Atletic, healthy but right now, quiet normal

Olivia Sanders walks between her two best friends. School is over and it's a nice, sunny day. Perfect for skipping the bus and walk home. Well, at least for an over average fit girl close to her 18th year of life it is perfect. Olivia has the body of a model and the fitness of an olympic athlete. Nobody in school knows how this is even possible, since Olivia was able to eat fast food and sweets without gaining any wight. She was asked to join several sport teams and the cheerleading squads of all schools she ever attended. And she indeed took part in very much great sport activties sincew elementary school. For her, walking the five kilometers home is just a warmup.

For her two friends, it is sometimes quiet difficult to keep up with her. Laura and Jay, two very normal teens, sometimes have difficultsies to understand why a top girl like Olivia prefers to spend time with them, instead of attending the most fance parties with the rich and popular students. If somebody would ask Olivia describe each of them in one word per person, it would likely be wirlwind and nerd.

Laura is a girl who looks like she is a walking shugar shock. Her hair is colored blue with silver stripes, she is always talking and moving fast and her clothes are a squeaky-colored mix of sportswear and everyday wear that might have looked cute on a small child but mostly came off as childish or embarrassing on a 17-year-old. Laura could only dream of model folders like those of her best friend. While she wasn't fat, she had to follow Olivia to the gym regularly to keep it that way. There are rumors that Laura has a private feud with the head cheerleader and queen bee of the school, but as far as Olivia knows, the bitch considers everyone inferior to her and enjoys bulling everyone who not bows to her or strive for her affection.

Jay on the other hand is a nice and very smart guy, but partly socially restricted. He is always fascinated by robots and magic. Jays smartness is indeed remakable, since he got a full sholarship for his entire studies, but he spends his saturday evenings with a bunch ot other nerds in a basement playing dungeons and dragons. And the first time Olivia accompanies him to one of these meetings, some of his friends saw a girl the first time in their life that was not their mother or sister. But Olivia still likes him very much and her presence keeps the top bitches at bay so they can't use the smart but unpopular boy for their homework and school projects, which unfortunately happened very often in the past. Jay was also the only one of the group who was of legal age. His birthday party was nice but very small and a kiss from his only two female friends was probably the highlight of his relationship life so far. Sadly Jay is a very popular victim of both male and female bullies, because he is weak, smart and has no friends who could protect him, except of Olivia

However, both of them are your childhood friends and you like them so much more than some stupid rich whore who would invite you to fancy parties but double crosses you behind your back. Right now, Laura tries to talk you into hosting a small party for your birthday, because in two days you finally turn 18.

“And … and you are finally allowed to drink hard stuff,” Laura tries it with another argument, “come on, that should be celebrated. You can drink your first brandy. Jay, come support me! You would like to have a drink with her from time to time. Maybe you get her drunk enough for some fun.”

“I … well, that's not the kind of relationship I would recommend,” Jay mumbles a little shy, “and … I hardly drink anything. I'm not even sure how much I can take.”

“Just give it up, Laura,” you say amused, “you know my mother, she will not allow anything beyond cake and silly board games. And she still pays the whole rent.”

“Then … then come to me,” Laura begs, “my mother likes you. She will make you a surprise. She will do it anyway and if you refuse, she will be sad.”

“For the sake of peace, fine,” you finally give in, “I will ask if can spent Saturday with you. Jay, you are invited too of course. And maybe we even get one or two other friends. But we will keep it simple. No big party with loud music, no hard and no naked guys! I don't want to make your mom my enemy.”

“I can promise the first two things,” Laura says grinning, “don't worry, we will keep the hard parties to our club nights.”

You nod silent. Laura is not entirely wrong. Your mother is a little difficult when it comes to you going out, and other things she considers as sins. You always consider her strangely conservative and overly religious, especially for today. You never had a problem with people believing in god or regularly visiting the church, but you mother has some moments that border on fanaticism.

She drags you to church every Sunday and wants to pray every evening with you. She also controls your contact, religious lessons in school and forbids any or gambling, including most video games. When you were between six and ten, she you to spend every summer in a boring bible camp and even volunteered you to work as camp counselor last year. You never understood why she is so obsessed with making you a bible-believing wallflower. And she always gets panic when you consider religion or churches as bullshit. Years ago you made a deal. It gives you more freedom and you come to the Sunday service voluntarily.

She is your mother and you love her, but it is not easy with her. Especially since all your classmates know about her behavior. Well, in the end you mostly just don't tell her about your sins or free time in general. And speaking about her, you just arrived at your home. Laura lives just one street away and Jay normally has a shorter way, but follows you every time the last five minutes. You are not sure if he does this out of friendliness or because this way he can watch yours and Laura's ass when he walks behind you.

“Ok, guys, we will discuss this tomorrow in the great break,” you finally say and hug Laura for goodbye, “Jay, I would really appreciate it, if I can call you when I get problems with math again. Parabola calculations are really not my forte. And my grades should stay above average.”

“You know, I have always time for you,” Jay promises and gets a hug too, “if you need help, we could meet some time and I give you some tutoring. But … you really don't need it. You are much smarter than most people.”

“Your flirting is terrible but this makes you cute,” Laura says mocking and grins, “see you tomorrow.”

Smiling you enter the building and head to the third floor. Your mothers apartment has hardly changed since the day Zulakal fucked you into her belly. Of course you don't know this. Except your mother nobody knows who your father is and she never talks about him. You assume he was some asshole who left her as soon as she was pregnant with you and she just hates him. The only two things different are that the former office room is now your room and that there are three catholic crosses on the walls. one on your door, one in the kitchen and one on a wall in the living room next to some photos of you, your mother and your grandparents.

“Mom, I'm back,” you call her and put your backpack on the kitchen table. And only a second later, Jasmine Sanders leaves the living room and

“Honey, welcome back,” your mother says calm but sounds slightly worried, “where have you been? I thought you would come back an hour earlier. How was school?”

“I thought it is such a sunny day, I should use the opportunity and walk home” you answer and take a bottle of cold water out of the fridge, “I have sent you a WhatsApp message, but … you seem to not have checked your mobile phone. Strange. I would check it first when I miss my daughter.”

“Well, I was busy working and already thought this might be the reason,” you mother replies and shrugs her shoulders, “listen, dear, I had a talk with the local priest during my lunch break. And … he would like to meet us.”

“What wants the old guy this time?” you ask as unimpressed as imaginable, “is there another community festival he needs cake and kids entertainment? Or did the catholic church finally decided to allow woman to be priests? Just a joke, they will never see more in woman than unpaid dishwashers.”

“Please don't speak about him like this!” you mother says calm but warning, “you'll be of legal age on Saturday. this is a special occasion. and he has offered us to have a private little mass just in your honor. This is a unique opportunity and a great honor. a special mass with holy water and incense to bless your way into the future.”

“Now you are the one joking” you ask and raise one of your eye brows, “why the hell should I spend my birthday in a dusty church with an old pontiff splashing some normal water over my face and act like it is something special. Laura already invited me over to her. She and her mother seem to have something planned.”

“What?” your mother asks shocked, “dear, this is serious. It is a wonderful chance to repent of your sins and earn the Lord's forgiveness. You just have to stay on the path of the almighty and you will be spared a lot of terrible consequences.”

“Well, if the almighty god has a problem with my attitude, he can tell me directly,” you say and laugh, “until then I have a lot a homework to do. And please mom, forget this idea with the private mass. That's just a waste of time and money.”

“Why are you saying this,” your mother asks and sounds sad, “the lord cares for all of his children. Even for you. I'm absolutely sure he will care for you if you would let him. Please don't deny his blessing. If not for him, then for yourself. And for the people around you.”

“Mom, seriously,” you say and sigh, “god just plays a minor roll in my life. I belief in math, physic and chemistry. And I belief, my teachers in all three lessons get quiet upset when I can't present them some correct homework tomorrow. Why is this even so important for you?”

“I … I just don't want you to get in trouble with things we mortals can't understand,” your mother says and shakes her head sad, “I better go back to work. If you need me, just call. But please think about this. This is a great chance for you. I'm just scared about you.”

You nod and begin to solve some math exercises. To your luck, you get along without asking Jay for help. The strange private mass is soon forgotten. It is not the first strange idea your mother had in the last time. And most of her strange ideas you deny. In most cases she is sad and rarely even upset. But you hope she understands your point as well. Church is just not for young woman.

The rest of the day goes by very calm. You cook dinner for mother and yourself. And while doing the dishes she once again tries to talk you into the idea of the birthday ceremony. But it is useless again. Obviously thoughtfully, your mother goes to bed early. You spend some time with watching TV before going to bed too. And tomorrow your day starts like every day in the last 18 years. Little did you know, that it was the last normal night in your life.