Dad waits for me to drop my hands. He has a gleam in his eye, like he’s happy I’ve decided to confide in him. “What’s there to be confused about, baby? It sounds to me like you like Zayne.”
He makes it sound so simple. It would be if that’s all there was to it. But there’s more, the second part of the truth that I’ve been suppressing, that I’ve been hiding in the hopes that it would simply go away with time. “Being in the play has messed up my priorities, Dad. I used to have my head on straight. I used to care about getting into a good college more than anything else in the world. And now I catch myself sometimes fantasizing aboutstupidthings.”
He frowns. “Stupid things? Like what?”
“I don’t know.” I wave my hand around in the air. “Stupid things like acting, and going to this really prestigious acting school for select high school and college students instead of going to Yale or Harvard, which isstupidand childish and irresponsible, and?—”
My dad stops me. “You want to go to acting school, Bardot?”
“No!” My voice jumps an octave. “I don’t! I mean, I know it’s just a spontaneous urge or something. I know it can’t be what I really want, deep down. Itcan’tbe.” I do my best to reassure him, because otherwise, this entire conversation will feel like a slap on the face to him. After how hard he works, after all the time he spent homeschooling me to be ahead of my grade so I’d graduate with a perfect GPA. He’s done everything he can to helpme get into an Ivy League.Anythingto help me accomplish my goal. I can’t do this to Dad. To Mom. To myself.
I can’t.
Dad smiles sadly at me—so sadly it breaks my heart. Because no matter how convincing I try to sound, I know he can see right through me.
“Honey,” he says after much too long of a silence. “I will be so proud of you if you get into Yale, or Harvard, or Brown. If yougoto an Ivy League.”
I nod. It’s the response I’m expecting, after all. So why does it hurt so bad to hear? “I know,” I say. “And I will. I’ll?—”
“I’m not finished. I will be proud of you if you go to a respectable college. Of course I will. But I will be so much prouder if you make the brave decision to do what you know, deep down will make you happy. Even if that means traditional college is out.”
I blink in confusion. I’m certain I misheard him. “What are you saying? I—I can go to Underwood Academy?”
“Do what makes you happy, Bardot. Within reason of course. This Underwood Academy is probably a respectable institution, otherwise I doubt it would even be on your radar. If acting is what you want to pursue…well, who am I to stop you? The last thing I want for you is to be stuck in a life you hate because you thought it would make your old man proud.”
I’m stunned into silence. All I can do is stare at him because I can’t believe what he just said. “You can’t mean that, Daddy. What about all the work we’ve done to get me this far?”
He shrugs and then does the unthinkable. He smiles. “An education is never a waste. And part of learning is living, Dot. What kind of father would I be if I tried to keep you from living? Tried to force you on the path I thought was best for you? Only you know what path will make you happy.”
I can’t help it. I start to tear up, and my face splits into a wide grin. I throw my arms around him and hug him. “Thank you,” I say around my smile. “Thank you, thank you, thank you!”
Beau comes out of his room. “What’s going on?” He rubs his face like he had just been sleeping.
“I’m going to acting school!” I shout and release my dad from my strangling hug.
Beau scrunches his nose. “Since when?”
“Since right now!”
He smirks. “Because of Zayne?”
“No, not because of Zayne. Because ofme!”
“Uh huh. Right.” An antagonistic smirk forms on his mouth.
“Okay. I’ve officially heard enough out of you,” I say.
Dad chuckles. “You both should get to bed. It’s getting late.”
I kiss him on the cheek. “Goodnight, Dad.” I walk down the hall to my room, wondering if Mom will feel the same way he does about my new path. She might not, which definitely worries me, but as soon as I’m face-up on my bed, I grin at the ceiling. There’s no way I can sleep. Not after everything that’s happened tonight.
Saying out loud that I want to go to acting school.
Kissing Zayne.
Dad’s approval.
Kissing Zayne!
