The Summer that Changed Everything (Complete)

Chapter 28 - Dad's Advice

After the curtain closed the audience went wild. The entire cast lined up and the curtains opened again and the whole cast took a bow and Lynn saw that the audience was on their feet giving them a standing ovation. 

The director came out from the side and took a bow and then he turned and said, "Penelope and Matt. Come up here and take a bow." 

Brady took Lynn's hand and led her to the front center of the stage and the rest of the cast backed up as they took a bow and the audience cheered and screamed like crazy. 

Finally they walked back and the curtains closed again and Brady pulled her into a hug. 

"I'm so proud of you," he said, looking down into her eyes. "When I met you, you were so shy you could barely talk to a stranger and now you just did an Oscar worthy performance in front of a whole auditorium full of people." 

"Thank you Brady. It's all because of you. My life completely changed when you moved in across the street. I couldn't have done any of this without you," she said with a smile. 

Just then her brother Wes ran up and gave her the biggest hug and her Mom and Dad were right behind telling her how proud they were. 

She saw Brady's Dad, brother and sister heading towards him and they gave him a hug too and told him he did amazing. 

"You're riding home with us. We want to take you out to celebrate!" her Mom said with a big smile. 

"Ok. Just let me tell Brady. I need to change and get my stuff out of his car and then I'll meet you outside." 

They said ok and headed out. 

The next thing she knew Kate ran up and gave her the biggest bear hug. 

"Oh my gosh! You were SO amazing! I'm so proud of you!" she said, squeezing her tight. "I thought I was the theater person in our friendship but you're way better than me! Just promise you won't forget us little people when you become famous," she laughed. 

Brady walked over to them and said, "I knew the first time I heard her singing in her bedroom through the window that the world needed to hear her voice. It's incredible. I'm just glad I'm really fast at putting a tent together or none of this would've happened." 

"And I'm glad you offered to audition with me because you're extremely talented too mister," she said with a smile and he looked at her with his blue eyes and her stomach fluttered. 

"Thank you. What are best friends for right?" he asked with a smile. 

"Right, what are best friends for?" she repeated and the words best friends made her feel like her heart was tearing open. She didn't want to be his best friend any more. She wanted so much more. She was so in love with him that she felt like she would explode. 

"Umm. I need to get my stuff out of your car because my family wants to take me out to celebrate." 

"Okay. I'll get changed and meet you out by my car," he said, pulling her in for another hug and kissing the side of her head before walking away towards the dressing room. 

"Best friends ........ right," Kate said sarcastically. "I don't know any best friends that kiss each other like that. Those kisses were so hot I felt embarrassed watching." 

Lynn's face blushed. "Yeah. His kisses are pretty amazing," she smiled, shyly. 

Kate gasped. "Oh my gosh! You've fallen for him!" she whispered. 

Lynn's eyes bugged out when she realized she had given it away. 

"Kate ........ please don't say anything to anyone. I don't want him to know I'm in love with him. I don't want to lose him as my best friend and scare him away because he doesn't feel the same way about me."