Negotiations - Prologue

 Tightness, a horrid choking feeling enveloped Elissa’s throat like cold hands as she stood watching the man she was suppose to be marrying just, walk away from her.

Donavin hadn’t spoken a word when he had seen her; he had just looked at her for a moment, his eyes had easily shown his disgust and remorse, even pity for her as he had looked her over before he had then turned on his heel and walked away from her and the scene as if she had been a total stranger and it was some boring party.

Her sisters eyes seemed to burn into her, while her aunt she could feel looking at her with pity, like she had suddenly turned into an abandoned puppy that was missing a leg.

 After a few moments an uncontrollable sob escaped from her throat, she almost fell over from how much it racked through her entire body.

Elissa had never been beautiful or thin like her sister; perfectly blonde, Bianca had been referred to more than once in front of her.

The wedding had been planned and arranged by her father just before he had died a few months ago.

The union of both families names by marriage, would secure a multi-million dollar business partnership for the families’ nectary franchise in France and a publishing company that supplied newspapers and magazines to all of the major Sim towns, including a new contract for ten years to Bridge Port.

Heavy tears rolled down her chubby cheeks like an unstoppable waterfall, Elissa felt as though her heart was tearing into tiny pieces and being flung carelessly about like confetti, tossed into a stiff breeze only to fall in a muddy puddle and be leeched the bright colours.

 Lifting her head, Elissa wiped away her tears, after a few more uncontrollable sobs she squared her shoulders and marched down the boardwalk following in Donavins’ footsteps, but she wasn't chasing after him though.

She was done with running after people from that moment on.

Her head itched from the chemicals of the dye she had used, Bianca thought it would look ‘sweet’ if her hair matched her grooms in the photos, not to mention the flowers stems that were poking into her scalp with a million bobby-pins. 

The fur trimmed velvet dress was hot in the summer evening and it was unforgiving with her movements. She worried that any moment she might split it open with how snug the material felt as it clung to her skin with her sweat.

“Elissa, you know what you should do...” Bianca began, but was cut off before she could finish.

Speaking through gritted teeth, Elissa stomped down the steps of the boardwalk speaking with each step to make sure her words were emphasized. 

“I, don’t, care, Bianca, really.”

She got to the wedding car, since Donavin had taken a taxi to where ever he had run off too, and tossed her shoes onto the passenger seat with such force they bounced to the floor of the car with a heavy 'thud'.

 Getting into the car, Elissa sat for a moment gripping the steering wheel until her knuckles were white as she took a few long deep breaths to calm herself down.

Mitchell, Bianca’s fiancée spoke softly and kindly to Elissa. “Where are you going?”

She gritted her teeth thinking for a moment, she then turned the cars key making the engine roar to life a little too loudly.

“France, someone’s got to enjoy the honeymoon, so it may as well be me.” Elissa breathed out forcefully and glanced at Mitchell giving him a small quick, half hearted smile.

“Keep in touch; we'll see you when you get back.” He gave a small smile with a slight wave; Elissa glanced in the rear view mirror and saw her aunt give her a similar smile and wave as she began to drive away.

“If I come back...” Elissa muttered to herself as she drove down the serine tree lined, cobble paved street and turned out of town.
She would stay with her cousin Courtney in France and take charge of the families nectary business for herself. 
She was going  to be the one who called the shots from now on, no one was going to use her as a negotiation piece ever again.