Sorry for not updating! Here's ch 10 and feel free at the end to leave suggestions!

Ch. 10

"That boy was very nice." Dad said, that night when I returned from my date.

"Very." Mom echoed." And polite too."

We all looked at Mel, waiting for her to give a compliment." Eh, he was alright." She shrugged.

"How about you Jamie?" Mel said." Do you like Wanda's boyfriend?"

I blushed at the boyfriend part. We weren't even dating. Or were we?

"That boy looked like a hooligan!" Jamie exclaimed and Mel burst into laughter, all the food in her mouth spraying everywhere.

"Ew Mel say it but don't spray it!" I cried.

This was dinner at the Stryder's house. When I came home, everyone was having dinner and I joined them though it was a bit late. Mel was sure to give me a We'll-talk-about-this-later look.

"So...What did you two do?" Mom asked nonchantely but the look in her eyes said otherwise.

"Oh nothing much," I said downplaying everything." He took me out to a movie and then afterward we walked around." I looked down at my shoes and let my hair fall forward and cover my face so they couldn't see it burning, and detect the lie.

"That's nice." My dad nodded and took a sip of water, obviously falling for my act.

Mom nodded too, but Mel just narrowed her eyes and stared at me for a long time until I began to squirm under her gaze.

"So I suspect he asked you to homecoming?" Mom questioned with mild curiosity.

"Homecoming?" I had totally forgot about that. I never went to homecoming so it never caught my attention. I probably wasn't going this year.

Unlike me, Melanie squealed." Oh of course he's going to ask her mom." She said it so matter-of-factly like it wasn't up for debate." I'm gonna go too."

"With that boy?" Father asked in a disapproving tone.

Mel rolled her eyes." That boy's name is Jared and yes I am going with him."

"Honey why don't you go out with someone more…...Studious." Mom asked.

"Because Jared is the love of my life."

"Why not your Physics partner, Wes?" Mom pressed.

"Ew mom that disgusting!" Mel complained." And besides, he's going out with Lily. Everyone knows that."

"Or that nice boy what's his name, Aaron?"

"Mom he's going out with Sharon."

"Brandt?"

"Maggie."

"Kyle?"

"Sunny."

"Well…."

"Mom just give it up! I'm going with Jared and there's no way you can make me change my mind."

"Well okay if that's what you want." Mom reluctantly laid off.

"I'm not going to homecoming." I announced.

"What?" Mel said.

"I'm not going to homecoming." I repeated sure of myself.

"Why not?" Mel demanded.

"Because I don't want to. I could be using that time to study, or-"

"Are you crazy?!" Mel cried." You're going to miss homecoming, cause you want to study?! Are you listening to yourself right now?"

Well when she put it that way, it sounded pretty stupid. But I didn't need to go to homecoming. Besides, Ian hadn't asked me and it's next week.

"I don't need to go Mel."

"Uh yes you do it's like mandatory." Mel objected.

"No it's not. I didn't go last year. Or the year before that. Or the year before that."

"Ok ok I get your point but that still doesn't let you off the hook."

I rolled my eyes. My parents just watched the debate like a tennis match. Neither of them said anything.

"I'm going to start on homework now." I stood up and headed upstairs.

"Okay honey, just don't forget to practice the piano!" Mom called after me.

I waved my hand as a sign that I heard heard her and entered my room. I didn't actually have homework. I already finished it. I just needed to get away from my family.

"Wanda Sunny's on the phone." Jamie screamed.

I scrambled down the stairs and yanked the phone from him.

"Thanks Jamie!"

" Sunny?" I said into the receiver.

"Wanda?"

"Ya it's me."

"Oh okay great," Sunny responded in a worried tone." I wanted to know if you were going to homecoming."

"I'm not planning on going." I responded

"Good. So does that mean were on?"

Oh I almost forgot about it. Every year, since Sunny and I don't go to homecoming, we have a sleepover at her house, watching movies and eating popcorn.

"Yep."

"Is Mel coming too?"

I laughed." Nope, she's going with Jared."

"Well that's her loss."

I shrugged." She seemed like she was making the best decision ever. Are you still going to the mall?"

"If I don't, then who will save you from Mel and Sarah?"

I giggled."True."

"I gotta go now but I'll text you later." Sunny said.

Something in Sunny's voice threw me off. She sounded….worried? Afraid?

"Sunny, is everything okay?" I pressed gently.

You could hear Sunny slowly exhale, trying to calm herself down.

"Everything's fine." She softly said, her voice cracking.

"You're lying." I responded automatically." You're lying to your bestest friend in the whole entire world. You know how crummy I feel right now?"

Sunny chuckled." Sorry. I'm just…..going through something right now."

"You can tell me." I persisted.

"Well do you know David? From our English Class?"

"Ya." I'd noticed David a few times. He was fairly cute, and always nice to me and Sunny.

"Well he asked me to go to homecoming with him."

"Sunny that's great!"

"No it's not!" Sunny cried." Because I'm dating Kyle remember?"

"So? You can still date Kyle and go to the dance with David." It didn't seem that hard to me.

"I can't! I promised Kyle while he's away I wouldn't date any other guys."

Kyle was in the navy and he was called away about 6 months ago. He and Sunny were very close.

"Sunny don't think of it as dating," I reassured her." More like… A friendly get together."

Sunny moaned." Each time I think about it, I feel so guilty," She complained.

"Well don't feel that way," I said trying to cheer her up." You're young, you can't feel depressed about issues like this."

"You're right." Optimistic Sunny was back." I just won't go."

What?! Sunny's going to throw away a wonderful oppurtunity!

"Sunny you can't! You have to go!"

"No I don't have to. Besides," She continued." If I go, then who will you hang out with?"

"Don't worry about me, think about yourself!" I said.

"Wanda get off the phone I want to talk to Jared!" Mel shouted.

"I have to go Sunny but we are not finished with this conversation."

Sunny sighed." Okay Wanda."

"See you tomorrow."

"See ya."

I hung up the phone feeling determined to help Sunny. After all, she helps me all the time. Why not return the favor?

I headed downstairs to practice the piano. My parents went out and Jamie was playing with his friends. Mel was chattering with Jared on the phone.

I took out some sheet music and picked the music box dancer. After a couple of scales I started playing. I played in silence for the next half hour.

"Wanda?" Mel called out.

"What?" I called back.

"Could you come up here?"

Sighing, I walked up the stairs and into my room.

"What's this?"

Mel stood holding my shoebox full of the Julliard pamphlets. Crap.

"What are you doing snooping in my room?" I asked, annoyed.

"I went up here to help you pick an outfit for tomorrow, and I went under your bed and found this. What is it?"

I let out a small groan." Those are Julliard pamphlets." I explained.

"Obviously. Why are you hiding them under your bed?"

"So mom and dad won't see them."

"And why is that?"

"Cause I don't want them to know that Mr. Dover gave me them."

"Why?"

"Because then they'll make me audition and I don't want to."

"Why don't you want to audition?"

I but my lip and stiffened. I already told Ian and I didn't want another person to know.

"It's nothing." I muttered.

"Wanda don't tell me it's nothing. You must have a good reason of why you don't want to audition to one of the most prestigious art schools in the world."

"It's none of your business alright?" I snapped.

"It is too my business, and if you don't tell me then I'll give these to mom and dad." Mel replied.

I moaned and fell onto my bed.

"Well?"

" I don't want to audition because if I think I'm good and then I audition and they turn me down then my whole life crumbled right before my eyes and then I will most likely die of depression. Basically, I don't want to audition but then get rejected because I'm not good enough. I'd rather save myself the pain right now."

"Wanda you and I both know that's not gonna happen." Mel said, wrapping her arms around me.

"You're gonna go and audition and then do so well they'll be begging you to join them."

I laughed." Fat chance."

"Don't doubt it. It just takes time."

"Hm."

"I suggest you show these to mom and dad and get their opinion."

I shook my head really fast." No way they're gonna be all over me even more."

"Not true."

"Uh yes you don't know how much they already pester me."

"Well I can imagine. Anyway, you better hide that box cause they're going to be here soon."

I smiled." Thanks Mel for not telling anyone."

"Anytime. Now you better pick an outfit for tomorrow."

I saluted her." Yes General Stryder!"

I have no idea what to do in the next chapter so feel free to leave suggestions! Review!