After talking for an hour on random topics, we decided to go back to
the studio. But when we got there and tried to rehearse he seemed distant,
like he didn't want to be there anymore. He made little improvement so I
decided to let him go home early.
"Same time tomorrow?" he asked as we packed up.
"Maybe an hour earlier since we left early today." I said, go on ask him, you know you want to.
Craig had started to leave then, "Craig?" I yelled. I had no idea what to say, I just couldn't let him leave looking so depressed.
"Yes?" he said turning around.
"I'm sorry you don't get your romantic proposal, everyone should and you deserve one, I just thought you should know that."
He smiled, not knowing what to say. There was a look in his eyes that said he was touched. But it was so faint I didn't realize it until I thought about it later. Then I thought he thought I was like that annoying little kid at family reunions that follows their favorite cousin around telling them what they've been doing for the past year. I hated that kid, and I was one of them. He turned around to leave and then he turned and said, "Do you need a ride home?"
"You wouldn't mind?" I was so relieved, I hated riding the bus. People smelled like rotten cheese and I still had to walk an extra block.
"No, come on. I'll buy you dinner before we get to your house."
He took me to a pizza place close to my school. We talked for hours and, without realizing it, it was 2am. and closing time. So we went to the park and talked for a little longer until we realized it was 4am, and if we wanted to sleep before rehearsal, we'd better leave. I got home and was almost to my bedroom when, "Jennifer!" screamed my dad from the living room.
"Yes?" I yelled back down.
"Come here now!"
I slowly stumbled down the stairs when I finally couldn't stall any longer. When I got into the living room I saw my dad pacing back and forth.
"What were you thinking when you stayed out 7 hours past what you said you would without calling?"
"Can I explain?"
"You better." He shouted back after finally taking a seat.
"We left practice early and Craig gave me a ride home. He wanted to get me something to eat so we went the pizza place by my school. We talked for a really long time and when we checked to see what time it was closing time so we went to the park and talked for a while and the realized it was 4am. I'm sorry dad, I know I should have called, but I didn't think of it until it was too late." Wow, that is a lot to say with one breathe. But it is amazing how you can achieve to save energy when you are exhausted. But what shocked me more was my dad's response. He didn't stalk off, or ground me. He started to cry.
"Don't you ever do that again." He said after a while of just staring. "While you were off having fun, your mother and I were at home sick to our stomachs worried that you were kidnapped or worse. We called the cops. They said they would do the best they could, but they weren't promising anything. Do you know how that feels? If you ever stay out that late without calling again, you will not participate in the dance competition, no matter how good you get." With that he left, and that's when I noticed the living room. The phone was laying on the table face up nest to my mom's handkerchief which was covered in eye makeup and mascara. My mom's favorite chair was sitting facing the phone and there was a clear walk way were I could tell my dad had been pacing. Just then mom came rushing in wrapped her arms around me. We stood there crying for what seemed like forever, then she pulled me back and looked me over.
"Promise me you'll never do that again" she said through tears.
"You have my word"
"Good now go to bed if you want to make your rehearsal. I need to clean up in here"
"I'll help mom"
"No, you go to bed."
I didn't sleep very well, who would, but when I woke up I did feel better. Nevertheless as soon as I walked into the kitchen I had wished I had gone another way. My mom was giving my dad a back massage and dad was sitting there with a look of fear, anger, and relief all at once, which, to tell you the truth, is worse then all anger.
"If you don't get home by 9 tonight, you can either leave our house or forget the competition." He said as I walked past.
Mom just stared at the floor which was a clear sign that she did not agree with dad but didn't wan t to contradict him.
When I finally got to the studio, Craig was waiting.
"Were have you been I was starting to get worried." He said, but his tone sounded so funny. Like he had actually worried like mom and dad did the night before.
"My parents weren't too happy with my coming in so late last night so I was a little tied up."
"Oh, I am so sorry. It's my fault, I should have just taken you home. I just love talking to you." I think I was as surprised as he was with what he said.
"No it was my choice, but thank you."
That rehearsal went really well. I remember him starting to really enjoy himself, and when I gave him pointers he didn't look at me like I was speaking Monkey. He still was having trouble with a lot of the parts so we were scheduled to meet the next day.
"Same time tomorrow?" he asked as we packed up.
"Maybe an hour earlier since we left early today." I said, go on ask him, you know you want to.
Craig had started to leave then, "Craig?" I yelled. I had no idea what to say, I just couldn't let him leave looking so depressed.
"Yes?" he said turning around.
"I'm sorry you don't get your romantic proposal, everyone should and you deserve one, I just thought you should know that."
He smiled, not knowing what to say. There was a look in his eyes that said he was touched. But it was so faint I didn't realize it until I thought about it later. Then I thought he thought I was like that annoying little kid at family reunions that follows their favorite cousin around telling them what they've been doing for the past year. I hated that kid, and I was one of them. He turned around to leave and then he turned and said, "Do you need a ride home?"
"You wouldn't mind?" I was so relieved, I hated riding the bus. People smelled like rotten cheese and I still had to walk an extra block.
"No, come on. I'll buy you dinner before we get to your house."
He took me to a pizza place close to my school. We talked for hours and, without realizing it, it was 2am. and closing time. So we went to the park and talked for a little longer until we realized it was 4am, and if we wanted to sleep before rehearsal, we'd better leave. I got home and was almost to my bedroom when, "Jennifer!" screamed my dad from the living room.
"Yes?" I yelled back down.
"Come here now!"
I slowly stumbled down the stairs when I finally couldn't stall any longer. When I got into the living room I saw my dad pacing back and forth.
"What were you thinking when you stayed out 7 hours past what you said you would without calling?"
"Can I explain?"
"You better." He shouted back after finally taking a seat.
"We left practice early and Craig gave me a ride home. He wanted to get me something to eat so we went the pizza place by my school. We talked for a really long time and when we checked to see what time it was closing time so we went to the park and talked for a while and the realized it was 4am. I'm sorry dad, I know I should have called, but I didn't think of it until it was too late." Wow, that is a lot to say with one breathe. But it is amazing how you can achieve to save energy when you are exhausted. But what shocked me more was my dad's response. He didn't stalk off, or ground me. He started to cry.
"Don't you ever do that again." He said after a while of just staring. "While you were off having fun, your mother and I were at home sick to our stomachs worried that you were kidnapped or worse. We called the cops. They said they would do the best they could, but they weren't promising anything. Do you know how that feels? If you ever stay out that late without calling again, you will not participate in the dance competition, no matter how good you get." With that he left, and that's when I noticed the living room. The phone was laying on the table face up nest to my mom's handkerchief which was covered in eye makeup and mascara. My mom's favorite chair was sitting facing the phone and there was a clear walk way were I could tell my dad had been pacing. Just then mom came rushing in wrapped her arms around me. We stood there crying for what seemed like forever, then she pulled me back and looked me over.
"Promise me you'll never do that again" she said through tears.
"You have my word"
"Good now go to bed if you want to make your rehearsal. I need to clean up in here"
"I'll help mom"
"No, you go to bed."
I didn't sleep very well, who would, but when I woke up I did feel better. Nevertheless as soon as I walked into the kitchen I had wished I had gone another way. My mom was giving my dad a back massage and dad was sitting there with a look of fear, anger, and relief all at once, which, to tell you the truth, is worse then all anger.
"If you don't get home by 9 tonight, you can either leave our house or forget the competition." He said as I walked past.
Mom just stared at the floor which was a clear sign that she did not agree with dad but didn't wan t to contradict him.
When I finally got to the studio, Craig was waiting.
"Were have you been I was starting to get worried." He said, but his tone sounded so funny. Like he had actually worried like mom and dad did the night before.
"My parents weren't too happy with my coming in so late last night so I was a little tied up."
"Oh, I am so sorry. It's my fault, I should have just taken you home. I just love talking to you." I think I was as surprised as he was with what he said.
"No it was my choice, but thank you."
That rehearsal went really well. I remember him starting to really enjoy himself, and when I gave him pointers he didn't look at me like I was speaking Monkey. He still was having trouble with a lot of the parts so we were scheduled to meet the next day.