The Pairings

2. Something Old

   I couldn't sleep last night. I probably needed the beauty sleep though. Today is the day. My life is about to change forever. Ugh, I can't sleep, but I can't get out of bed either. I'm going to miss my own bed. The smell of bacon and toast filled the house.

  "Bonna! Get up. We're going to be late!" My mother yelled from the kitchen.

"Wow mom, in a hurry to get rid of me?" I said sarcastically rolling my eyes.

"No, but you must look presentable. Shower, curl your hair, put some make up on...Something. Oh, and please brush your teeth. Morning breath does not do you any favors." My mother demanded as she marched into my room, waving a black spatula in her hand.

"Mother, don't you realize that I do not care about the stupid Pairings. If whoever the stupid Monam government pairs me with can't deal with my morning breath, then he doesn't deserve me." I said, antagonizing my mother as jerked my duvet off of my bed.

"You have five minutes before I bring your dad in here with a bucket of water. At least we will know you showered. Now get up." Mom threatened as she walked back into the kitchen.

  I rolled onto the floor from my bed and took a deep breath. The day is here. If I have to be with a stranger for the rest of my life, lets show him what he's stuck with. I walk into my bathroom, throw off my clothes as my water heats up. I jump in and start to wash my hair. 

"Yesterday is over, Tomorrow is too far away. But, today..." I start to sing. Everybody is a rockstar in the shower, right? Apparently, I was singing pretty loud. I didn't even hear my dad open the door, but I'm sure he will hear my scream in his ear for a while. I guess he just had to pull the cold water trick on me one more time before I I leave. 

  I hopped out of the shower and plugged in my curling wand. I threw my new short blue sundress on with shear blue lace across the chest and down my arms. Mom picked it out for me. She says it makes my blue eyes pop.

   I went back to the bathroom and sat down at my vanity. I took a good look at myself and another deep breath. I have a feeling there will be a lot of those short breaths today. I might even forget to breath I'm so nervous. I grabbed a brush and started working on my make up. I put on some foundation, neutral tan eyeshadow, some light eyeliner, and a nude lip. This is the most make up I've worn in a while. I like more of a natural look on myself.  

  As I was finishing my hair, my mother walked in the bathroom, and pulled two pieces of hair from the front of my face, meeting them in the middle at the back of my head. She used a vintage looking clip to hold them together. The silver and blue diamonds sparkled against my bright blonde hair.

  "You know, I wore this same pin at my Paring. This has been in our family for generations, you know. Your great- grandmother says it is good luck. Everyone in our family that wore this clip, was paired with the loves of their lives. They were all generally happy." Mom said in a soft voice, adjacent to her voice during my wake up call.

I turned to her, "Well, they didn't really have a choice to not try to love their partners, right?"

Mom reacted quickly, "Just trust the process, Bonna. It is all going to be okay. You will meet the one for you today, I just know it!"

"Come on girls! We're going to be late." yelled my dad from the front door in the living room.

Mom kissed my forehead, rubbing her hand from the back of my head to my back, then engulfed me in the biggest hug I've ever gotten from her. 

"It's time." She said. "Let's go."

I grabbed my nude heels, and my 2 suitcases and followed my parents out the front door, stopping in the doorframe. Taking one last look at my home. Saying goodbye to the last 20 years of my life. I took a deep breath, and then, hesitantly, closed the door.