Married to the Enemy

"I take you Lila to be my lawfully wedded wife, in sickness and in..." Peter read out loud to the hearing of the entire congregation.

I never wanted to marry him. So why should I be the one to marry him?

Peter doesn't love anyone. Everything he does is for his selfish ambition and I can prove that.

"Lila" The priest called out. 

"It's time to say your vows"  he added with a dry smile.

The irritation I felt that morning couldn't be suppressed. 

I can't believe I'm getting married to the man I swore to punish.

My misery started that fateful day I got back from work.

Walking down the passage way of our three bedroom apartment, I overheard my parents arguing.

I had the urge to stop by their room to find out what the problem was, but on a second thought, I decided not to.

Days later, I found out what the whole argument was about.

"No way dad!" I exclaimed with hot tears running down my cheeks.

"I can't marry Peter. Why me? Why not Shayla? After all she likes him. What about Missy? She's had a crush on him since forever." I cried as I yelled at my dad.

"Calm down hunny" my mom said, bringing me into her embrace.

"Your father is sick, and we don't have the money the doctors are demanding. Peter is willing to help,but at a cost" my mom said with pity written all over her wrinkled face.

I felt sad and disappointed at the same time. I get that my dad needs a huge sum of money for his treatment plan, but why am I the sacrificial lamb here? 

I'm the least qualified. I'm the last child and I'm just 24 years. My sisters  are more mature,sophisticated and experienced, so why not them? 

I love my dad, and hard as it may be for me, I have to marry Peter to save his life. 

I lost my pinky finger years ago because of Peter, and that has been the foundation of my anger towards him. 

How could I forget?? I was only 15 when this happened.

Peter used to crash over at our house after school, because his parents were too busy at work to be home with him.

He became the brother I never had, or so I was made to believe by my mom, as she would always say:

" Hunny Peter is your brother, and I want you to see him as one"

I believed that lie, and took Peter as my brother. He was so mischievous for most of his stay with us. He taught us weird and nasty things.

Missy was his age mate, and she really liked and jumped on every idea he brought up.

She has had a crush on him since they were 18, and sometimes I wonder why. 

Shayla on the other hand just liked to see him around, and was always willing to hop on any challenge he suggested.

"Missy don't you think Peter is being too nasty and bad for us??" I asked Missy one evening as Peter was leaving. 

As we stared at him walk away through the window pane, Missy was all smiles, stroking her hair and biting her lips.

"Did you hear me?" I shouted as I snapped my fingers at her face.

"No! He's our brother remember?"  She replied with a mischievous smile plastered on her face before storming out of the room.