say it. Jacob, there's something I need to tell you—no, that's not going to work. How about, Jacob, I need to tell you something? Just please promise not to get mad—"
A sudden knock on my window made me jump. I gasped, turning toward the sound.
Jacob.
He smirked, knocking on the window again, this time with an edge of impatience. I rolled it down, apprehensively.
"Talking to yourself now, babe? That's new."
I forced out a nervous laugh.
"Mind telling me why you're parked outside my home but not coming in?"
I sighed. "How long were you watching?"
His eyes narrowed. "Long enough. What's going on, Rachel?"
I exhaled shakily, stepping out of the car. Jacob reached for me, his hands rubbing my shoulders.
"Hey, you know you can tell me anything, right?"
"Yeah, I know," I muttered, my heart pounding.
Maybe I shouldn't tell him, the thought came out of nowhere.
I could just spend time with him, and for today we could pretend none of this was happening.
"Rachel?" His hand cupped my cheeks, his warmth grounding me.
My chest tightened, and my lips parted, then closed as I opened my mouth, but no words came out. I licked my dry lips, swallowing past the lump in my throat.
I hesitated, but the look in his eyes told me he wouldn't drop it. I bit my lip. Just say it, Rachel. Rip off the band-aid.
"Here goes nothing," I whispered under my breath. It was now or never. I swallowed, my throat dry.
"What I'm about to tell you, you have to promise not to get mad, okay?"
"Alright, I promise. So just tell me already—the suspense is killing me."
"I'mgettingmarried," I rushed out in one breath.
Jacob rolled his eyes. "I already know that, babe. I mean, I'm not exactly happy about it, but I've come to terms with it." He shrugged.
"No, it's not that." I took a deep breath. "Jacob, the wedding was moved up. I'm getting married in two weeks."
"You're kidding, right?" he scoffed. "Real funny joke, Ray. You almost had me for a moment there."
He stared at my sombre expression, and his eyes widened. "You're not joking. You're really getting married in two weeks."
"I can't believe this," he laughed in disbelief. "What was the whole point in lying to me, then?"
"I didn't lie to you, Jacob!"
"Yeah, right. You told me you weren't getting married for three months. I think that counts as fucking lying, Rachel." He spat my name like it disgusted him.
"I had no idea the wedding would be moved up!" I cried.
Our voices were getting louder. People on the street were starting to notice, and if there was one thing Jacob loved, it was his image.
"I think we should take this discussion inside," he said, his voice low and his fingers digging into my shoulder as he guided me towards the house.
"Hell no," I hissed through clenched teeth, I knew better than to go anywhere with him when he was like this. I yanked my hand out of his grip, not minding the sting of pain that went through my arm.
"How about we go for a drive to talk about this?" He stretched out his hand, but I hesitated.
"Keys," he said, his voice deceptively calm as he held out his hand. I hesitated, did I really to trust him to drive when he was like this.
His fingers twitched and his smile faltered.
"Rachel," he said again, his voice softer this time. But there was an edge underneath, sharp and ready to cut.
"Give. Me. The. Keys." He hissed through gritted teeth, his chest heaving.
I flinched and shoved them into his hand. His palm tightened on them as he shoved me into the passenger seat before slamming the door shut.
I quickly yanked my seatbelt into place as he started the car.
"Where are we going?" I asked, my voice trembling.
He didn't answer, he simply stared ahead, his knuckled tightening on the wheel. He slammed his foot on the acceleration.
"Jacob, slow down!" I screamed, my fingers clawing at the door handle, my nails digging into the leather.
The car swerved violently, leaning sideways, the tires screeching against the pavement.
His jaw clenched, the speedometer climbed higher, a horn blared, then another. My pulse roared in my ears. I couldn't breathe, I couldn't think. He was insane.
"Jacob, please!" My heart was in my throat, fear felt like a hand that was slowly squeezing my lungs. My breath was coming in heaves. Still, he didn't listen.
The tires screeched as he made a sharp turn, nearly losing control. I couldn't do this any more, I wanted out. From all of it, this car, this horrible relationship I dressed up in a pretty bow and pretended was perfect, and most of all, my impending marriage.
"Jacob, you're scaring me!" I choked out.
That made him pause. His grip loosened slightly. For just a moment, I thought he might stop.
But then he scoffed, "You're mine Rachel. You don't get to walk out on me. On us."
I knew Jacob had a temper, but this felt different, dangerous, like we were toeing a line that shouldn't be crossed.
For the first time, I saw Jacob for what he really was.
Not my first love, not the boy who whispered promises in my ears, kissed my forehead and especially not the one who'd promised me forever.
This Jacob was a stranger. He was a storm, and I was the fool who'd got in its eye. Not a person to be loved and cherished, but A property to be owned.
I wanted out.