"Why don't you come to lunch with us? I have a proposition." Mrs. Ambrosone said.

    "Sorry, say that again?" I said. Yeah, it's back to me, Gabby again. I thought I would continue what I started an hour or so ago. A refresher for you: Leo came to my house to work on our science project, he asked me out, left, and Tristen and his mom showed up at my doorstep. Jesus, Leo really enjoys hearing his own voice, doesn't he? You know, in a trial like this or whatever we are recording this for, how we are portraying it seems off. With all the he said she said I said stuff, it seems like the format for a story. What if this was a story though? And we didn't exist? What happens to us when it ends? Does life go on for us? Or does it just stop? At least you can restart the story, remember who Leo and I were and what we've told you. You might have been reading for a second time, but for us, it would be the first. We would be none the wiser that we are just fictional characters. And what is the true reason that we are telling this story....? Allright, I think I'm just going to stop there. I'm probably just being paranoid.

    "Well dear, I would like you to have lunch with us. I have something that will help you with your future. Help you get ahead in the world," she said to me. I wasn't liking the sound of this, but I had a feeling that it was worth hearing out.

    "Okay then. Let me get a jacket," I said.

    "Oh no dear. You will have to change into something more... appropriate than that. I was saving this dress for when you went to prom with Tristen, but I feel like you deserve to wear it now," she said, handing me a wrapped box.

    "Oh! Okay then... I'll go change," I said and shut the door. I was flabbergasted at first, but then I started to think about what she said. First, was she saying I looked ugly in what I was wearing? Or that it was not appropriate enough for her? Second, she chose my own prom dress for me? She doesn't know my size! ALSO, who said I was going to prom with Tristen? Yes, prom was coming up, but A: He hasn't asked me, and B: If someone asked me before he did, chance has it, I will more than likely go with them rather than him. I was getting all kinds of pissed, but I still was curious about what she had to offer. So going against all of the things inside of my head that was telling me this was a bad idea, I went and changed.

    It was a nice dress, a line off the shoulder knee length peacock green satin dress, but probably a breast size too small, because it showed my cleavage really well (too well in my opinion), with some over-boob. Now, most girls like to show a little over-boob or under-boob, but I was already showing enough skin from my mid back up and my sholders. So in normal terms, I was dressed as a slut or a stripper. Well, maybe not THAT bad... more likely  my dress was like Wonder Woman's when she went to infiltrate the Galla at the German High Command, just strapless, without Godkiller, and not the same color. I re-did my makeup, made sure my hair looked nice, and made sure I looked relatively nice. I think I am ready to go. I went down stairs, and went outside.

    "Sorry I took so long," I said, apologizing to them.

    "Turn around for me," Mrs. Ambrosone ordered, making a spinning motion with a finger. I spun around. I had a weird feeling that Tristen was looking at my butt.

    "Such beauty!" she exclaimed, after I turned around. She was obviously pleased with her choice of dress.

    "Can we go now?" Tristen asked. I hadn't really paid attention to what he was wearing, but now I saw that he was wearing a sensible suit and tie, with an undershirt that was the same color as my dress.

    "Yes, we better hurry, our reservation is for two o' clock," she said.

    "Reservation?" I asked.

    "Yes, to Maaltijd Van Goden," Tristen said, getting into the limo they came in. 

    "The Maaltijd Van Goden?" I asked, my eyes widening.

    "Yes, now come on dear," Mrs. Ambrosone said, almost pushing me into the car. Now I'm not sure if you have been told yet, but Tristen's dad was the mayor of Slowsilver, and made more money than a mayor should, but you know how corrupt politicians can be. That was one of the reasons Tristen never got in any trouble. Imagine what that could do to "daddy's reputation". We sat in the car for about five minutes as it drove to the restaurant. It was rather awkward for no one said a single word. Finally, we had arrived. A doorman came to the car door and opened it, letting us out and leading us to the restaurant door.

    "Welcome, Mevrouw Ambrosone! Ahh, en Jonge Tristen met zijn vriendin!" the doorman said, opening the door for us and leading us to the host/hostess counter.

    "What did he say?" I asked Tristen quietly, then said, "All I understood was Welcome, Ambrosone, and Tristen."

    "Oh, he said nothing important," Tristen said. I had a feeling it probably wasn't important, but it meant something at least. I'll just let it go. For now.

    "Your table is around the corner. Heer Ambrosone is already here," the host said to us. We came around the corner, and saw that Mr. Ambrosone was seated.

    "Hello Gabriella. Please sit down," he said indicating to a seat across from him. I sat down in that seat, with Tristen next to me, and Mrs. Ambrosone sat next to Mr. Ambrosone.

    "Why don't you order something to drink and to eat, and then we will get to business," Mr. Ambrosone. I was getting more and more suspicious. Something was very off about this. I decided to look at the menu. Maybe I could get my mind off of whatever this is. Jesus was it expensive here. Three dollars for a bottled water, five dollars for a soda, refills being fifty cents apiece.

    "What to drink miss?" the waitress asked.

    "Uh, Dr. Pepper please," I said, then took out my phone to see if anyone was texting me. The waitress took everyone else's drink orders, and left. I put my phone up, and looked at the menu again. Dutchman Grilled Steak in 12 oz, 8 oz, and 6 oz. Prices are fifty dollars, forty-five dollars, and thirty-nine dollars. Farmer Hoagie Steak, same sizes, different prices. There were sandwiches, soups and salads. It was mostly Dutch food, with some American foods. After a while, I decided on ordering something that looked like a hot dog, called Rookwarst, with 'stamppot' and 'erwtensoep'. Not really sure what this is, but it was probably the cheapest thing, totaling out at forty-five dollars. The waitress came up and asked what we wanted. We all ordered and all that fun, and our meals came. We talked about school and other things, and it seemed fine. Then came dessert time.

    "So, I believe it is time to talk about our proposition," Mr. Ambrosone said.

    "Oh... yes," I said with anxiety.

    "So, we talked to your father. Now I know he is not around often, but he agreed with this. Now, you have always been a part of our family. My husband and I have known you since you were a young baby. You have gone on almost every family vacation, and have been friends with Tristen since you first met," Mrs. Ambrosone stated. This was feeling really wrong. It was really off. I was not liking this one bit.

    "Where are you going with this?" I asked.

    "Well, we are proposing an arranged marriage," Mrs. Ambrosone said. My brain stopped. It felt like the world was spinning.

    "You can get money from our family and your family. Both are wealthy families. Your dad offered Tristen a job at his office, so he can take care of you. The wedding will be during spring break," Mr. Ambrosone said. Then Tristen was getting up from the table. He got down on one knee, and pulled out a black box. 

    "No no no no," I thought to myself. He grabbed my hand, and put a ring on it. People were clapping. I was crying. Not out of joy, of course. The rest of the night was a blur. I couldn't think straight. What had just happened to me? I stumbled into my room. I ripped off my dress. It felt suffocating, it felt like bugs were crawling on me, it just needed to come off. I then took the ring off, and threw it against the wall. First, I get raped, now I am engaged... against my own will. I thought arranged marriages where against the law? The money would be nice... but this was still wrong. My parents agreed to this also? They didn't feel like I could deal with my life on my own? That I needed a MAN to control my life. 

    I should not have accepted that invitation. Maybe if I would not have come... yet, this was planned. The Ambrosones thought they could own me, thought they could use me. This was the bad feeling I had come to feel. My dad was in on it. Like he gets to make MY life choices? He is not even in my life that often, yet he is making this choice for me? I felt like I was in some huge sitcom, that I was living in some huge cliché. Was God some angry author that was writing my story to fail? What have I done to deserve this? No no, I can't blame God for this. If there is a God... 

    No, I can't forget my religion. Faith is what holds people together, and it is what is going to get me through. Some people believe that there is no God, and I'm sure they have their own reasons, but I'll stick to mine. Things will get better. They have to get better. They HAVE to get better. That is what I will tell myself anyway. I'll live my life as the beautiful lie it is. It's just like life and death. People fear death because it is the truth, and love life because it is a beautiful lie. Maybe I just need sleep. Sleep cures everything, or at least it is a break from reality. Sometimes I wish I could sleep forever. Or just go back in time. Relive my childhood. Back when marriage wasn't in mind nor rape, when love was just for you family. My eyes started closing, and I drifted off to sleep.