The Alphabet Theory

Chapter 12

Parents Day. It was sort of like a Bank Holiday, we had the day off.

It was the day when the students and their parents could be together and it was a monthly sort of thing, that meant my parents were coming.

Not my father though. I thought to myself. Him and I were still not speaking.

My mother probably was not going to either. She always took my father's side no matter what. It was her "duty" as a "loyal wife" or some bullshit like that.

Parental Guardian No. 2✝️

Your father shall not be attending Parents Day but I shall. Wear something nice and behave. Don't make a show of me while I am there. You are on your final warning, if today doesn't go well your father and I will send you off to Christian camp again to repent and become closer to God.

Me

Yes mother

I was officially screwed.

What would I wear that was up to my mother's standard? I needed Vincent's help with this one. He had brilliant taste in people-pleasing clothes, and I desperately needed to people-please my mother. He was in the courtyard, talking to Callum and Kaitlynn. I tapped him on his shoulder and when he turned around to see me there he turned as red as a red crayon.

'I need your help with picking out an outfit that will impress my Christian mother. Shut up and help, please. I need today to go well or my father will lose whatever remaining patience he has left and send me off to Christian camp.' I begged him.

The camp that I went to was every closeted queer kid's nightmare. Crosses everywhere, anti-homosexual posters everywhere and once, one of the children figured out that one of the girl's was a lesbian, the priest that was giving sermons all day locked her up in an asylum kind of room for a week to convert her to heterosexual.I was scared out of my skin to go back there.

'Christian camp? Isn't that bad?' Vincent questioned, his eyebrows furrowing together in a mix of confusion and concern.

'Most of them are, yes. Can you help me or not?' I asked and Vincent sighed.

'Yes, of course, I will Valerie. I would do anything for you, I hope you know that.' Vincent told me as I grabbed his hand and dragged him up to my room.

'Well, if she has strong beliefs about Christianity then you should wear something like... this.' He rifled through my wardrobe but then moved on to Cassie's wardrobe and did the same until he found the perfect outfit. After much deliberation, he picked up something he was satisfied. He turned himself to face me and pulled up a white dress and my Doc Martens.

'I don't need people to be staring at my shoulders all day. Can't you find, like, a jumper or something for me to wear? I'm pretty sure I still have yours so I can just wear that no?' I told him and he blushed.

'Oh erm, yeah tot-totally.' He stuttered and threw the jumper over to me.

' Does this look O.K? I asked when I changed into the outfit.

'Yeah. You look nice. Very stable looking. Not at all like someone who has a killer threatening you.' Vincent said with a small smile on his face.

'Not at all.' I smirked and decided then and there that I should get my hair cut.

'Why are you placing your trust in Jude of all people?' Vincent asked obviously judging my decision as Jude snipped away at my hair.

'Because I want to piss off my mother in a subtle way and Jude is the only person in Ocean Hall who can cut hair somewhat professionally.' I scowled and looked up at Vincent who was smiling at me.