I take one last quick scan of the dining room, making sure that it’s spotless. I nod my approval and glance at the girl sitting at the desk, writing. She seems peaceful, but I know she is worrying. My heart reaches out to her, but things must be done to secure her position in life. If she wants to be happy in any way, society demands she marry. The oven dings and I hear the maid pull out the turkey, the girl’s favorite dinner. Everything is ready. Arthur walks swiftly into the room and warns me that they are arriving. I hurriedly rush to the girl’s side and fix her dress. I tell her to sit up and smile nicely for the guests. She complies. All eyes are on the door when the maid introduces the Brown family.
____________
I purposefully stride into the room, my family following me, already sensing tension. A small glimpse of the house confirmed what I have already suspected, the Whites are so rich that I can practically smell the money coming off them. If I can pull this off, they may not be the only ones filthy rich. The Whites are all clustered around the desk, with the girl sitting in between the two parents. It’s a pity really that they didn’t have a son, but I suppose that’s why we’re here. She’s pretty enough, but that doesn’t matter in situations such as these. The father makes his way over and we exchange pleasantries. Arthur introduces his family and I introduce my own, particularly emphasizing my son.
____________
I raise my head and hesitate before I look into the eyes of the girl staring at me. Her gaze sets me into a state of jitters. Her bright brown eyes pierce my soul and I feel that she can see every secret I hold. It makes it harder to know exactly who I will have to disappoint. My father intends me to marry the girl, but how can I betray the one I truly love? As we continue to stare into each other’s eyes, I hope she can understand me, doesn’t hate me, and I wonder, what does she think of me?
Now, who do you think is the main character?
Afterward:
The whole concept behind this story was to have a main character who has no say in the story. Everyone else around her are the ones telling the story. You can really only guess what she is actually thinking based on what the other people are observing.
Leave a Reply