My name is Susie. I am 18 and my boyfriend, Corey is 20. He and a group of his friends fly Radio controlled airplanes and had build a large model B-17. After the less than successful maiden flight we had a skinny dipping party at Corey's father's house. His father lets us use his guest house for sex and he, his girlfriend, Corey and I never wear clothes at the pool so we invite friends to be naked too and they always are.
At the party I teased some of the guys with my private parts and an orgy followed during which I let some of the guys put their cocks in me. Corey didn't like me doing that and afterwards I felt really bad. That night Corey and I performed a 'purification ceremony' to help us both feel better. After having sex as part of the 'purification' Corey asked me for 'his troth'.
"My Troth"
Corey moved first and faced me. "Susan, I love you."
"I love you too," I repeated.
"Susan, I was really torn apart seeing you with those other guys. I was even torn when we were showing you to them and they were inserting their fingers in you."
"That is over and done with. You have totally purged and purified any thought of that."
"Susan, that is not what I am talking about."
"What
are
you talking about?" I gave him a kiss.
"Susan," he took a deep breath. "I would like your 'troth'."
"My what?" I think I knew what he meant but I needed to be sure.
"Your 'troth', a promise. Your promise, ... your promise to marry no one but me."
"Corey, we are ... ,
I
am not ready to be engaged, even to you. We both have school to finish."
"I'm not asking for an engagement but a troth, a promise. Not a promise to marry, not a promise to marry soon, not a promise to be only with me but promise that, when you marry, it will be to me."
"It sounds like an engagement to me."
"No, it's a 'betrothal' a promise for later."
"I don't think I'm ready for such a promise now."
"Susan, please hear me out." He withdrew the beast from me and got up to clean off.
"We have a bit of cleaning to do," he said as he arose.
I looked where he pointed. There was a pool of semen on the bedspread. "This won't fit in the washer, we'll have to go to the Laundromat."
"Or to the laundry in the main house. I bet one of the washers there is large enough."
When he returned from the bathroom I got up and went into the bathroom as well.
When I returned I lay down next to him, gave him a kiss and a hug and said, "I am listening."
Corey talked to me about his friend, Sunil. He and his parents came from India. His parents were very close to one another and Corey was surprised to find out that their marriage had been arranged by their parents. They had no choice in the matter.
Corey told me that they hadn't known each other at all before their marriage. They were expected to stay together and love each other. That was the way it was throughout India. The expectations of those around them influenced that. Their trust and respect for their parents led them to believe that the other chosen for them was correct for them and a better choice than they could make for themselves.
Then Corey told me how he had looked into arranged marriage customs and discovered that it was very normal in many places and times, probably it was more usual than our modern day American practice of people choosing their own spouse.
Corey had done all this research several years ago. He reminded me of the time he had told me that he wanted me never to leave him and I had replied that I wouldn't. He said that he had started thinking of his betrothal research again after that.
He explained. "A 'betrothal' is basically the promise from one family to the other that a son and daughter will marry. It is treated as a serious contract between the families and the son and daughter are expected to honor it when the time comes for the marriage. However, it can be broken by the families, not by the couple. Many families, nowadays, will break the contract if the son and daughter oppose the marriage."
Corey then told me some details. First he wanted us both to promise to our parents that we would marry only someone of their choosing. He pointed out that we needed to trust them and that they would not want to do anything against our wishes. He said that customs differed about whether the daughter's parents first approached the son's parents or vice-versa. "In our case I suggest your parents approach mine."
"How do we convince them to do that? Assuming I agree," I asked.
"I suggest that you to invite me to dinner. You have been talking about that and it is past time we get together. After dinner I'll talk to your parents. Then I'd like you to present them with your promise to marry someone of their choosing. We leave the rest to them. Between my discussion with them and your promise and your expression of consent I think they will decide to contact my mother. In any case all you have done is make a promise to them which is not only a good idea but a promise you can keep. I don't believe your parents will keep you from the one you love when you are ready for marriage."
"So you want me to promise my parents to marry anyone they choose?"
"Or, someone they explicitly approve of, if you prefer."
"You also want me to tell them I would like them to choose you."
"Or to tell them you would not object to me."
"Let me think about this."
We lay in silence for a while and I spoke, "Corey, I really appreciate your request. No matter what, I want you to know that right now and for the foreseeable future there is no-one else that I want. I know how young I am and I am not ready to make such a big decision. But, thank you for the offer."
"Susan, princess, I know we're young. That's why I want to put the decision in the hands of someone older, someone we both trust, our parents."
I thought hard about what he had said and I had trouble falling asleep.
Did I want to be with Corey? Yes!
For my whole life? That was harder to answer.
Did I really want to marry him? Well, yes, sort of, but not now.
Did I trust my parents? Yes.
But to pick my life partner? Well, maybe.
Would they pick anyone different than I would? Probably not?
What if they picked someone I didn't like? They would never do that.
But they might reject someone I
do
like.
I remembered how they had supported all my high school dating choices, except one, Marshall Hanover. I thought he was the best guy but they told me to stay away. I remembered how after about a month it became obvious what a jerk he was. They knew better than me, maybe they would know better than me for marriage too.