Marriage by Law

"But he's the bachelor of the year! He is rich, smart and handsome. The best, in fact."

I shrugged as I looked around till I saw a chocolate bar. I wrinkled my nose. Normally I cannot stand chocolate or coffee but now was an exception. Grabbing the bar, I closed the door, ripped the wrapper and bit into it.

My mother glared and grabbed the bar from me.

"You shouldn't eat things like these. You're fat."

I finished chewing and looked down at my stomach and back at her, raising an eyebrow.

"I mean you will get fat. You're perfect and curvy, every boy’s dream wife. If you eat chocolate then you will get fat and won't fit into your wedding dress. It's going to be designed to fit your body, Ivory. Don't ruin it-"

I grabbed the bar out of her hands and marched off while she continued speaking. The chef nodded at me and I rolled my eyes. My mother was absolutely crazy, I realised when I saw what he was preparing.

Salmon salad.

Not only was salad a bunch of leaves for rabbits but I didn't understand what part of “I do not like salmon” my mother never understood.

“It's good for your hair," she'd tell me every time. Hello, mother, my hair is fine. I don't need it to be rich and glossy.

Seafood should drown, somehow.

Present Time

He shrugged, biting into it. I shook my head as I finished mine and ordered another one. I can't believe he had never had a sausage roll before. Where the hell was he living? Oh right, he probably ate gourmet-made meals every day.

Yuck.

These street foods were to die for.

"Do you want cotton candy?" I asked.

"Cotton what?"

"Candy," I said as he finished his and wiped his mouth. I raised my own tissue and dubbed on the sauce that was probably around my mouth. Right, I do tend to forget manners. He chucked his tissue in the bin after folding it into a rectangle and I rolled my eyes.

Strives for perfection, I thought.

"What's that?" he asked, folding up his sleeves. Huh? I looked up at him and I realised what he was talking about.

"Its fairy floss," I said.

He stared at me blankly and I sighed. "It’s like this pink candy that's made very thin and it literally melts in your mouth," I said. I can't believe this guy hasn't eaten anything like this before.

"You know it's not healthy to always eat those posh foods. These ones are so much better," I said as I grabbed two fairy floss sticks from the man and paid him. I gave one to Darius while plucking a handful from mine and eating it. It tasted so good.

This was what I call life.

I watched as he hesitantly bit into it and was about to chew and I laughed.

"You don't chew; it literally melts. Here," I said, plucking some of mine so it was a thin layer and handing it to him. He ignored it and plucked some of his own. Fine, then.

"Let's go. I need to play the other games," I said, marching ahead. Sheesh, would he ever break away from his icy exterior and coldness inside? I was trying to be nice.

An hour later I had finally finished the last game and I sighed, standing back and putting the bow down.

"What would you like?' asked the stall guy, pretty surprised I got all of the targets.

"Do you have a peacock?" I asked, hoping maybe this stall might give a peacock.

"No, Miss, sorry," he said.

I saw Darius staring at me with a weird face. As if rich people like him will understand the happiness from winning a soft toy. It made me feel nearly normal playing at all these games. But then again, I was being a hypocrite. My family was well off also, but I liked the small pleasures in life.

But I am also sad that it would only last a week, or maybe less, knowing this guy.

"Why do you want a peacock so much?" he asked as I grabbed my little bear and walked toward the rides. The sun was almost setting and I still had to do the rides. I shrugged, plucking some fur off the bear.

"I've never seen it anywhere before," I said. That was the first time Darius decided to help me, or actually he did it because the crowd was yelling. I sighed as we reached the Ferris wheel.

"Two tickets, please," I said, taking out my money,

"The bag must stay down, miss," he said and I looked at the suitcase.

"Why?" I asked. It wasn't that big. I mean, yea it looked big with all the extra big soft toys strapped to it because they didn't fit.

"Safety," he said. I opened my mouth ready to argue when Darius butted his poshness in.

"It's fine. I'll dump them in the car. I'd rather not ride that anyways," he said. I scoffed. Of course he wouldn't. Probably didn't want to ruin his suit.

"Fine," I said, shoving my bear to him, grabbing a ticket and walking into the box. A random guy joined me since it was two per box and Darius walked off toward the car park.

Why did he even come if he wasn't going to do anything? I crossed my shoulders and leaned back in my seat. I looked at the guy in front who was staring at me.

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