The Secret (Boston's Best 1)

Chapter Fifty-Seven

Maddie

"The Supreme Court has just issued the decision many were waiting for in that they have decided to overturn Roe v. Wade..."

That sentence, that one decision that five out of the nine members of the Supreme Court, one of whom is a woman, changes how safe I feel in my own body and in the country that I live in.

The decision that will change the lives of over one hundred and sixty-seven million people across the States.

The decision that causes anyone with a uterus to feel even more unsafe, because what happens if I get attacked and end up pregnant or if I cannot support to keep and raise a human being? We now don't have a safe option. We now do not get to feel like if something happens to us we can do anything about it.

In my opinion, the politicians of this country are disgusting. They are making us go back in time. I mean in what world should someone not be able to feel safe within their own body? It's the twenty-first century for fucks sake.

It is disgusting and vile and makes me want to throw up.

I turn off the TV in my bedroom and lay down on my bed and just stare at the ceiling for a few minutes until I hear my phone ringing.

I groan and roll over to pick it up off my side-table.

Penelope's name flashes on the screen and I answer, "Hey, Pen."

"Maddie, tell me you've seen the news?" She shouts through her speaker.

"I have. It's gross, it's the only way I can describe it. I feel sick."

"I know. I feel like moving back to Spain."

"Have you spoken to your dad?" I ask her.

"No, I bet he's running around the White House like a crazy person trying to sort things out. I really hate his job sometimes."

Pen's father is the Speaker of the House of Representatives. I haven't a clue what that means, but I know it's a pretty important job in the government.

He is never home and neither is her mam, she's the editor-in-chief of Sofia, which was originally a Spanish magazine but when Pen and her mam and siblings moved here to be closer to her American father she opened up the American branch of the magazine.

Hence why Pen can have all of these parties without her parents noticing or caring.

"Hold on, one second." She says, "Brooke's texting me."

Just as she mutes herself my phone chimes and I see Evelyn is messaging me.

I mute myself also and open up our texts.

Evelyn: Have you watched the news yet?

Me: yeah i have, it's ridiculous

Evelyn: It's disgusting that they think they can control our bodies

Evelyn: I don't even know how to feel

Me: i feel violated

Evelyn: Yeah, that's a good way of putting it

"Mads?" Penelope calls through her phone.

Me: hold on for a sec i'm just talking to pen

I unmute myself, "Yeah, sorry I'm here. I was just talking to Evelyn."

"Brooke was just telling me how a few of her followers have sent her links to articles and public speakers talking about protests that are being arranged."