Page 9 of Lucky 22

Like…a soccer, getting dirty while playing in the mud, notcaring one bit about my appearance, sort of thing. If my mother wanted me towear a dress, she practically had to chase me down to get it on me.

Thinking about that now, it’s really kind of cool. Imean…sometimes, people think you’re the person you’re going to be from a veryyoung age. Like if you were a girly-girl at five, you’d always be a girly-girl.Or if you enjoyed eating PB&Js as a kid, you’d always love them.

That was definitely not the case for me.

Well, except for the PB&Js. They’re still delicious.

But other than that, I have always marched to the beat of myown drum. Even if it didn’t make sense. It didn’t matter what was expected ortrendy; if it didn’t suit me at the time, I didn’t do it. Some might look at achild not doing what all the other kids are and call them odd, but I nevercared about what other people thought.

Even as a little girl, Ella Rose Holt became synonymous withunconventional.

For a while, I was obsessed with the Karate Kidmovies and would wear a karate uniform—a gi—all thetime. I even wore it for my school pictures, despite my mom desperately wantingme to wear a dress.

I was the only girl on the boys’ soccer team. In my mind, Iwanted to play, and the fact that the rest of the team was all boys didn’t stopme. I didn’t mind getting sweaty, running, or playing in the dirt. It wasexhilarating and challenging, and I loved proving to people that I could do it.I wasn’t the best player, but I worked really hard and vowed to always be agreat asset. I was driven, even at a young age.

So, besides being unconventional, I was also verydetermined.

Of course, none of that would have been possible without thebest parents in the world. They were always supportive and encouraging, andthey never did anything to deter my ambition.

There were four of us kids, and we all had differenthobbies, interests, and dreams, but my parents were always there, cheering uson. It was a strict parenting rule for them to never say no to our dreams.

However…

That didn’t mean we were all running wild with no boundariesor discipline. They were strict when they needed to be, but each had anincredible work ethic and wanted that for us, too.

So, they taught by example. But they never did the work forus.

I’ll never forget the Christmas they gave me a hat with DreamIt. Be It on it. They used that hat as a teaching tool and told me thatall my dreams were possible, but they wouldn’t just fall into my lap. I had toput in the hard work to make it happen.

That became my personal motto: Dream it. Be it.

Then, I started singing and acting in the fourth gradebecause I knew I wanted to be an actress. It was obvious to me that it was morethan a phase. It was going to happen, and I was willing to put in thework.

“Ella? Hello? Earth to Ella?” Jen says, and I realize I’vebeen in my head for a little too long.

“What? Oh, sorry,” I say with a nervous laugh. “My mindwandered for a minute.”

She sighs with a hint of drama, leaning against the closetdoorway. “Look, I get it. All the dressing-up stuff isn’t your thing.”

“I don’t mind dressing up,” I counter. “And I’m having fun thinkingabout all the possibilities. I’m just…I don’t know. I think I have a lot on mymind. Maybe I’m just not in the right frame of mind to decide on a dresstoday.”

“Um, no. I think you’re a little overwhelmed because thereare so many moving parts connected to this particular dress, that’s all. Likewe said, it’s a movie premiere and a potential blind date.” Shepauses. “Blindish? Is that a better word? I mean, we still don’t know if you’reeven going with that Christian guy. Or any guy, for that matter.”Laughing, she shakes her head. “Either way, you’re straddling the line here onwhat direction to go in with the dress, and it’s got you stumped.”

I don’t exactly love that analysis, butunfortunately, she’s right. I am stumped.

If this were just a movie premiere, I’d be fine.

If it was only a date, I’d be okay.

But combining the two?

And on top of all that, my golden birthday is comingup. I believe something special is going to happen on my actual birthday, but Istop my mind from getting ahead of itself. Is all of this connected?

Ugh, this is too much. As an actress, I prefer wheneverything is scripted. All of this feels very unscripted, and I cannot controlit. So, yeah, I’m stumped.

“Fine. Let’s just say, for argument’s sake, that I’mstumped. What am I supposed to do?”

Jen studies me, and I know she’s really thinking about it.It’s one of the things I love most about her. She listens, cares, and we haveyet to find a problem she can’t help me solve.