Not The Same (sequel to "Abby Ultimate Dance Competition: Season of Love")

Chapter 21

I walked in to find mom and Kyle at the table laughing over their dinner. I couldn't help but feel a tad jealous that he got all of her attention today, but if Kyle always felt like that, I could manage for one day. Dad followed in behind me, but ran upstairs to his office. Mom noticed me standing in the doorway to the kitchen, and she waved me over to sit down. I sat in my usual seat as mom stood up to make me a plate. "How was rehearsal? Daddy told me he went with you, did he run up to the office?" She asked as she kissed the top of my sweaty head.

"Yeah he's upstairs," I sighed, "Maybe though, you can convince him to not join me at rehearsal? It's nothing personal, he just kept wanting to get involved, and tried to get Ricky to cut out a move that I was struggling with, and we did lifts, and it wasn't my best night, but he kept like grumbling and grunting every time I started to tip or fall. It was extra distracting."  Mom gave me a sympathetic smile and poured some chicken and yellow rice onto a plate for me. She placed it in front of me and sat back down.

"You know he only does that because he cares. It's not easy to watch your kid plummet to the floor."

"Why does everyone think I was plummeting? I barley hit the ground, Zack kept catching me!" I groaned as I shoveled some rice into my mouth. 

"Well, I'll try to talk to him. So, rough day?" 

"Actually," My smile quickly came back to me, "It ended on a really great note, wait." I grabbed my phone from my bag and showed her the video Ricky sent me of me dancing. Mom looked so proud watching it, I could see tiny tears swelling in her eyes. Kyle sighed and rolled his eyes, and I stuck my tongue out at him. 

"Oh, I absolutely loved that dance. One of my all time favorites. Oh, I wish I had been there to see it!" She beamed and handed the phone back to me. Kyle got up and cleared his plate, then stormed out of the kitchen. Mom sighed, mouthed sorry to me, and followed him out. "Kyle, sweetie, come back."

So dramatic. He had her all day long, and the first five minutes I have with her, he storms off. I finished my meal alone, in silence, listening to mom and Kyle laugh upstairs. I cleared my plate and grabbed Rufus's leash. "Wanna go for a walk, boy? Maybe your friend Sully will be out there! And maybe my friend too!" I laughed to myself, and looked around, and felt ridiculous talking to myself. "Oh, Rufus. This is sad. Okay, I'm making it worse, let's go." 

It was getting colder, but in Florida, cold is a warm spring in New York. I stood in the driveway, waiting for Rufus to take the initial pee, but he was stalling. I guided him to start walking about the block, and as I turned the corner I bumped into Zack and Sully. "Hey, you." My mood instantly raised and he smiled and grabbed my free hand. 

"Hi pretty girl, where are we walking?" He turned us around to continue the walk around the block.

"You don't have to walk with me, if you have stuff to do." I said, feeling guilty knowing he was at the end of his walk.

"Don't be crazy. I'd rather be out here with you, than in there with our stats homework. What's going on with you? You don't usually actually walk him this late." He questioned, knowing something was wrong.

"Nothing really, it's dumb." I tried to shrug it off and he nudged me. "I had such a long day, from being up early for classes, to dress searching, to what felt like the longest rehearsal ever, to coming home and the first five minutes I have with my mom, Kyle got pissed off and stormed off. Which obviously meant that mom had to follow him out, and now they're upstairs laughing and having the time of their life, and I ate dinner alone in silence. I just miss my mom I guess, I don't know." Zack softly laughed and I looked up at him. "What? What's so funny?"