Levana sat, curled up into a ball, in her wooden bathtub. Brushing aside a few strands of wet hair, she sighed and stared at the ceiling depressingly. "Am I really going through with this?" The thought had crossed her mind many times over the past couple of weeks ever since her father told her the news. Levana closed her eyes and recalled the day.

[i]"I have a surprise for you," Bryce grinned widely. "You're getting married!" He held his hands up in celebration as Sabbirah clapped in the background. Suddenly they both paused and waited for a response. "A-ah, sweetie?" Bryce went to grab Levana's shoulder as she stared at the ground quietly. Suddenly she slapped his hand away and gave a look of fury. "I wont! You cant make me!" Then she...[/i]

"Ran away..." Levana looked embarrassed at herself. "Did I seriously do that?" She submerged herself for a couple of seconds. Just then, there was a loud knocking on the door.

"Levana! How many hours are you gonna spend in there? Come out already!" Sabbirah yelled. "I can't send a prune to a formal event!" Afterwards, footsteps could be heard walking away from the door. Levana stared at her fingers and decided her mother was probably right. Wrapping herself with a towel, she exited the bathroom and made haste to her bedroom. Sabbirah stood there with her arms folded. "Took you long enough," she began ruffling through a pile of fabric and pulled out a dull, peach colored ball-gown that had bits of turquoise and gold. "What do you think? I finished sewing it last night."

"What do I think?" Levana frowned and stepped over to her closet. "Well this is what I think." She pulled the curtain to reveal her clothes, all colored a dull-peach-with-bits-of-turquoise-and-gold. "Everything you ever make me is the same exact colors." She sighed and shook her head. "Well whatever, It's not like I'm trying to impress anyway so your dress will do just fine." Suddenly Levana clasped her mouth shut and slowly turned to her mother. "S-sorr-"

"But you... You said you love the clothes I make for you!" Sabbirah over-dramatically began forming tears in her eyes and then ran out of the room. "Stupid daughter! I hate you!" She yelled from down the hall. Levana stared blankly for a moment and scratched the back of her head nervously.

"Sometimes I wonder who's really the parent..." She began to change after drying her hair with another towel. After dolling herself up, Levana entered the main room where her father was comforting a crying Sabbirah. 

"T-then she said *sniffle* said she hated *sniffle* her clothes and," Sabbirah stopped in her sentence and looked up at Levana. Bryce's eyes followed. Their eyes began to sparkle as large smiles grew across their faces. "You look beautiful!" Her bipolar mother teared up with happiness now.

"Thanks, I guess." Levana tilted her head and then shrugged. "Well, let's get going." Her parents both agreed and they all made their way to the venue. Bryce had been quiet most of the ride there. After he escorted his daughter inside, he looked at her and smiled.

"I'm so proud of you, Levana." He gave her a tight hug and then left. Those few simple words left Levana with mixed feelings. Originally, she was only against marriage for selfish reasons such as [i]being independent[/i], or the fact that becoming a bride irked her. She hadn't realized that getting married meant change. She'd no longer live her life the way she had all these years. But this also meant making her parents happy. She took a few deep breaths after her parents left, and then turned around toward the luxurious ballroom.