Masks

Chapter 26

And then I met you,
Someone many worlds from me.

  ~~~

"Well? You wanted to talk?"

"I believe we've ignored this topic for long enough."

It had been a whole month since "the incident." Quinn sat in his chair at his desk, while his mother sat on his bed. He wasn't facing her.

He returned to school a few weeks ago. The bruises on his arms and legs had become less noticeable, and didn't hurt as much when he touched them. He was sure to thank Violet when he came back.

"Then, what did you want to talk about?"

"Violet."

Mrs. Hayes' eyes narrowed. "I told you, I forbid you from ever seeing her again. She is distracting you from your studies."

"Got any proof?"

"Your 97 in Physics dropped to a 95. English dropped from a 96 to 94. Your 93 in Social Studies went to 92–"

  "Don't get mad at me, but is the change really that bad?"

  "Quinn!" She gasped. "Of course it is! There's a lot of competition in applying universities nowadays, so you have to be the best of the best. A small drop makes a huge difference."

  "Have you ever considered my thoughts on my future?"

  "You're still too young to make decisions like this." She retorted. "Your father and I know what's best for you."

  He sighed. "If I don't enjoy what career you force me into, I'll pretty much end up regretting everything you've done for me until now."

  "You will be successful, and that's the key point to a comfortable life—"

  "There are more aspects to a good life than just a successful career."

  Still glaring, his mother was silent.

  "If one's life is built entirely on his career, what kind of a person would he be anyway? Without anything that truly distinguishes him as a person who is different from everyone else, he may not be called an individual at all."

  "A person wakes up in the morning, goes to work, then returns home. Goes to bed and the cycle repeats. Clearly shown just by this routine, there isn't anything that is unique to his life and his life only. If this is how you want me to live in the future, then you're not setting me up for a good life at all."

  "This is why people's lives are not based solely on their careers. Their lives are built on much more than that. Interests, preferences, relationships. There are other important things that are a part of life, some more important than success."

  Mrs. Hayes said nothing against his argument. "And who may have taught you something like that?"

  "Is that really a question?" He smiled, the determined look still on his face.

  "Violet."

  She nearly lost her composure. "So she really did influence your rebellion, huh?"

  "Why are you still not seeing my point?" He yelled, standing up. "People's lives are built on relationships. That's why we have schools, workplaces, communities. Success wasn't the only thing in the minds of the people who created these things. It was also because of the fact that a person's individuality is influenced and based on the people they meet. These places allow for others to interact with each other to build on their own personalities. It is the reason why we all came to be the way we are. Like you said before: you learned through Violet's experiences that her circumstances allowed for her to become who she is."

  Her voice faltered. "Th-That was before I realized what she had actually done to you. Look at this, she made you argue like this again."

  "It was because of her that I became aware of the things around me." He said. "That there's so much more meaning in life than just doing well in school. Surely, there was a reason why you and Father were brought together, and how your opinions on achievement came to be. Surely, it wasn't because you learned about that kind of opinion in your studies. Surely, it wasn't because you came up with them on your own. Someone out there with this same opinion passed it around for many generations, and it eventually reached both of you. Through people's relationships, opinions were formed and spread through to others."

  "Through relationships, more people's eyes were opened to the world around them."

  She was at a loss for words. Quinn still glared at his mother, believing that she would not be convinced by her son, someone who still has much to learn about the world. He calmed down and sat back in his chair, not facing her.

  "You've really changed."

  "Of course I've changed." He replied. "And I've changed for the better."

  She kneeled down behind his chair and embraced him, crying over his shoulder. "I'm sorry, Quillon, I'm so sorry."

  He tried to prevent his own tears from falling. "I... I forgive you."

  "You truly are growing up to become a wonderful young man." She smiled. "Violet must be that amazing to you."

  "Of course." His tone softened.
  "This was why I fell in love with her."

  ~~~

This chapter is way too short for my liking kms I swear I'm terrible at making arguments