Unwritten

Chapter Twelve

It is no surprise to me that I am awake before my alarm goes off. Despite tossing and turning, my mind feels as though it is going a million miles a second and I cannot wait to speak to my father. I know, however, that he is already at work. Just like every other morning, his car left the driveway at exactly 4:30 am so that he could begin experimenting on... well, whatever he does.

It takes me no longer than ten minutes to throw my hair in a ponytail, put on a pair of jeans, throw on a tee shirt, and slide on a pair of sandals before I go downstairs. "You're up early today," my mother says with surprise.

"I didn't sleep much last night." My mother puts toast in the toaster before she turns on the coffee pot.

"Your father told me what you were trying to do, and I have to say something. As much as you disagree with it, the mate bond exists, and it isn't going to go away. What is done has been done. You are just a child, Maia. You should be going to school and focusing on that- not on these journals." I expected this reaction. Despite my father working late and being known for being absent, most days he was still the most encouraging parent.

"I respectfully disagree. I mean, I want to fall in love because I am interested in someone. Not because of an invisible string pulling me toward someone that nature believes I should be with. I want to experience heartbreak and passionate kisses. I don't want to live by society's standards." Instead of offering a response, she takes the toast out of the toaster and pours herself a cup of coffee, which we both knew she would have whatever liquor we had on hand.

"You do know that if this comes to light, a lot of people are going to be upset? I mean the rights of minority groups are still an issue even after years of resolution. What do you think is going to happen when people realize that all of them have had their rights stripped of them? Do you understand the shame and terror that will happen?"

"I do." Although I had never thought of it in this context, I knew that it was going to be a challenge. I knew she was right. People were going to be angry. They should be. I was angry. I just needed a way to inform them of the past and their options. I was hoping that it would be a swift process and that they wouldn't take their frustrations out on the messenger.

"You can do what you want, Maia, but I cannot say that I am going to support you if you bring terror onto this household. If we start getting death threats, I will never forgive you." In other words, she has already lost one child and didn't want to lose another. She passes me one final glance before she leaves the room. Her threat to disown me leaves me bumfuzzled once more. Should I do what is right? Or what is easy? I don't bother to eat breakfast before I leave for school.