My First FSY

Chapter 1

Sunday: the day before the trip.

—Rebeca! Do you want to hurry up? We're running late!— my mother screamed from the door house. I took my Sunday bag with the scriptures, which I never opened during the week, put up the headphones, and walked lazily toward the car.

I didn't want to go to church. Not even a little. Long ago it stopped being remotely interesting, in fact, in the last years, it started being irritating. However, my mother, president of the Relief Society, would never allow her daughter to stop going to church and ruin, that way, her rewarding reputation.

The night before I had been chatting through WhatsApp with Isaac, a boy in my class that I liked, until late and I barely could keep my eyes open. Didn't even put on makeup. What for? No one to impress at church. The only things there were hyper-sweet families that seemed from cookie ads. I overly knew what they had to offer and no, there was nothing for me.

At home, every Sunday was the same madness, same anger, same people. My older brother locked himself in the bathroom and wouldn't allow me to use it, mother screamed while ironing my brother's shirt, my father didn't pay attention, the baby cried... I was a little tired, and any day I thought about rebelling against my parents to not go to church anymore. Well, I didn't have any more options than waiting until turning eighteen. The desired eighteen, I would be free like a singing bird. Couldn't be forced to do what I didn't want. Eighteen.

All my pals slept on Sunday morning after a party night, except me, the weird one. They went to movies, to eat out, went to parties Saturday nights... and I never had permission. I felt antisocial. I was supposed to spend Sunday doing things of a resting day, and I took it literally. I wasn't allowed to do some other things, so I did that: Rest. I rested all afternoon to be able to talk to my friends all night.

We arrived at the chapel and everything was the same. During the meetings, I sat next to Sarah, one of those friends you have nothing in common with, and she's your friend because our mothers were friends since before we were even born. Our differences, among many,- in fact, we had less in common than a chihuahua with a mailbox- was that Sarah was really invested in the church and I didn't really care. She was the loyal daughter of the bishop and always went to activities, and even when she tried restlessly to convince me to go with her, I always got to make up some silly excuse without saying that I didn't want to go. Neither I could lose the only friendship if can be called so, that I had there. Or the only person to sit with so I didn't have to sit with my parents like a good girl.

For me, churchy things were unrealistic, for not saying boring. Seemed like from a children's primer. Who would believe that I could be married to my husband for eternity? Sounded Disney-ish. What if I married some jerk and ended up divorced? Why would I want to be with him for eternity?

That Sunday, was not different, except for one detail. Sarah was more excited than ever and I shivered when I saw her waiting for me at the door. Surely had something to tell me, that for her would be important but would be limited to church stuff. I mean, zero interest.

—Rebeca, I'm so happy. I still can't believe it— Sarah started saying really excited.

Still using my headphones, I looked at her with a frown. I felt kind of irritated by her excitement so early in the morning. What would be this time? Some friend with his missionary calling? Some stake activity? In any case, it didn't matter to me, so I didn't even take the headphones away, just hid them in my black hair and fake-listened to her while she talked endlessly.

There was a moment when nodding my head, which would work for the unceasing questions she was asking me, seemed not to work so I took off my headphones to try to understand her to talk.

—Are you... sure that you're ok with all of this? Aren't you upset?— she asked again as unbelieving as excited.

— Sorry, can you repeat?— I asked with a fake smile.

—You know, about FSY!— she exclaimed euphorically.

—Oh... I will consult with my parents— I answered evasively.

There was nothing that I could want less than going to a Mormon macro activity... I could use the same excuse as two years ago, that my mother punished me because I arrived late home. It was almost always the truth.

—But... was your mother the one who enrolled you...— she said surprised- Have you heard something of what I told you?

—That my mother did... what!?

—The time to enroll ended long ago, but someone took off, so she took the opportunity and talk to my father this week and signed you up.

I couldn't react quickly. My thoughts ran slowly but they were dragging their step. My mother had done... what? She had colluded with that insane religious fanatic to trick me and take me to that activity. Which excuse could I use now?

—When you said it was?— I asked to know how much time I had before dying of happiness.

—Next week. We travel tomorrow— Sarah answered surprised that I didn't know— It has been announced in the meetings for at least three months.

—But the next week I told her that I was going to... a friend's house...— I said suddenly, but I cleared my throat in order to seem less worried. Nobody knew, but I had made plans to spend some nights at Isaac's beach house.

I had convinced my mother that I was going to some friend's house because if she knew that I was going alone to a boy's house she would throw a Kame Hame at me, or something similar.

Sarah, of course, couldn't know. It would be a matter of minutes since she'd find out, and my mother would cross my face with no gentle slaps. First, for lying, and then for going alone with a boy in an empty house. I was at a dead end but I didn't want to miss the date I had been planning for weeks.

—Come on, Rebeca. Just cancel it and you'll go next time. This is a unique opportunity. We're going to spend five days with hundreds of young people of our same religion— Sarah insisted eagerly.

I rolled my eyes. Same thing every year. No exit. My mother should have paid a fortune to pay for the trip and would not allow me to skip it. I was over. Isaac would never forgive me.

—Bah... I don't care— said angrily, while I pushed my friend to get into the church. I locked myself in the bathroom for the three next hours. Cried out of impotence and rage. I did not want to go anywhere, but it was decided for me and I was done. I wished to turn eighteen to escape from that house and live my own way. Probably I would run away with Isaac. It could be difficult at the beginning but at least I would decide for myself. Nothing else mattered. I would be with Isaac and that was the only thing that could make me happy.

Credits: soy_unahijadeDios