A short story written by: EmberShy

             My name is Charlotte Betzena, I have long brown hair, and bright blue eyes that seem to sparkle to all those around me. I'm 18 in my final year of high school and I'm in love with my best friend.

              My father expects me to get married as soon as I graduate to a 25 year old guy who is filthy and disgusting. He drinks and smokes but because he owns a successful business my father made an arranged marriage.

              That isn't what I want though, no I'm in love with our stable boy who is my best friend. He isn't rich and doesn't have much, but he's special to me because he has a kind heart and a beautiful soul.

               It is the end of the school year today, the day my father would take me down to the courthouse to be married. I sighed and packed up my things and headed for the door of the school, did it matter anymore? Everything was going to change today, was it for the better or worse?

               My father had forbade me from dating anyone or falling in love with anyone. When he knew I had a thing for our stable boy he nearly fired him. He didn't though figuring I would get over it, but I never did he just didn't know that.

              I entered my house after walking the short distance home and my father looked up at me.

"Are you ready to go?"
He said happily ready to jump up out of his seat.

"Um.. No I need to change and shower and um get ready."

              I said stalling but I knew my father believed appearance was very important so he nodded and shooed me off to go do what I needed too.

              I ran upstairs and took a long shower then spent an hour deciding what to wear and another hour to do my hair. I didn't actually take that long I was just finding a way to stall and it's all I could really do.
I came downstairs and my father looked at me and nodded approvingly.

"Would you like to eat before we leave?"

       It was a reason to stall longer so I nodded.

            He went to the kitchen and made us steak and baked potatoes. I ate slowly pretending it was to hot at first, but after it wasn't hot anymore I just ate slowly, hoping the courthouse would close and we would never make it.

             That's when he came here. The man who he wished me to marry. Along with the judge.

              My father turned to me but I shook my head, "I'm sorry, but I simply won't do it."

              One look at him and the answer was no. I ran away and found the man I loved putting away horses, I grabbed his hand and we ran away together.

               We boarded a ship, and we were gone far out to sea, but sadly it crashed as we got ready to drown we swore our love.