Pretend With Me (Midnight Society #1) by Jemma Grey

I
said nothing. I didn’t even look at him, no matter how
much I wanted to, and I craved it so much that not
looking was almost painful.
“Jenifer,” he sung my name holding the plate in front
of my nose. “I know you want it.” He shook it over my
face. My eyes narrowed at his hand and I smacked it away
from me. “Goddamn it, I’m trying to make up with you,
you unreasonable girl!” he shouted. I turned my head to
him. “And I shouldn't, because I did nothing!”
He was right. I shouldn't be angry with him. I didn’t
even know why I was angry. “You’re right Eric, I’m sorry,”
I whispered, sitting up to face him.
“I have a proposition for us.”
“What?” I asked curiously.
“You eat, I’ll talk,” he ordered. I didn’t object to this,
instead I took the fork he offered and dug into the pasta.
“So...” he began and I looked up to his face.
Eric in the moonlight was flawless. His skin seemed to
glow silver, and if I wasn’t curious or starving I would
have had to tie my hands and feet together to prevent
myself from jumping him.
“This wedding is going to happen... knowing my mom,
in some months. You’re not happy and neither am I...
We’re fighting almost all the time... and I don’t want the
rest of my life to be like that... I don’t think you do either...
so... here's the deal... How about we be friends?
“You have to stop being mean to me. You... talk to me,
tell me what’s really going on in that psychotic head of
yours... Until you’re comfortable enough to move on... no
matter how long, I will wait until you say... and in return I
will give you anything you ask – anything I can give...” he
trailed off.
I nodded thinking about that. “I want to go to school, I
want to do things I’m used to doing... going to the mall,
being with friends...” I trailed off thinking. Eric opened his
mouth to say something, but before he could, I raised a
finger shushing him. “And I want more time before we’re
married.”
“Are you finished? Is that all?” he asked when I didn’t
continue. I nodded. “Okay, done.” he said without
hesitation. “But I’m not sure about more time. I’ll see what
I can do though... So... we’re friends now?” Again, I just
nodded.
“Can I ask you something?” The instinct to tell him
‘no’ and run away struck me immediately, but instead I
nodded again. “I know you care for me, Jen and I also
know that you think – know” he corrected himself, “that
we can be happy together... There’s something between
us... why are you fighting it?”
Of all the questions he could ask, I wasn’t expecting
this one. I sighed and turned away from him not sure if I
wanted to answer. “We’re friends now,” he reminded me.
I let another sigh out and looked up to him. “I’d rather
be miserable my entire life and be free... than happy and
trapped in a marriage I never wanted...”
“But that doesn't make sense...” he trailed off, frowning
at me.
“It’s about not giving in or submitting. I don't want - I
can't feel powerless... or weak again Eric,” I explained as
best as I could. “I can't give in to you...”
He thought about this for a moment and then asked
“But would it matter if we were happy?”
“Yes it would... and I won’t be happy. How can I be
happy when I’m married to someone I don’t love?”
“In time you could... we both could...”
“No... I can’t... Eric I can’t love you... not now and not
ever. I won’t be able to, I’m... broken...” I forced myself to
say.
“Daren,” he guessed.
“I don’t want to talk about it,” I whispered, turning
away from him.
“Okay,” he muttered. “What do you want to talk
about?”
“Why do I have to be married before I’m eighteen?” I
asked turning back to him.
“Jen... I don’t want to lie to you, but I can’t tell you the
truth either, not yet anyway. There are things about my
family that you don’t know.”
“Like your dad is a really good doctor, or that