Social Casualties - 1 [ 5SOS ]

13. Social Connection

° Violet °

My parents were utterly extraordinary. My father, although being unemployed, is incredibly smart with a high IQ, and an overly dramatic heart. Especially since the only reason he's unemployed is because he chooses to be. In fact, he's even proven not to need a job at all because of his intelligence, my dad's job was basically to live; though being realistic, my dad was my mum's accountant, management, spouse, and partner. My mother on the other hand had too many jobs, reigning from teaching, writing, conversing, managing, and most of all, being a mum. She wrote a bestselling novel, reported nearly any popular articles to think of, plans to launch a book company, as well as has to deal with a teenage daughter living away from home.

I appreciated my parents, I'd never think to ask for more, but for such uniqueness in one family, it's difficult to keep up with this much perfection.

"Your mum's getting home late, love" my father told me as I chewed on the end of  my pen, and did my math homework with him via video chat.

"It's fine, I understand" I told him, scribbling nonsense onto my paper.

I muttered the series of numbers and letters I'd write on my paper, hearing my father sigh, and shuffle in his chair.

"Do you want to tell me what's on your mind?" he asked, having me look up at the computer screen, and shake my head.

"Nothing's on my mind" I said in the softest tone I could conjure.

"You know, I can tell when both you and your mother are lying" he breathed out, having me sigh, and set my pen down, "Only Mum's worse at it"

"I'm fine, Dad" I explained, "If anything I'm brilliant, I'm understanding my classes better, my grades are phenomenal—"

"What about personally?" he cut me off, "Vi, I've lived through enough to know when something personal is bothering you"

I stared blankly at my paper, considering telling my dad my scenario, though having also the fact that the mere mention of a boy might drive him mad.

"How old were you and mum when you two met?" I asked, knowing the near mention of my parents' life before me drove them away from whatever they previously were talking about.

"Oh, well, I was twenty, and she was eighteen" he began, "A two year difference doesn't quite matter at that age, but if we were in secondary school and she was a year nine, like you, I'd have been a year eleven—"

"What?" I blurted out as I swallowed harshly on the lump in my throat, having the statement remind me of Jessa's current situation, "Would you have considered her at that time?"

My father chuckled, "She's the love of my life, if I fell for her at that time as I did then, I would have"

"Wait, didn't you guys go to the same school?" I asked in confusion, though hearing this story a million times before, since I was prohibited from reading my mum's book.

"It's complicated" he told me, having me sigh, and pick up my pen.

"When are you going to let me just read the book?" I asked, hearing a door open and close through my computer's speakers, soon seeing my mother show up behind my dad.

"What book?" she asked, giving my dad a peck on the lips before turning to the screen, and apologising for her tardiness.

After assuring it was fine, I waited for her to return with my father to continue our conversation.

Once she made herself comfortable next to my dad, I leaned forward, and propped my head on one hand, "You know what book I'm talking about" I told them, having them share a glance.