The road to imperfection

Chapter 2: Help?

Cornelia POV

I'm in my bedroom now. I was lucky enough to be born into a rich family in a rich town. My parents gave me the privacy I had requested them to give me. I was planning my "rebellion" in my journal.

"Cornelia, hurry up, you can't be late!" My mother shouted to me.

Girls who went to the academy had the option of living on campus and not, I didn't want to live there and my parents were kind enough to respect that decision.

"I'm coming now mother!" I responded.

You're probably thinking that I'm always trying to find excuses to not go to the academy, but I don't. If I did people could get an idea of what I'm up to.

I walked down stairs and greeted my parents.

"Oh, honey you got a letter in the mail." My mother said.

"Mother, we're gonna be late, I'll open the letter in the car." I said, pretending as if I didn't want to be late to arrive at the academy.

I took the letter and walked to the car. My mother got in the drivers seat. She's always insisted that she drive even though I have my drivers license.

I opened the letter to find something very surprising. The letter said this:

Good day Cornelia.
We don't want to waste time with introductions. You have received this letter because we have heard of your plans of activism against the ways of the world.

My heart froze at the last two lines, I carried on reading,

We are here to help you. We can't tell you exactly who we are, but just look out for our initials, we'll always be able to help, even when you think you don't need it.
Yours sincerely I.L.O

I.L.O, the I.L.O.
They are my hero's, no one knows who they are, but there have been cases where women have defied the system. In those cases when I.L.O is involved the women are almost never caught. No one knows what I.L.O even stands for, but if their willing to help me, I'm all in.

"What does the letter say that makes you so happy?" My mother asked realising the huge grin on my face.

I searched my mind for a few seconds, "Umm... it's nothing important." I said.

I hoped my mother wouldn't question me any further and thank god she didn't.

******

After a short drive we arrived at the academy. I wasn't friends with any of the other girls at the academy. We are all 19 here at the academy. This great big building that I despised, but I still went because it was a vital part of my one-step plan.

"Good morning Mrs. Lance." My mother greeted the headmaster of the academy.
The headmaster of the academy stood outside every morning until every single girl arrived.

"Good morning Mrs. Hwit." The headmaster greeted my mother.

"Good morning Cornelia." Mrs. Lance greeted me.

"Good morning." I said as I plastered on my best smile.

"Well Cornelia is the last one here, see you later Mrs. Hwit." The headmaster said kind of rushing me inside.
The headmaster didn't like calling people by their first name and preferred titles.

"Well girls before we start with this weeks prep for engagement day, I want to say something." And here she begins with her blabbing. 

"The journey I have experienced with you all for the last five months has been amazing. I have watched all of you grow into fine young women. Now next week you're all going to be engaged. I'm so proud." She said.

Thank god it wasn't long like most of the speeches she gives.

Anyway the day went by fast. Nothing interesting happened, we were mostly starting to prepare for engagement day. The last thing we did for the day write a sort of character profile of ourselves for the boys to choose who they want.
Now that was interesting.

I could sabotage my character profile or I could write the filtered truth about me or I could write about who I really am?

I am stupid enough to write who I really am, I mean whoever picks me should see the rejection kind of coming, right?

Anyway I wrote a mix of the real truth and the filtered truth, whoever picks me would have to believe they could change me.

******

When I got home I was greeted by a dinner and I know my mother could have not made it because she was out all day with her friends... or so she told me.

"Mom, why is there a feast with all my favorite food on the table?" I asked very suspiciously.
My parents would never do this unless there was something important happening.

My dad then came out of the kitchen. He took out his holo-phone (hologram phone) and connected it to the house system. Next thing I knew my one of my favorite songs was playing.

"Honey don't panic, nothing bad has happened." He said trying to calm me.

The only thing I thought when he said that was that everything was wrong... with this world.

"Are you sure?" I asked.

"Yes, now sit down." He said.

"Your father and I just wanted to have a celebratory dinner for you, after all once you get married we won't have much normal dinners with you even." My mother said.

I smiled at her. Yea right, as if I'm getting married. 

"Well engagement day is only next week, we should have it next week." I said.

They smiled at me," We've heard that the men of these days are more protective of their wives with that stupid I.L.O movement going on, so we just wanted some family time." My mother said.

Yep they did it again. My parents always talk about the I.L.O. It's actually very recent. Many parents are afraid of their daughters being 'corrupted' by the I.L.O.
Oh, the things my parents don't know.

"Well, I don't want family time." I said as I walked upstairs.
I know it seems cold of me, but there's only so much faking I can do. I won't fake wanting to be a happy family with a product of a forced marriage, because there's nothing happy about that.

When I get to my room I open my holo-pad to see if I got a message from the I.L.O.

How dumb of me, they would never send me something that could be traced. Talking of things being traced I should find a really secure place to hide the letter they gave me.

I wonder how their going to help me. Maybe they'll kidnap me in the night and let me join their organization or whatever their running.

Well, I have a dreadful week ahead of me, can't engagement day just come!!!!