Chapter 1
•{SATURDAY}•
"Argh! Will you stop that PLEASE? Sarah," I yell, "Get you cat, or find it under the bushes next week!" With that, I shove the tabby into Sarah's arms as soon as she runs into our room. I don't know why she named it cookie. That thing is like a guinea pig; cute but ferocious. To explain that, I'm very allergic to guinea pigs.
Jumping up and out of the bottom bunk, I slowly shuffle across the cold wooden floor. Mom and I work hard to keep our small house, since I won't allow Sarah to do anything that could put her in potential danger, or work a job that her body couldn't handle. Meaning, there's really not much available for her in way of jobs.
"Aaron, we gotta get going in five minutes! What are you doing?" A comforting, but currently angry, voice calls from not too far away. Mom.
Uggghhhhh. "Coming Ma! Gimme a second okay?" Quickly so I don't delay mom any longer, and because I want to get this shopping trip over with, I throw on a long-sleeved red t-shirt and a pair of dark jeans, as well as converse sneakers.
"Sorry mom, I'm ready now," I tell him in a tight voice because I can't seem to get my brown hair to listen to me... gotta get a haircut soon I guess... although Sarah's going to kill me. She loves when we look more alike. I don't. I'm so close to taking a pair of choppers to my own head right now....
Mom eyes me like a big under his shoe. "Honey what are you trying to do right now?"
"You sound like you're having challenges in the bathroom," Sarah adds.
After throwing a quick glare at her from under my eyebrows, I turn to mom.
"Can you help me for a second? I can't get this to work," I cringe as I pull out what sounds like an interesting amount of hair.
His eyes widening, he skirts around the side of the dining room table to stand behind me. Since we both stand at around five-foot-four, he doesn't have to reach up much.
"How did you even...?"
"I don't know ma." My mood is pretty bad this morning, thanks to Cookie the cat. And my hair, which is too long as it reaches almost past my elbows. Gosh.
"He probably didn't brush or wash it for, like, a few weeks," Sarah cuts in.
"And who's fault is that, Ray?" That's her childhood nickname. She loves it when I call her that, but acts like she hates it. Although I'm a bit irritated with her right now... who would guess my twin Ray is almost nineteen? Certainly not me if I didn't know it was facts. "Who wouldn't leave me alone for fear I'd shave my head bald again? And just so you know ma, it hadn't been weeks. I washed it last night." Hmph.
"Hmm. You probably tangled it because you slept with it wet."
"Oh," shocker. That does make sense though... okay enough about my damn hair.
Once mom finishes a loose braid down my back, she hands me a breakfast bar, grabs her purse, and heads for the door. I go to follow her but spin around last second.
"Ray. Don't open the door for anyone you aren't sure about, and don't go outside," I stare at her intently until she roles her eyes. Whatever, I think as I follow mom, I don't care if she hates me. I won't let her be dictated by this society's stupid principles and dumb as h*** morals.
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*An hour of the city bus later, less than a minute in the clothing store...*
"Omigosh baby, try this on!!!" Moms been squealing since the moment we walked in. I don't know how he found something so fast. Well, we ARE shopping in the omega's department. While I may not be an omega or beta, I prefer beta clothes, despite looking feminine. I hate that word, by the way. I know it's wrong, but I can't help but feel like being labeled "feminine" is the same as being labeled "weak" in this day and age.
Despite my opinion, most of my clothing is shared with my sister and mother. Right now, I'm wearing one of my most manly outfits. Despite that fact, the shirt if still vaguely "pretty." It's not that I don't like pretty clothes, I just feel like they may clash with my personality somewhat. Mom and I haven't had the chance to go shopping in years, so I want this day to be for him. That's why I'm not pushing for beta male clothing today.
"What'd you find ma?" I walk over to him slowly. An over-large sweater. Dove gray, a wide neckline, and the sleeves would cover some of my hands. Actually... I really like it. Mom squeals again when he sees my small smile. Throwing it in the cart, we continue down the aisle.
Later that night, I fall into bed in a heap. I'm worn out. Mom kept us shopping all day, and now the family has a whole new wardrobe. We just need to take care of them this time, since ma and I need nice clothes for our jobs. Moms a waitress. I always hated that he had to do a job like that. Even though he graduated college with a psychology major... nobody accepted his secondary omega gender, so he was downgraded to a job not far from minimum wage.
The company I'm about to work for -as a scrapeboy pretty much- is the all-powerful Searan Company. They research all secondary genders. And they set the standards as to what the purpose was of omegas and Betas and alphas. They made omegas seem like objects for sex. They made Betas seem dull and boring. And they made alphas seem like geniuses of the future.
They ruined my family, something I will never forgive. It's only fair that I make money off of them. They'll be providing for omegas, the very ones they ostracized.
And I start bringing coffee to employees tomorrow. At 7 o'clock in the morning.