My Future Made For Me (01)

The next couple days were crazy. Anthony and I hardly saw eachother with getting ready for the ball and everything. The winner would be announced at the ball. Me.
The night of the ball, my hair and makeup lady did my hair and helped me with my gown. I wanted to look spectacular. My gown was a sky blue, and it was amazing.There was a knock on the door.
"Come in," I called.
"Hi," It was Kiersten.
"Hi."
"I just wanted to say, no matter what happens tonight, I will always be your friend."
"Yeah, likewise Kiersten." I smiled.
"That's all I came to say Beth. Good luck."
"Same to you Kiersten."
And then she left. I was admiring myself in the mirror, and then another knock came on the door.
"Come on in," I called again.
"Bethany, you look beautiful," Anthony sighed. I turned to look at him. He looked nervous.
"What's wrong?"
"I need to apologize."
"For?"
"You'll find out soon enough," he groaned.
"What are you talking about?" Jeez he was confusing me.
"Please, you'll know soon. But I'm so, so sorry."
"Anthony what-" but he ran out the door and closed it behind him. I admired myself in the mirror.
What was he talking about?
Then I was told it was time, so I went down stairs. When I climbed down, the ball room erupted into applause. I smiled. Then Kiersten came behind me and they clapped for her too. Then Anthony called us to the front of the room. We went.
"As you all know, this summer I've been on the quest to find a dazzling young lady around my age to be my bride," he sounded nervous, which made me nervous.
"And I've chosen her."
I waited for him to say my name.
"I chose Kiersten."
WHAT?!
The crowd erupted into applause, and I stared at Anthony in horror. He looked back at me with the most sorrow I'd ever seen. I knew now.
He'd chosen her.
Not me.
But why?!
I covered my mouth with my hand and ran through the crowd. I didn't care if they were nobles, they could have been flowers for all I cared. I ran up over the stairs, and into my room. I slammed the door and started bawling. There was a knock on my door.
"Go away!" I shrieked throwing all my clothes into my suit case.
"Please Beth, I just want to explain."
"There's nothing to explain!" I spat. "Go away!"
He was silent, but I could tell he was still there. I changed into my jeans and sweater. I packed my things and servants came and got them. When they opened the door, Anthony rushed in behind them.
"Beth, please just let me explain!"
"Anthony, you chose her! Was she a lover of yours too? Am I just some other girl? You lied to me!"
"I had to choose her. I didn't want to. Not for a minute. But she's a duchess, and whether I wanted to or not, my parents have been forcing her down my throat since the very beginning."

"You knew this, and still said all those things to me?" I couldn't believe it. What an ass. "I can't believe you!"

"Please Bethany!" he sounded on the verge of tears. He grabbed my arms and I wrenched my self away. "I don't love her, I only love you. If there was any way possible for me to have chosen you, you must know I would have."
"I don't kow what to believe anymore!" I shrieked taking off my shoes and throwing them at him. He dodged them. Of course.Then Ameranda came into the door way.
"What's going on?" she demanded. I cried out a sob, and ran out the door barefoot. I didn't care. I ran down the grand staircase and even though all the nobles stared and gawked at me, I heaved the door open, and ran outside. Anthony followed after me. The limousine was waiting.
"Beth!" he cried grabbing my arm, "don't go."
"What do you want me to do Anthony?" I asked. He was silent.

"I love you."
"Liar!" I cried.
"I always will. My heart is always yours."
"Stop killing me!" I shrieked jumping into the limo. The driver got the picture, and sped off into the night. I held my head in my hands and cried.
When I got home, my family all rushed out into the driveway with huge smiles. They vanished when I stepped out of the vehicle. Ben and my father grabbed my suit cases, and my mother flitted around me.
"What's wrong?" She asked. Her face was full of concern. I couldn't lie to her.
"He chose her."
* * * ** *
I'd spent a week on the upstairs bathroom floor. This made the seventh day. I hadn't slept, showered, and hardly ate. It was time for me to get up. I stood up, unsure of my balance, after seven days of lying on a tile floor, and took off my clothes. The hot shower felt good on my dirty skin and greasy hair. When I was done, I wrapped a towel around myself, and walked into my bedroom. I put on a pair of comfy pajama pants, and a baggy t-shirt. I crawled into bed, and slept for a long time.
My family was delighted I was out of the bathroom, I could tell. But no one said anything to me, except Ben, on the rare occasion. They were afraid of upsetting me, or hurting me. Itwas fine, because I had nothing to say. The next week, I wandered aimelessly from room to room. I spent two hours max in a room, and then left. I was like a phantom, just roaming with no purpose.
One day, I walked outside, and checked the mail box at the end of our road. I hauled out some bills, junk mail, and then a letter adressed to me.
Dear Miss Bethany Williams
We are very pleased to annouce that you have been accepted to the University of Harvard.....
It thencontinued to tell me the things I would need, and when I had to be there. I took the letter inside, and sat down at the table.
"What's that Peanut?" Ben asked.
"An acceptance letter," I whispered, "To Harvard in America."
"That's wonderful!" My mother gushed.
"My little Bethy, going over to America for college," My father mused.
"How far away is London from America Mom?" Ben asked.
"A whole continent," my mother gushed.
"I'll be okay," I promised, "America will be good for me."
I only hoped.