Finally, I am home from school! I have been attending the university for two years now and I am very happy to be home with my family for the summer! Thankfully, I made it home just in time for dinner; I was so excited for my parent’s cooking that I haven’t even taken my things to my room yet. In front of me sits grilled cheese with my dad’s famous potato soup, my favorite! However, something is off about my parents tonight. Their smiles are forced, as if something is wrong and they are hiding it from me. And to make it even more suspicious, my little brothers are at a friend’s house the day I came home.

“Did you do well on your finals?” my mom asked me.

“Of course! I always do!” I replied happily.

My dad let out a sigh. He can’t hide it from me anymore.

“Julie, there is something we need to talk to you about.” He said hesitantly.

Here it comes. I put down my spoon and try to mentally prepare myself for the horrible thing that I am about to hear.

“You won’t be going back to school next year.”

“WHAT?!” I yelled. “How could you take me out of school? I passed all of my classes with flying colors”

“It’s not your grades. You’re getting married.”

I roll my eyes angrily. Again with this marriage thing. I have told them over and over again that I want to get a degree first and yet they still try to set me up. But how could they go so far as to take me out of school?

“To be more precise, you are already married.” He said as he placed a marriage certificate in front of me.

I can barely look at the piece of paper sitting in front of me. My head is spinning, as if my entire world had just exploded. I push the paper away from me and put my face into my hands. How can this be happening?

Trying to make me feel better, my mom said, “We put a lot of effort into this. Even the guy’s looks are to your liking.”

Oh gosh. Throughout this entire situation, I haven’t thought about the husband. Yes, my life was practically over, but it is worse to think that I am now married to someone my parents chose for me. Could this get any worse?

“Because you said you liked Korean men, your new husband is Korean. You will be moving to Seoul next week. I know this is hard for you, but just remember that I wouldn’t trust just anyone with my baby girl.”

I just sat there in shock. With every word that comes out of their mouths I feel worse. I take a deep breath, go up to my room, put in my headphones and fall asleep to Super Junior. Some good has to come out of tonight, right?