I watch my mother making dinner as I sit at the table. I was reading my contract. Ron has given it to me to read and sign it. I will be giving it back to him tomorrow. I would have signed it at his office already, but he seems to realize that my father would want to look into it too. And boy, he is not wrong about that. I know if I signed it already he would have called Ron to tell him to fire me again. Maybe this way it is better, well I hope so. The contract looks really good.

"Hey, how was work?"

I look up and see dad giving mom a kiss, they smile at each other and whispering a bit. Dad sees me sitting at the table and smiles. I give him a little smile back. He sees the contract and starts to frown.

"Dad…"
"What do you have there, pumpkin?"

He came closer and I give him the contract.

"This is a contract."
"Yes, my contract, I got the job."
"I told you that I don't want you to work this summer, we're going to Kellerman's."
"Well…"

He sits down and looks at my face. I see his stern expression, but his soft eyes. I inhale deeply as I try to not let my annoyed expression show. I think about Johnny, and about my future, I think I need to do this. This is the only way for me to grow up, be an adult, and have a future.

"Baby."

Oh god, his stern tone when I do not reply immediately.

"I'll be at Kellerman's."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, this job, my boss always needs to be at Kellerman's for three weeks during summer, for lessons and workshops."
"And you need to go with him?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
"Because I'm his assistant."
"No."

I watch him laying the contract down and stands up. It is useless to get even angry, but his disapproval is not going to stop me from doing this job.

"Dad, this is a great opportunity for me."
"Why?"
"Because I'll be getting some work experience, I can see if I like this industry, and…"

Dad is pacing when listening to me, but he stops to look at me. I see him holding his hand up, making me stop talking.

"What industry, Baby?"
"Dancing, ballroom team."
"Dancing?"

I watch him trying not to laugh at that. I stand up and take the contract. I watch his face and he sees my angry expression. I am done with this, I am going to do this job, if he likes it or not.

"Yes, and I don't care what you think of it. This job gives me great opportunities."
"Like what?"
"Like that I can organize the conventions the company has every year."

I see his eyebrows going up, and did I see a glint of interest in his eyes?

"And that I'm going a few times a year to other parts in the country for assisting my boss. I will see a bit of the world, it will open doors for me to see what I really want to do in my life."
"What about Mt. Holyoke?"
"Dad, I have two months to decide if I want to keep doing this job or go to Mt. Holyoke, or another college."

With a deep sigh, he went to sit down at the table. I keep watching him, and sit down again. He looks at the contract while he thinks.

"Dad, I know you think I don't have to work, that I should marry a millionaire and be a stay-at-home mom, but yet you still want me to go to college. If I would become a stay-at-home mom, then I don't have to study, do I? Think about it, I want to make something of my life, I don't want to become a stay-at-home mom, be a millionaire's wife, having his kids while he lays on top of his secretaries."

I see him looking at me as if I am crazy.

"You wish these things happening to me, dad? Don't you want me to make something of my life, something not only I can be proud of, but you can be proud of too?"

I look at the contract again, he watches me and let out a deep breath. He takes the contract and starts to read it. I wait as I watch him.

"It does earn some good money for being an assistant, you think there's a reason behind that?"
"No, maybe because I'll be organizing those conventions too, but does it matter how much I earn?"
"This is a lot to take in."

I wonder why, Lisa is going to college too, she wants to become a hairdresser in a beauty salon, or have her own salon. I do not see dad stopping her from pursuing her dream either, though I know she will marry a millionaire one day, because that is how Lisa is.

Wait, maybe that is exactly why dad does not bother himself about her. She will fulfill that wish, because being rich and acting rich is in her nature, but it is not in mine. I am opposite from Lisa, is that why dad is pressuring me so much?

"Please, let me do this, dad. I really want to do this."

I watch him as he takes a deep breath and gives me the contract back.

"All right, but on one condition."
"And that is?"
"That you spent some time with us at Kellerman's, that you're not working all the time, okay?"
"Of course, no problem."

He looks at me as I take my pen and sign the contract with a smile. I cannot help it, he is giving me approval, and that is all I wanted for once in my life.

"So, how is your boss like?"

I look at him and see the curiosity.

"You'll meet him at Kellerman's."
"You don't want to tell me?"
"I do, but I don't really know him yet, so I really can't make a picture of who he really is."
"I see, but you can tell me how he looks like, and his name."
"Well, true, his name is Johnny Castle, he's the leader of the ballroom department, he dances himself, and he teaches too."
"I've heard that name before."
"Really? Because I don't know him at all."
"I'll get back to you when I know from where I've heard that name."

I stand up and I see him looking at my face, I am smiling, and I see him starting to smile too. I guess he can see the happiness on my face. I lean in to give him a kiss on his cheek.

"Thanks, dad."

I went inside the huge building, wearing a bright smile on my face. It is my first workday after all, and I am excited about it. I went to the reception desk and see Amanda doing her fake nails. She looks up at my smiling face and see her making a face of disgust and rolling her eyes.

"You know if Ron is already here?"
"You never call the big boss by his first name."
"Hmm, really? He told me otherwise yesterday."
"You shouldn't take that serious, believe me, I work here for years, and I actually deserve to have your job. I work so hard."

I watch her letting out a sigh while the phone went off, she looks at her nails and I watch her to see if she is going to pick up the phone. Then she looks up at me.

"What?"
"Well, first, you haven't answered my question, and second, aren't you going to answer the phone?"
"I never do before lunch. If I'm going to tell you where the big boss is, can I tell you something too?"
"Sure, go ahead."

I fold my arms. I know she is going to make a stupid comment about my looks, or my clothes, or anything else related to me. Do not worry, reader, I am used to these things. Amanda stands up and looks at me up and down.

"What the hell are you wearing?"

Johnny came inside on that moment and sees me standing at the reception desk. He checks me out and smiles. Amanda sees him, and I see her attitude change, totally flirty, and I start to frown.

"Are you flirting with me?"

She looks at me and scoffs, rolling her eyes.

"No."
"So, are you going to answer my question or not?"
"She won't, Amanda is useless."

I turn and see my boss standing there, sunglasses on, he has his leather jacket thrown over one shoulder.

"Hey, stud."

Johnny does not look at her. I watch him, and I can see he does not really like the flirty Amanda. I wonder what is going on.

"What did you want to ask?"
"Oh, I wanted to know if your father is in the building, I need to give him my contract."
"I can give it to him as well."
"Hmm, let me think about that first."

He scoffs a little and I fold my arms.

"Aren't you going to take those off, you're inside."
"Nope."
"You've got a hangover, don't you?"
"I don't know what you mean, stop asking so much questions, and start working."
"Yes, boss."

I turn to make my way to the elevator when I see Ron stand in the doorway to his office. I see his smile and I get curious, but I take this opportunity to go to him and take my contract out of my purse. He smiles at me as I hand it out to him.

"Good job to decide not to give this to my son."
"I could sense already that he would forget about it."

Ron looks at me and then at his son, who is looking at me as well while Amanda tries to get his attention. Ron looks back at me.

"My son is a little entitled, he even feels too entitled to go to college, but I must admit he's really good at dancing. He has a wall around him. I know there's another side to my son, he hasn't always been like this."

I look at Johnny while I listen to his father, then I look back at him, he keeps smiling.

"Thanks, Frances, for accepting the job. I know it won't be easy, my son isn't easy at all, but I think you can break him a little."

Johnny came closer and his father went back inside his office, closing the door. I turn to see that he has taken his sunglasses off, he has a black eye.

"What did you do?"
"Nothing much, it was a little teasing with friends."
"You know I'm not buying that, right?"

He looks at my face, I turn and went to the elevator, he looks after me and puts the sunglasses back up. When the doors open, I step inside and turn. I see him still standing there, smiling, now that is what I am talking about. I do not think it is really appropriate to say this, but damn he is hot and sexy. I give him a smile and I see him biting his lip a little. I roll my eyes, and lay my hand on the censor.

"You're going to stand there, or are you going to take the stairs?"
"Oh."

He quickly came to the elevator and steps inside. I take my hand away and the doors closes. I can see Amanda making little eyes. Penny came inside and sees Amanda staring at the elevator doors.

"You look like you've seen a ghost."
"Oh, hey, Pen."
"It's Penny for you, Amanda, only Johnny calls me Pen, okay?"
"Sorry!"

Penny rolls her eyes and walks to the stairs.