Now or Never (An Austin Mahone and Crew Love Story)

Letting Go

I cried, but the whole time I was wishing someone would follow me and tell me it would be okay. For over an hour no one came and I fell asleep. I woke up when I felt pressure on my bed like someone sat down on the side. I decided against looking to see who it was and pretended to be asleep until the rested their hand on my back. Jake.

I turned over onto my back. “What?”

“Sit up.” 

I sat up and he pulled me into a tight hug. “Dad‘s being a jerk. He won‘t read it, but I did, and it was really good. I know that if you get him to he won‘t be able to say no.”

I shook my head and pulled away. "Yes he will. He‘s Dad. He‘s not letting me go no matter what.”

Jake hugged me again. “Try.”

I sighed and took the copy of my story from his hands and ventured out to find my father. He was sitting in the living room using his laptop. Strangely enough, Kylie and Dillon were no where to be seen. “Daddy,” He looked up. “Can you please just read it? I want to hear what you think.”

He sighed. “I already told you that you don‘t have a gift for writing.”

I shoved it in his face. “Everyone else disagrees, Daddy. Give me a chance.”

He took it from me and closed his laptop. “Sit down. If I have to read this, I‘m reading it out loud.”

I looked up and saw everyone else standing in the doorway. I sat down next to my dad and winced as he began reading the words I’d written awhile ago. Beginnings are always my worst. Every now and then he’d stop and circle something on the paper. Correcting spelling mistakes and grammar. Everyone stayed stationed at the doorway between the living room and the kitchen. I eventually managed to close my eyes and just listen, like it wasn’t a story I’d written. Not to sound over confident, but I liked what I heard. 

He stopped reading out loud three quarters of the way through, but continued reading to himself. When he finally finished he slapped down the paper. There was a beat of silence before I had to ask. “Well?”

He shrugged. “Well what?”

“What‘d you think?”

“I think I fixed too many mistakes to call that publish worthy writing.”

“Daddy. They‘re only little things. I can fix them. Half of them were typos. What did you think of the story?”

He glared. “What story? There was no plot.”

Inside I could swear I heard my heart break a little bit. “But I worked so hard on it. There really is a plot.”

My father frowned. “No. Scott Riley is insane for thinking that someone would publish this garbage.”

I was beyond the ability to say anything. Jake came to my rescue. “Dad. You can‘t possibly say you didn‘t like that. It‘s amazing. Especially for someone her age. Let her go. She deserves the chance to get out and explore her options.”

My dad seemed like he was starting to get angry. “Why should I let her fly across the country to get her hopes up for nothing?”

“To give her the experience and the benefit of the doubt. It could happen, Dad. Give her a chance.”

My dad glared evilly. “Fine, but don‘t come crying to me when you‘re homesick and they‘re torturing you in Texas. This was your decision.” With that he picked up his cell phone and called Scott Riley. The plane left the next day at 9 pm. I had to bring my essentials, like my laptop, and two weeks worth of clothes to the airport. All of my other stuff was shipped out a few days after I was.