Gentry

Lakyn Trudale

Reading through the instructions, I placed them on the vanity counter in front of me. I added the tint into the bottle that held the developer, attempting to get it all in without creating too much of a mess. I let out a small yelp of surprise as some of the tint ran down the back of the flimsy glove that had come in the box. 

Capping the bottle with my finger, I shook it until the color and developer were mixed together. I held the bottle up towards the light above the vanity and squinted at it as I looked back at the picture on the box. This is really gonna do my whole head? Shrugging, I began combing my hair and sectioning it out. Grabbing the bottle up once more, I tilted my head to the side and uncapped it. Here goes nothing.

The bathroom door flew open as the angry sound of my mother's heels clicked on the marble flooring as she approached me. Grabbing one of the towels from the towel rack, she raced to throw it over my head before the box dye could touch my hair. It splattered across the towel as she yanked it out of my hand and capped the bottle.

"Really Lakyn?" She angrily huffed as I pulled the towel off my head, "You're 22 years old! Don't act like such a child. Dying your hair an un-godly color isn't going to get you out of this."

"You'd just have the head of your hair and makeup dye it back anyway." I rolled my eyes

"Which is why there's no sense in ruining your scalp with this cheap knockoff" She scoffed.

She collected everything, including the glove, and began leaving my bathroom. I followed her, knowing I needed to reason with her. There had to be some other way to handle this situation. Anything was better than the option her and my father had chosen.

"Marina, be a dear and dispose of this properly, please and thank you." Mother handed off the dye and box to one of the staffers.

"You're going to be ruining my educational potential." I tried arguing

"I highly doubt that. You've always been an excellent student. Only thing he'll keep you from is studying for possible dates and outings." Mother scoffed.

"What if we have nothing in common? What then?" I attempted

"Then you will find something to have in common or try to enjoy yourself with whatever he chooses." Mother spoke

"What if his feet are too big?" I tried, running out of excuses

My mother's face scrunched up in distaste and confusion as she opened the door to my father's office. We entered as he looked up from behind his laptop at his desk, chewing on a rope of licorice, his favorite snack while working on difficult budgets. My mother let out a heavy sigh as she pinched the bridge of her nose.

"Would you please tell your daughter that coloring her hair some ridiculous color won't get her out of this marriage?" My mother pleaded

"I don't know about a ridiculous color but I won't stand for my daughter marrying big foot. He'd be much too hairy and shed everywhere. Wouldn't make for cute grandchildren either." My father smirked

My mother let out a noise of frustration as she turned to walk out of the office, going on and on about how ridiculous my father was and how his joke wasn't helping. My father and I shared a smile between the two of us as he stood, closing his laptop. He came around his desk, stopping in front of me.

"I don't think Mom's excited about hairy grandchildren." I joked

"I don't believe so." Dad chuckled, "But you know how much is riding on this and it's stressful on your mother. There's been new numbers circulating through."

I winced, "How bad is it now?"

He sighed, rubbing at the knot that always formed in his shoulder, "Unemployment rates in Andri keep going up. Smaller businesses can't compete with larger firms and without jobs, we lose families to other areas in the region."

"And with families go children and that negatively effects our education enrollment." I crossed my arms, shaking my head

"We really need this partnership, Lakyn. I know it's not your ideal situation but it's our duty to care for our people. Just like it'll be your duty when we pass it onto you, like my father and mother before me." Dad explained.

"Alright. I suppose I can go on a few dates to satisfy mom." I reasoned

"And for the public eye as well." Dad commanded

"Why do I have to be paraded around like some show dog!" I argued

"It helps with public image and will keep the people from rioting and overthrowing everything we've worked hard to establish over generations." Dad reasoned, "Besides, the Aken family is our best choice as we have resources and services they are desperate for as well.

"Aken. As in River Aken?" I asked as Dad kept walking to the door. "You're joking right? You can't really expect me to marry that pompous, self-centered frat-boy!"

But he was already gone, off to find my mother.

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Thank you so much for reading! I am so thrilled to be writing a story of my own creation and hope that you enjoy it!

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