Perception

Dahlia (10)

The thing is about perfection, is that it is what everyone desires, what everyone thinks they can have if they work hard enough, but the truth is its absolutely unattainable. Why somebody would even strive for such a curse is beyond me. After all, imperfection, is beauty, madness is genius, and it is better to be absolutely ridiculous than absolutely boring... Right?

"ADELINE!" I hear my mother yell and cringe knowing what's to come.

"Mom, not now!" I say raising my voice to an all time high and immediately regret it.

"Excuse me?" She barks reminding me to know my place.

"Okay, okay, I'm sorry. I'm just going through a lot right now. I'm extremely frustrated, mother and I don't want you to be upset with me. You said you wouldn't be on my birthday." I say and watch as her face visibly soften as her guilt takes over. But, unfortunately, She's a Binochè, and Binochès don't feel guilt for long... "We do and say everything for a reason, Binochè make no mistakes."

"Well, that was before I had to hear from Nelly's whore of a mother, that my prize of a daughter was in the arms of James Dornan last night, and that it's all over the tabloids in the morning." she seethes. "Comment osez-vous faire cela à votre famille! Other tout Ce que nous avons fait pour vous? après tout, nous avons été à travers!" (How dare you do this to your family! After everything we've done for you? After all, we've been through!) What the hell is wrong with you? What, now that you're 18 you suddenly believe that you can make adult decisions? Why are you trying to attract so much attention to yourself? To this family? As your first act as an adult and an official member of the board, you pull some shit like this? May I remind you how much work your father and I put into keeping  you and your siblings happy? To keep this gorgeous roof over your head and your names squeaky clean? We are perfect Adeline, we can't afford slip ups like these! A 30-year-old man seeing my 18-year-old daughter? OVER MY DEAD BODY!" My mother yells throwing her hands up in the air. "I need you to think with your brain right now Adele, not with your ass." She yells and I can't help but run into my room and cry. She is such a bitch! I understand how much work my parents put into keeping my family afloat, I understand that our family name is everything we have. I understand that it's wrong to see someone so much older than I am, but it's not even like that, not yet at least.

"Mother! You have no right to yell at her like that! You don't even know what happened! You're the one always telling us that we have to be smart and never allow any slip ups, but guess what mom, you just slipped, you and your bullshit accusations just cost Adeline her 18th birthday! This was not how tonight was suppose to be." I hear my sister say in my defense. I run up to my closed door and press my ear against it. I just want to hear how stupid my mother will feel. She finally slipped up, this is a magical day.

"Tell me what happened," she insists.

"Jake cheated on her," she starts off and I already hear my mother gasp in surprise. I slowly crack the door open and peek my head out to watch their conversation.

"That bastard! How could he do that to her?" she says putting her hand over her heart, fisting the expensive material.

"It gets worse mother, a lot worse."She motions for her to sit down so she can deliver the final blow and not knock her out. A silent tear streams down my face as Melanie's eyes catch mine. She looks at me waiting for my approval to explain the situation, I got myself into. I'm glad I don't have to look my mother in the eyes and tell her myself. I slowly nod, encouraging her to explain. My eyes thank her immensely, over and over again as she explained last night's events. I watch my mother's face shift from surprise, disgust, and then anger. She stands and moves to walk up the stairs. I quickly slam the door shut again, not wanting to listen to my mother scold me again. "You should have seen it coming Adeline, how could you not? Are you really so foolish that you couldn't figure it out on your own? Ugh, You always make things difficult for me." I can practically hear her say.

"Sweetheart?" She calls in a gentle tone.

"I'm so sorry baby." she says sniffling behind my door.

"I should have asked what happened. I shouldn't have assumed anything about you. I know you, you'd never do something like that. I'm so sorry that I didn't even let you explain." she says lightly knocking on the door again.

"Come on baby, no one should have to go through something this terrible alone. You deserve so much more." I sigh and stand from the floor in the corner of my room, and wipe my face so she doesn't see my pain. My hands shakily twist the lock on my doorknob, my mother waists no time pushing the door open and embracing me into a tight hug.

"A wise girl kisses but doesn't love, listens but doesn't believe, and leaves before she is left." My mother reminds me, squaring her shoulders, and puffing out her chest. "You are stronger than this, you are smarter than this." her strong hand cups my cheek, slightly digging her fingernails into my skin. "You are much too perfect for this, my beautiful Dahlia."