“Are you alright?” I asked, softly, under the commotion, and she nodded, trying to make sense of her surroundings.
“Amy!” Her father came sliding back onto the scene, almost ripping her away from my arms. He shoved a white pill into her hand, and while she looked annoyed, she swallowed it, dry.
“Dad, I’m alright. I’m alright. I was just…surprised. Ladies used to swoon all the time in the middle ages,” she tried to smile, leaning half against her father and half against a table leg. “Am I really the one you chose?”
“What’s this about?” Her father demanded, looking at me as if I was the one who caused her to faint. Which, to be fair, I guess was true.
“Our open call for a full scholarship, room and board. Lots of girls tried out, but Amy was the one who showed the most promise.”
“Is this a joke?” His eyes narrowed. “Amy may be talented, but she has never had a formal education in theater.”
“All the more reason for her to go to a formal school for theater education,” I replied, raising an eyebrow. Behind me, a few of the chefs chuckled in spite of themselves. “All of her costs will be taken care of for the time she is educated with us. We’re prepared to start her as a junior if she goes back a grade or a senior if she wants to remain here just for the remainder of her education. You are homeschooled, Amy?”
“Yes,” she nodded, still in shock.
“Then we’ll have to give you a few tests to see where you are.”
“Amy is educated properly, I promise you,” her father said, and I shrugged.
“I didn’t say she wasn’t.” I began to realize how silly it was that we were having this entire conversation on the floor. Shifting slowly, I pushed myself up, reaching a hand to Amy, who took it. I pulled her up as well, while her father used the table for support. “Now, I came in here for some lunch.” I said, trying to brush off the dramatics of the situation. “And then, after that, if you wish, you two can meet me in my office and we can discuss the particulars, if you accept.”
“I accept!” Amy blurted out, and her father gave her a sharp look. I sighed, plucking a readymade sandwich from a tray, and headed towards the door. Before I pushed it open, I looked back, attempting to make my comment seem off hand.
“Of course, the scholarship would include full medical insurance, as all our students buy into it.” I didn’t stay to hear their reaction, but continued walking down the hall. I knew that it would be the deciding factor in the end. In acting, they called it changing tactics, shifting from one point to the next, until you get what you want. And I knew I had just won.
Pulling out my phone, I sent a quick text to Porsche, who was probably going out of her mind with curiosity.
Never mind…
Immediately, it beeped:
(#$(#$(#($*[email protected]@#$!!!
Came the reply, and I laughed, as I shut the door to my office. It was good to know I could still drive her nuts across the ocean.
CHAPTER 7: AMY
I had never seen my father so angry as that afternoon. When lunch time came, he clocked me out with such a glare that I dared not argue. And then, he clocked himself out for break, took my arm, and marched me down the hall. When we found an empty classroom, he practically shoved me in and closed the door firmly behind him.
“Explain yourself, Amy. You have 10 seconds.”
“It’s exactly what Liam said. I know we’ve talked about this before, and it’s always been about money. But when I saw the line up, and heard about the scholarship…I just thought I’d try, what harm was there in that? I don’t know why he chose me, over a thousand other girls with longer resumes, but he did … and Dad, it’s a full scholarship. Everything’s covered, including the medical bills. And you’re here every single day, so if something goes wrong, you’ll be here. Heck, we’ll spend more time together now because we won’t be apart for 10 hours while you are at work. I’ll be here, right down the hall. It’s only for a year, Dad, and colleges prefer if you have a degree from a school that actually exists in the physical realm and…” I was babbling and probably very close to crying as well. Dad still hadn’t said a word to me, and when I stopped for breath, silence engulfed the room. “Please say something.”
He sighed.
“Is this what you really want, Amy?”
“Yes!” I cried, frantic. “Yes, this is what I really want, more than anything. And I promise, if I start to feel sick or anything goes wrong, I’ll tell you right away! You can come check on me every break, and we can have dinner in my dorm room, and I’ll come home every weekend, I swear….”
“Amy,” he waved his hand, looking tired. “If you really want this, then I’ll support you. You’re right, all your reasons have been right.” He looked at me with a sad smile. “How did I ever raise such a bright girl?”
I couldn’t believe my ears. “Really?” He grinned. “Really,” he said, and I flew into his arms, hugging him.
“Thank you, Dad! Thank you!”
He laughed, squeezing me tight before pulling me to face him.
“Alright, I only have forty five minutes left, so we should go speak to the Headmaster, yes?”
I nodded, letting him lead the way to the headmaster’s office.
When we got there, the secretary let us right in, clearly knowing why we were there. Liam was at his desk, feet propped up, and munching on the sandwich he had taken. When he saw us, he threw his arms up.
“Hallelujah, the missing child returns.”
“I’m sorry,” I blushed. “My cell phone was…broken.”
“And your email was written down wrong,” he said, and then shrugged, pulling his feet off the desk. “Have a seat, you two. I have the paper work right here. Any questions?” He put a large stack of papers in front of Dad, who looked daunted by them.
“…Everything is covered?” he asked, and Liam nodded, ticking things off on his fingers.
“Tuition, Room and Board, medical insurance, and spending money.”
“Spending money?” I looked up, surprised. Liam shrugged.
“Part of the tuition fees we ask for is so the students can have an allowance every week for items they may need. You’ll receive one hundred every week.”
I nearly fell off my chair. It got better and better.
“Now…Amy does have a medical condition…” Dad started. “And I trust if anything happens, I’ll be called immediately…and allowances will be made for her health?”