What I Left Behind - Chapter 5

My heart was wrecked, my face already streaked with tears.

Mia clung to my leg, quietly whimpering.

Even a kid could feel how much that hurt. But Joshua? He twisted it into something cruel.

“You were bought for our family! We paid for you you should be thankful for life! Without us, your parents would’ve starved! You don’t get to throw that in my face!”

I knew how heartless he was-I’d lived it before. But hearing it out loud still hit like a punch to the chest.

That was the moment it hit me-in his eyes, I’d never been a wife. Just property they bought.

The world had moved on. Even in the countryside, people knew child marriage was illegal now. Everyone had the right to choose who they loved.

But until I was nineteen, Joshua and I had never even held hands, let alone shared a bed.

I used to think he was this clean-cut, educated guy-way out of my league. No way someone like him would ever want someone like me.

So I made peace with it. If he didn’t want to marry me, I’d just stay on as his mom’s daughter. Either way, that was gonna be my life.

But on his sixteenth birthday, he dragged me and a few of our old friends into someone’s yard to steal a chicken.

We bolted up the back hill where no one would see us and lit a fire to roast it.

Someone showed up with two bottles of booze.

I didn’t drink, but Joshua went all in. First time drinking, and he was already red-faced, grinning at me like an idiot.

One by one, everyone left once they were full.

Then it was just us, sitting there by the fire.

I reached for his arm, trying to get him to head back with me.

But he grabbed my hand and shoved it against him. It was hard, awkward, and made my face burn.

I tried to pull away, but he was already taller-stronger. I couldn’t shake him off.

“Joshua, stop… Boys and girls aren’t supposed to touch like this. If someone finds out, they’ll talk.”

He just grinned and kept moving my hand.

“Why stress? You’re gonna be my wife.”

“But you don’t even like me. You’ll probably marry someone else.”

The fire flickered across his face, and his eyes locked on mine.

“Carmen, I like you. You’re actually really pretty. Even after everything-working so hard, being out all day you still look amazing. I swear I’ll marry you. Being around you… it calms me. Carmen, please. It’s burning it hurts. Just help me.”

My heart pounded, all confused and out of sync.

Before I could say anything, he shoved me down, kissed me all sloppy, and slid his hands under my clothes.

I froze, my body going limp like all the strength had drained out. I just went along, clumsy and lost.

After that night, everything shifted.

At dinner, he’d sneak his hand into mine under the table when no one was watching.

After school, he’d pick wildflowers off the side of the road and give them to me.

And whenever his mom got on my case, he’d step in and back me up.