Trouble (Malani)

Chapter Seventeen

Maddie's eyes shot open as she felt someone lightly shaking her shoulder. She slowly removed herself from Kalani's arms and started to panic when she saw her mom.

"Get downstairs right fucking now," Melissa whispered.

Maddie gulped before making her way downstairs.

"Mind explaining what the fuck that was?" Melissa hissed.

"Uh, what do you mean?" Maddie asked as she tried to rub the sleep from her eyes. "Also, it's seven in the morning, dude. What the fuck?"

"Lose the tone, Madison," Melissa huffed. "You know what I'm talking about so don't play dumb. Why is there a girl in your bed and why were you two stuck to each other?"

Maddie sighed and threw her head into her hands. "Mom, it's really not a big deal."

"Not a big deal? I'm sorry but me finding my seventeen year old daughter cuddled up to some girl is kind of a big deal."

"She's not just some girl, mom. It's Kalani and you know who she is."

"I don't care who she is. Why were you two sleeping like that?"

"Because mom, I like her, okay?"

"Excuse me?"

"I like her. As in I like her."

"Madison, you're not gay, okay? So, just stop."

"Seriously, mom? What's your problem? Would it really be that big of a deal if I was gay?"

"Honestly, yes. You're a big role model to so many people. Do you realize what that could do to your reputation? Our reputation as a family?"

"God, mom, just shut up," Maddie shouted. "All you ever do is care about yourself."

"Miss Gisoni, do you think we could talk?"

Maddie turned her head to see Kalani standing by the door. She smiled at the girls messy hair.

"I guess so. What do you want?"

"Actually, I was hoping we could just talk alone," Kalani mumbled.

Melissa looked at Maddie and sighed, "go up to your room, you're grounded for two weeks."

Maddie shook her head before heading back upstairs.

"Okay, Kalani, what do you want?"

Kalani sat down across from Melissa and tried to hide how nervous she was. "Okay, look, I understand that you're upset. Could you explain to me what you're feeling?"

"I just don't think it's right. Growing up I was always taught that women should love men and men should love women. That's it."

"I completely get that. I understand that this might be confusing you because it's a lot to take in but just hear me out, okay?"

Melissa shook her head before sitting down and crossing her arms.

"I know that you were taught certain things but that doesn't mean you can't accept other people's opinions. I get that you want Maddie to fall in love with a boy and maybe one day she will. You see, in my opinion I think people should fall in love with someone's mind and personality, not their gender or whatever they have in their pants. Maddie should fall in love with whoever makes her happy and right now that's me. Maybe it won't be me in the long run but right now it is. I know it upsets you that I'm a girl but I really do make Maddie happy and shouldn't that be all that matters? Look, you don't have to accept it but all I ask is that you look past it, put your daughters happiness first, and just be happy that she's embracing her true self. Do you get how brave she is? It takes a lot of courage for someone to accept that they're different but Maddie did it even though she knew that it would upset the person she looks up to, which is you. She knows that her reputation could go down the drain but she's doing it anyway so she can be herself. I think that her fans will look up to her knowing that against all odds, she made a statement that she's going to be herself no matter what happens. Madison is a great girl, can't you see that?"