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“Okay, remember how we were talking about going on a little trip to the Bahamas after graduation? You, me, and Zoey?”
“Vividly,” Sky replies.
“Well, I was thinking I’d head out a little earlier than you guys. On a plane today. I’ve got business class tickets to Comoros under the name Skylar Cameron.”
“Wait, slow down. You’re going where?”
I can’t see Sky right now, but I’m guessing the expression on her face is absolutely dumbfounded. I can’t say I blame her. This is out of the blue for me, too. Technically, I’ve been planning to do this for a week. I left home two weeks ago, after my parents dropped that insane bomb on me, and only came once after to hear the full story. After that, I told them I would need a couple of days to process.
“Process” meant finding a way out of this colossal mess. Eventually, I settled for running away. The D’Angelo family is powerful enough to track me, hence the acquisition of the fake name and identity.
“To Comoros, Skylar. Keep up,” I tell her.
“No, no,no. This is insane, Daniella. You’re going to Africa? To do what? And see who?”
“I’ll figure it out. At least I’ve got the plane ticket,” I state.
“This is crazy!”
“You’ve said that, Sky.”
“Because it is! Can’t you just take a minute to think about this? I mean, where did you even get a fake identity?”
It’s in both our interests if I ignore the last question.
“I have thought about it. And right now, I’m in my room at my parents’ house, trying to pack as much of my shit as I can before they come back home and realize what I’m about to do.”
“Dany, you graduated college two weeks ago. You’re not ready to move to another continent all on your own.”
“But you think I’m ready to be married? This is the last thing I want!”
“I know, honey. But if you don’t want it then no one can force you to. Right?”
With a sigh, I fall onto my bed and roll on my back. Skylar doesn’t understand. She’s from Brooklyn, born and raised, her parents own a pizzeria. Her roots are absolutely normal and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with her life. I just wish she had a little more insight intomylife and the responsibilities that come with it.
Even now that I’m planning to run away, deep down I know it’s not a permanent solution. Because somewhere, a contract exists between my father and the Don of a crime syndicate, and it’s unbreakable. It’s a promise—my family owes them a debt and it has to be collected. And we can’t cross the D’Angelo family. It would lead to disastrous consequences. My dad worked hard to build Evans Industries and I refuse to be the reason it’s destroyed.
That being said, I also refuse to get married until I want to.
“Hello! Earth to Dany,” my friend calls.
“Hmm?” I mumble.
“Sweetie, talk to me,” Sky says softly.
I roll over and face the ceiling of my room.
“It’s not that I don’t want to, Sky. Honestly, marriage has always been a political or business arrangement in my world. Eventually, I might have had to marry in the same way. Or not, but right now, we don’t really have much of a choice. I have to do it. My only issue right now is the fact that I’m only twenty-two years old and nowhere near ready to tie myself down to some man who probably shoots rabbits as a hobby.”
“Okay, I understand where you’re coming from,” Sky says.
“Thank you for understanding.”
“And I support whatever you want to do. Just… be careful, okay, Daniella? You’re notoriously good at making bad, impulsive decisions.”
“Oh, this is definitely impulsive,” I tell her. “But that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s bad.”
“True,” Sky says. “Alright. I’ll tell Zoey. You need to finish packing. Bye, love you. Don’t miss your flight.”
