Jane's beat up car pulls up to my house, but I don't get out. I sit frozen in the worn out leather seats, staring into the oblivion that is my future. This morning was bad enough, but when I walk into that house everything will get three times worse.
"What am I going to do?" I mumble, my hands clutching the seatbelt like it's a life line. I can't even imagine what my mom is going to do when I tell her I got married.
"Yeah, you're fucked." Jane scoffs. "You committed yourself to a complete stranger. You guys merged for the rest of your lives." Jane states. "Till death do you part." She adds, exchanging a worried look with me.
"God, just talking about your shit makes me need a smoke." Jane pulls out a cigarette, and takes a long drag.
"Try actually being the bride." I sigh, the plastic ring weighing down on my finger like its a thousand pound weight.
"I tried to stop you, but you cried hysterically when I did. Plus, we both were drunk out of our minds." Jane states, blowing out a huge cloud of smoke out the window.
"God, how much did I drink?" I groan, and Jane laughs.
"A lot. I think there's a picture of you doing a keg stand." Jane says, pulling out her phone.
"There is?" I gasp. "Jane, can you send that picture? Actually, can you send me all the pictures and videos? I gotta figure out how wasted I was." I plead. It'll be a virtual breadcrumb trail. I'll retrace my steps to try to remember why or how I got married.
"You sure? Those pictures are pretty incriminating. Your conservative heart might give out looking at them." Jane wags her black brows at me.
"Yes." I confirm.
"Don't say I didn't warn you." Jane says, taking another drag. My throbbing mind pictures what kind of tragedies Jane's phone captured. I silently pray with all my might that there isn't a picture of me streaking or worse.
"Hey, Pippa?" Jane calls my attention after a long moment.
"Yeah?"
"Are you okay?" The three words Jane says punctures my heart, knocking the wind out of me. I'm not sure whether to cry, or laugh it off, I don't know what to do. I don't know what to do, and it terrifies me.
"I'm not sure." I admit. "But thanks for asking, Jane." I force a grin at her. Jane isn't much of a smiley person, but my goth best friend gives me a shaky grin that makes me feels like everything is going to be okay for a minute.
"It's nothing." Jane shrugs.
"Jane, can you please drive around the block a few times?" I ask, swallowing thickly when I glance at my house. The car reeves under me as it comes to life.
"No problem." Jane says, steering onto the street.
Later With a shaking hand I unlock my front door as quietly as possible. I've never stayed out all night before, which is just the icing on the wedding cake. Pun intended.
"Pippa, that better be you!" My mom's tight voice makes my fingers slack, making the keys clatter loudly at my feet. My hands clutch the knob till my knuckles turn white, and I debate ducking back outside.
"Pippa!" I flinch at my mom's sharp voice. It's to late. Should have ran when I had the chance.
"Pippa Elizabeth Thawne, where have you been?" Thawne. The realization hits me like a ton of bricks. I kept my last name... And Jackson took mine.
"Pippa, answer me." My mom presses, pulling me out of my thoughts. Finally turning away from the door, my only escape route, I face my mother, madam mayor Nancy Thawne. Her reelection motto rings in the back of my mind at the sight of the blonde business woman. Her blue eyes burn a hole into me- no, through me. Picking me apart as they take me in from head to toes. Mom is decked out in one of her elaborate suits, meaning she's on her way to a press conference or something for her campaign.
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"Answer me." She clips. "I don't have much time, I have to go to a fundraiser. I have to scold you, and punish you, but first I need at least some pathetic explanation." She exclaims. I knew it, distressed or not over her missing daughter the campaign must go on.
"Where are your clothes? I pay a lot of money to dress you like a lady. Did anyone see you like that?" She seethes, and I tug the jacket as low as it can go.
"Why are you doing this to me? Especially during elections. I raised you better than to be some reckless tart on the streets." Mom continues her speech. I stand there with a straight back, chin low, mouth shut and take it. Taking in my mom's forced good posture, her leveled voice, her lack of faltering , and deduce she's practicing her speech skills on me. Mom never yells like a normal parent, but sometimes I wish she would. Instead she's always talks down to you by out smarting you.
It's always prim and proper in the Thawne house. No one shouts, no one walks with their shoes on, no one swears, and especially no one is disorderly.
"Pippa, do you have anything to say for yourself?" Mom bites, glaring down at her watch.
"I'm sorry." Is all I can manage with the words 'I got married' burning the back of my throat. I want to admit everything to my mom, but how do I tell her that I got wasted, lost my virginity, got married to a stranger, and blacked out. How do I say that out loud to Madam Mayor of perfection?
But... I want to tell my mom. I want to tell her I messed up and got married.
"You certainly should be." She huffs, straightening out her suit despite being wrinkle free. "Your brother and sister would never stay out all night like some degenerate." She firmly delivers the last blow.
Of course my perfect twin siblings would never go to a party to blow off some steam. They can do no wrong. But all I can do is just mess up everything.
"I have to go, or I'll be late." Mom sighs. Mom late? I don't think that would ever happen. "We'll discuss your night out, and your punishment afterwards." Mom says, taking a deep breath and snapping her blue eyes shut. When she reopens those baby blues she sports her biggest smile I've seen her rehearse in the mirror countless times.
"You better be decent when I get back." She says with that confident smile. Another layer of grim costs my skin at my mom's disproval. I watch as she struts off with perfected pose, everything I want to say to her hanging in the growing distance between us.
"Mom... I got married." I blurt out with a shaking voice. I said it, I told her the truth, but she simply waves me off.
"Pippa, I don't have time for your ridiculous cry for attention." She scoffs, and I feel her blue eyes rolling like a slap to my face.
