Mother...please Erudite: House of The Matthews (Rewriting)

Just breathe Pt 1

Word count: 6026

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

I stared at my reflection once the barber swerved the seat around to show me my new haircut. It was shorter like my mothers but it framed my face a lot more. The barber finished the blow out and gave my hair one final ruffle before letting me get up from my seat. I thanked her while my mother typed away on her iPad with her working face on. She took me to get my hair done and go shopping after she forgot my birthday yesterday, due to having to work the entire day. 

I picked up my bags and sat next to her. "That does not look like a normal DNA strand" I spoke, while looking at her screen. "No it's not" she replied. "Did a mutation occur?" I ask, tilting my head a bit while zooming in the photo without thinking. "Yes" she finally stares at me and my hair as I get in her space to take a closer look. I examine what's in front of me while my mother rests a hand on my hair. Her actions don't faze me at first until I feel her begin to stroke my hair. Now I realize how close I was to her. We never invite ourselves into each other's personal bubbles unless it was when she did my hair, which is why I asked her if I could get a hair cut. 

It was the only form of physical touch that was related to affirmation or care that she gave me since the death of my father. So it felt strange, especially when less than three days ago she dragged me by it to get me out of my room when she thought someone else was in there with me. When she found no one she continued to hit, yell, and beat me until she had enough. She wasn't wrong she was just too slow to catch Tobias before he disappeared in the hidden escape hatch. I installed it when my mother was away on business for a whole month, so he wouldn't have to face one of his largest fears just to receive medical help. 

Most of the time she can't find it in herself to ignore me and give me the cold shoulder anymore as she did before involving myself with Mrs Prior. So when I did something wrong it usually flowed out in yelling or physical attacks that always resulted in patching myself up or going to school with makeup on. And always without mistake she will pretend nothing happened the next day and treat me with 'kindness'. She must have felt somewhat bad, especially because she forgot my birthday or else she would have never allowed me to get my hair done by someone other than her. 

"I like what you've done to your hair" she finally spoke, while I sat myself up. "Thank you" I replied rather dryly and bluntly. She smiles before getting up and gesturing for me to follow her when she spots her assistant waiting outside for her. We leave but not without thanking the barber for her work. We walked but I fell behind and observed those around myself instead. Adults in blue share their ideas and theories with others while their children mindlessly follow behind with their own friends with the same copy and paste conversations. 

I find fake smiles, fake laughs and fake compliments. I hear people unknowingly spill secrets to someone who would eventually use it against them to make themselves appear more appealing to the social chain set up here. 

Everyone here has a reputation. Some were good but those who had poor reputations did everything to climb back up the social ladder again. Even if it meant disowning, throwing those who they love under the bus or denying they even had anything to do with someone who bought shame to them and their precious name. As for those who have no way to fix their name, they ended their lives and were immediately forgotten. The rate of suicide here was far higher then any faction but no one outside knew anything about it. Many who transfer here have a blindfold thrown over their eyes the moment they join, so they never realize what a big mistake they made. 

No one here cares about you beside your family but only as long as you stay blind and deaf to the jacked up shit that happens here - in other words agree and do your part. Agree and be a part of the problem. I don't hate my faction. I don't feel as if I have a right to, because I am a part of this well running computer. We wear royal blue to represent our intelligence and our lack of sympathy towards the less and the needy. We strive for perfection but come far from it as we belittle those who can't spell, who can't read, who can't work any form of technology, and who most certainly can't be one of the snakes in the grass who are willing to learn all things besides the moral and obvious truth about how imperfect we really are as a whole faction.