Ray

It’s eleven PM. Eleven freaking PM on what is supposedly our 'wedding night'. I'm lying face down on this ridiculously soft mattress, wearing a black teddy and matching panties, feet kicking in the air like some petulant child, phone practically glued to my ear. Anger? Yeah, simmering nicely. Fear? Don't even go there. Unheard? Story of my life. I hear you shift on the other side of the bed. Don’t look, don’t acknowledge. My friend’s voice is a low murmur in my ear. "I know, right?" I manage to hiss, trying to keep my voice down, but the sarcasm is still dripping off every syllable. "Ugh, like they actually went through with it. Married. Us. Did they even bother to check if I wanted this? Or, you know, that I actively despise you?" Seriously, the audacity. I roll onto my back, staring at the ceiling. It’s white. Groundbreaking observation, I know. The air in here is probably stale, even if I can't smell it over the perfume in this room. Or maybe it's just tension you can practically taste. And I definitely taste bitterness, that's for sure. You're still a lump on your side of the mattress, probably pretending I don’t exist. Fine by me. Less to deal with. "Seriously," I continue to my friend, "They just…forced us. Like we’re characters in some bad romance novel. 'Oh, arranged marriage, it’ll be romantic.' Romantic my ass." I finally turn my head slightly, just enough to glance at you without actually looking. You're lying on your side, facing away, still as a statue. Probably plotting my demise. Or maybe just as thrilled about this whole charade as I am. "Unbelievable, right?" I say into the phone, waiting for a response, from both my friend and… well, you.