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The two of them exchanged glances and I raised my eyebrow.
“Nothing like what?” I asked.
“Okay...” My mother lowered her voice and looked over her shoulder before speaking. “We need to know if there any skeletons in your closet—any pictures on social media that make you look like a party girl, any ex boyfriends’ or sexual partners that you may have dealt with, or anything that would make us look like bad parents.”
“You are bad parents.”
“Stop it, Aubrey.” My father gripped my hand and squeezed it hard. “The two of us have given you everything you could’ve ever wanted growing up and all we’re asking for is a small sacrifice from you.”
“I don’t have any skeletons in my closet.” I gritted my teeth.
“Good.” My mother put on her fake smile. “Then, when you pull out of school for your senior year to help us on the trail, it won’t look suspicious. We’ve already spoken to your department chair about online classes and they are, in fact offered. For the ones that aren’t, you’ll have to show up to campus to take those, but they make special considerations for students with circumstances such as yours so—”
“No.” I cut her off. “No, thank you.”
“This isn’t up for discussion, Aubrey. This is for the benefit of—”
“Dad’s dream, right?” I tried not to lose it. “Because he’s the only person in this family who has a dream?”
“Yes,” my mother said through her smiling teeth. “We’re talking about real dreams, Aubrey. Not no-chance-in-hell and failed ones.”
“Excuse me?!” I stood up. “You want to talk about failed dreams when the two of you have failed more than anyone I know at the expense of your own daughter?” There were tears in my eyes.
“Aubrey, sit back down.” She grabbed my hand. “Let’s not make a scene.”
“Let’s!” I snatched my hand away. “Let’s discuss how I’m twenty f**king two and I’m a junior in college when I should already be a graduate! Shall we? Can you explain why that is?”
My father’s face reddened and he motioned for me to sit down, but I stood my ground.
My mother clutched her pearls. “Aubrey...We did what was best at the time, and even though switching school systems twice in two years was unfortunate, it made you who you are today. Now, the campaign won’t start until—”
“I don’t care when the hell it starts. I’m not going on a pointless campaign trail, and I’m not taking any of my classes online because guess what?” I could feel my blood boiling. “You can’t learn f**king ballet online!”
The restaurant was suddenly silent.
“You two are beyond selfish and you don’t even know it.” I shook my head. “I’m voting for the other guy.” I stormed off amidst gasps and whispers from the other tables—slightly content that my parents’ picture perfect family had been publicly scratched a bit.
“Your number, Miss?” The valet said to me as I stepped outside.
“My what?”
“Your number?” He tilted his head to the side. “For your car?”
Shit... I sighed and looked over my shoulder.
Patrons were pointing in my direction and I couldn’t bear to go back in there just because I didn’t have a ride home.
I considered calling a cab, but I knew that was pointless. It would take forever to get here, and I could probably walk back to my apartment faster than they would arrive.
There was a bus stop a mile or so down, but I only had a credit card. I doubted Andrew would come get me, but I decided to give it a try.
Subject: A Ride.
I really need a favor...
—Aubrey
Subject: Re: A Ride
