(Chapter 26)
*Alyssa's POV*
I sipped my Starbucks hazelnut latte as I sorted through my shelf of this year's test papers. You must be like: Total cliché, nerd being organised blah blah. But in reality, I hadn't cleaned my shelf in years AND I was definitely not a neat freak. Never been and Never will be. So, next question: Why are you cleaning your cupboard after years of not doing it? Simple answer: I was collecting all my amazing test results to show my parents once they came back from work. Tip 1 to convincing parents to let you go to Venice in the middle of a school year: Show them all your marks (only the good ones)
"Yeesh! Definitely not this! I can't believe I got so bad in this test!" I remarked aloud as I held my biology paper with a 80 marked on it. Once I had the best of my tests in a pile, not meaning to brag but it was huge, I shoved all the other papers at the back of the cupboard and shut it. Yeah, definitely not a neat freak. I heard a car's engine and quickly scrambled to the window, peeping out. My mother's car pulled in the driveway, followed by my father's sleek white car. I glanced at the clock: 10:15pm. Wow, they were early today!
**
"So you see, I'm doing splendid this year mom! Just thought you guys should know, so I put all my test papers together to show you." I crossed my fingers behind my back as my tired and exhausted parents shuffled through my test papers. Tip 2, ask them to go to Venice when they're extremely tired out and too tired to put up a fight. My dad tried to look interested in my papers as his eyes wandered to the TV. "That's great honey. Look, I'm really tired, I should head to bed after a meal okay?" My mom said and put down my paper. Wow, they only looked at the first three out of the whole thing. DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW LONG THIS TOOK ME, PARENTS? I nodded understandingly, though I didn't. Why? Why couldn't they take a few minutes to appreciate me? They never had time for me, they never took me out to eat. Never watched a movie with me. Every other teenager would cringe at the thought of being seen in a mall by their peers with their parents. But not me, I would jump up and down like a high puppy.
"Mom, Dad. My friend, Adrian. You remember the guy who, um, bumped into us in the car accident?" I began with a deep breath after chanting a silent prayer. Tip 3: Talk about a friend your parents know and hopefully like. Preferably not a friend who nearly killed you. "Oh right, that boy." My father nodded. "So, he got me tickets. To go to Venice" I quickly said before I could chicken out. Immediately, my parents sat forward, alert, all signs of weariness gone. "Venice?" my father asked in disbelief and I nodded. "To leave San Fransisco on 28th and come back on 1st of April" I faltered when I saw my mother's face harden. "In the middle of the school year Alyssa Payton, what are you thinking!?" My mother cried furiously and I flinched. "Mum, please, I've been doing well. And I just want this one thing. I promise I'll make up for it, Sydney will send me all the stuff we did in class. PLEASE can I go?" I begged desperately. "No" My father said firmly. "Please, Please, Please! This is the only thing I've asked for!" I pleaded. "What about the car? We gave you that. Besides, we saw how responsible you were with the keys. And definitely no, going only with some rash boy" My mother shook her head and stood up, indicating that the conversation was over. "I would have at least considered it, if it was in your summer holidays. But when I say no, I mean no, Alyssa" My father said sternly and left to his room. "Mum, please! I really want to go. And look at it, I have free tickets! Adrian bought it and he's booking the hotel. It's a once in a lifetime. Mum, can you please just do this one thing for me? Please?" I pushed hot tears down. "N.O. No." My mother spelled and then left after my father.
I collapsed on the sofa, tears streaming down my face, sending my test papers scattering all over the place. How could they not see how badly I needed this trip? I've been studying so hard ever since Venice died, desperate for at least half of their attention only to get barely a quarter. And after all this, I wasn't going to Venice. This was worse than any freaking nightmare, worse than having Adrian leave for some slut.
So much for those tips. But, I never said they'd work anyway. At least not on MY parents.
A/N
Yesss, the disappointment though.
Do you want me to do longer chapters or shorter ones? Or stick to the length like this one?
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Thanks for all the reads, sorry if I took time to post, just have so MANY tests ugh!
Media as Vanessa Hudgens
XOXO