Even though the engagement was supposed to be a top-secret agreement, kept strictly hidden away from the world and known only by our parents and us, Talina acted like we were already the most famous, most powerful couple in the entire universe. She didn't care about keeping it quiet; she acted like she wanted everyone to know, even if she couldn't say the actual words "we are engaged."
She knew. Of course she knew. She was part of the deal. She was part of the contract that sold my future away.
From the very moment our parents signed those papers, from the second the deal was sealed, Talina changed completely. It was like a switch had been flipped inside her head, and suddenly, everything was different. She became obsessed with me. Completely and utterly obsessed. It wasn't just love; it was hunger, it was possession, it was the feeling that I was an object she had finally won. In her mind, the moment that contract was signed, I belonged to her. Body, soul, and life.
Since nobody else in school or in our social circle knew about the arranged marriage, everyone just thought she was a girl who was really, really aggressively courting me. They thought she was just madly in love, chasing after the boy she liked with all her might. Teachers would smile and say, "Oh, Talina is so devoted to you," and classmates would tease me saying, "Wow, you're so lucky, she's rich and beautiful and she likes you so much!" They all thought it was just a sweet romance, that she was trying hard to win my heart. But I knew the terrifying truth. I knew she didn't need to win my heart because she already owned me on paper. She already knew I was hers forever.
Every single morning, she would wait for me right outside the school gates. She would stand there perfectly, wearing the prettiest and most expensive outfits, her hair done flawlessly, her makeup perfect, looking like she was ready for a photoshoot. She would smile at me the moment she saw me, a smile that was way too bright, way too eager, like I was her whole world and the only thing that mattered in her life.
She would bring me food that she claimed she cooked herself, expensive gifts that cost more than what normal students could even imagine—branded watches, designer clothes, shoes, and handwritten letters filled with hearts, kisses, and sickly sweet words. She would text me nonstop, hundreds of messages a day, calling me 'Honey', 'Babe', 'My Love', or even 'Future Husband' right in the middle of class, not caring who saw it.
But what scared me the most, what made my blood run cold every single time, was the way she looked at me. Her eyes weren't filled with just love; they were filled with ownership. She looked at me like I was her property, like I was a trophy she had claimed. She would hold my arm tightly in front of everyone, her fingers digging into my sleeve so I couldn't pull away. She would kiss my cheek loudly, hug me tightly, and act so incredibly intimate even though I barely spoke five words to her, even though I felt nothing for her.
Everyone around us was saying, "Wow, Talina really loves Cole so much!" or "You two look so perfect together!" or "When are you two officially going out?" They were all guessing, shipping us, gossiping, but they had no idea that it was already decided long ago. They had no idea we were basically already bound for life, tied together by money and family reputation. It was a secret so heavy it felt like it was crushing my chest, and every single time she touched me, every time she called me those sweet names, I felt nothing but pure suffocation. I felt like I was drowning, and she was the one holding my head under water, smiling while she did it.