My name is Francesca, and I'm sure you'd like to hear about all these stories of a young woman who regains her friends as partners who fight for her love, yes? Well, sadly, that's not my story. My story starts today. I had gotten ready in my most favourite dress, touched up some blush, and did my hair in braids. My family is one of the four most powerful in the hierarchy, and those I choose will have the chance to rule a country alongside me.
In 2022, the country's magic relies on trust and faith in the bonds we build, honouring one god. Aphrodite, goddess of love and war, is connected to my family. I am meant to choose one of my three best childhood friends to marry. Our parents joked about marriage; every adult around us did. However, when I arrived outside the hall to see them, I heard their conversation and froze.
"Her? If it weren't for my parents, I wouldn't even be her friend, much less marry her." Xander, the eldest of Stones, said, their friends all talking together.
"We have someone else we want to marry." Simon, the eldest of Trusten, said.
"I would rather die than take her for a wife." Noah, the eldest of Colark, said. He protected me most often, or I thought he was protecting me. I heard their laughter, and I felt crushed.
Is that really how they felt? From the day we met, I thought it was a mutual friendship. I slowly backed away, tears in my eyes, pain in my body, and I ran back upstairs to my room. Tears finally fell. They treated me like a princess. How could they do this? To me? I thought nothing was wrong among the four of us. Those memories, laughing and smiling, playing together growing up, were they all lies too? My mind was racing, and I couldn't think clearly.
Sitting on my bed, I just cried. The situation hurt, confused, and saddened me because I couldn't understand or wrap my head around it. Crying on my knees, I shook my head. I wanted to disappear, to go away, to hide, anything but be here, in the building these guys were in with me. Then a knock came to my door. The door opened, and my older sister, Kiara, came in. Then she saw me crying and shut the door behind her and rushed over to me.
"Franny!" she rushed over and cradled my face in her hands. Her thumbs wiped away my tears. "What's going on? What happened?"
"The guys, they never wanted to be around me," I managed to say between sobs.