We Were So Young and Invincible

How are you supposed to react when your parents tell you that they’re no your real parents? Because my reaction was a mix of confusion, hurt and anger. So I ran straight out the house. Which brings us to where I am right now: at the park.

It was almost fall, but the cool yet humid breeze reminded me that it’s still summer. I sat on the swing and kicked off, swinging back and forth, back and forth.

Who are my real parents? Why am I not with them? Did they not want me? Questions flooded my mind. I kept on swinging higher and higher. I thought about all the birthdays, holidays and vacations. All of my memories were complete lies. I felt so betrayed. I was as high as I could go. As I swung back, my auburn hair whipped across my face.

What’s going to happen now? I can’t go back and pretend they didn’t say anything. My phone began to buzz, signalling that someone was calling me.

“Hello?” I answered.

“Cassie? Baby, please come home. It’s late, I’m worried” said my ‘mom’.

I rolled my eyes, “Why should you care? You’re not even my mother?” I replied, blinking back angry tears.

“Cassie,” she said softly, “come home and we’ll explain everything. So please come home”.

“What more is there to explain?” I scoffed.

“Cassandra-Mae, if you don’t come home this second I will personally com and get you” said my ‘father’.

“You know, how do I even know if that’s my real name? For all I know I could be an Emma or a Victoria!” I said sarcastically.

He sighed, “No, your real name is Cassandra-Mae. Now please, “He said desperately, “come home”.

“Fine, “I decided, “But you have to answer all my questions” I said.

“I’m fine with that, now – “

“Yeah, yeah. See you in ten”.

I jumped off the swing and it creaked as it swung back. I made my way across the grass field. Usually from the park home, it took five minutes, but I decided to take it slow so I had time to think about what I was going to as them. I mean they totally deserved to wait an extra few minutes for totally pretending to be my parents for the past fifteen years.

When I got onto my street it was dark, except for a few streetlights here and there. I stood in front of a house and took it all in. The dark pointed roof that always leaked during a big storm, the faded red bricks, the dark window panes, the old door that had a few dents in it from being slammed. The place I grew up in.

I walked up to the door and was about to open it when it swung open.

“Uhh…hi” I said lamely.

“Quick, get in” said my father with his eyes darting in every direction looking behind me before he shut the door.

“Jesus, chill. I got home alive” I said holding my hands up.

“She’s waiting in the living room” said my father gesturing to a room towards the left.

My father sat beside my mother and looked at me. I stared back. How could I have not realized it sooner? I look nothing like them.

“Cassie? You said you had questions?” said mother.

“Yeah, do you know my parents?” I asked, breathing out slowly.

“Yes, we do” answered my father.

I held my breath, “Are they still alive?”
They looked at each other before replying, “they’re still alive, but there’s something you should know…”

“What? There’s more?” I scoffed.

First they tell me they’re not my parents and now there’s more? Can’t they wait a few days for me to soak everything in?

“You see… your parents aren’t exactly normal…” said my father with a troubled expression.

“What do you mean? Are they sick? Crazy? What’s wrong with them?”

“Umm… well…Cathy help me out” said my father desperately looking at my mother.

“Well, baby… Your parents, they’re wizards” said my mom calmly.

“They’re what?” I said baffled.

“Wizards, Cassie. They’re wizards” repeated my father.

They looked at me with so much concern in their eyes. As if they couldn’t imagine what I was going through. And I? I started to laugh.

With tears in my eyes I laughed and laughed. Tears for both amusement and pain; pain for the fact that this is a cruel joke, amusement for them thinking I would actually believe that my parents were wizards.

“You expect me to believe that my parents are wizards?” I said dragging out the word wizards.

“Well we didn’t expect anything. It’s a tough thing to soak in. you just have to believe us” said my father.

“You want me to believe that my parents are broomstick flying, cauldron bubbling, frog hexing wizards?” I asked sarcastically.

“Well, though they do do that stuff, they’re pretty normal people despite what your father said” said my mother.
“Can you even call him that? Can you even call yourself my mother still?” I said with narrowed eyes.

“Cassie, we’re not your biological parents, yes. But we still love you. Always have and always will” said my mother.