Page 39 of A Sky Full Of Stars

“No. I don’t want this, I—”

“Lainey,” he grates. “I’m trying here, but—”

“No. I’m not going.”

With a frustrated sigh, Dad walks away, and that’s when the floodgates open with tears coating my cheeks.

“Mom, please,” I cry out but she shakes her head again. “You know I don’t want this. How is itnota punishment?”

“This was all set in motion before the stuff with Thomas.” She mouths the word Thomas and takes a step toward the room my dad walked into, pulling the door closed. “We’re not punishing you. Your dad’snotpunishing you. He’s just frustrated because he doesn’t understand your change of heart.”

“It’s not a change of heart. I’ve always wanted to stay here.”

She gives me a sympathetic smile, but it’s meaningless. “It’s a great opportunity, Lainey, and your gran is funding it all. Itwill help…” Help them. That’s what she’s thinking. It will help them. I’ll no longer be their problem.

“So that’s it?”

“You need to at least try it out. Your grandmother has already made the arrangements for you to board at the school. And if you don’t make it to Jaiton Academy after you graduate, she said she’ll help you find an apartment so you can continue to train there. She’s doing so much for this.We’vedone so much for this. But you have to leave tomorrow.”

That’s it. They’ve done so much for this. This,not me. This.

Without another word, I run toward my bedroom, crashing into Luke on his way down the stairs. He stumbles in his hungover state and takes a moment too long to notice me. “Lainey, wait?” he calls as I continue up to my room. “What’s going on?”

I don’t answer as I rush inside and slam the door before bursting into tears again. They don’t get it. Thomas aside, this has never been what I want, and they can’t expect me to just leave.

Luke knocks a few seconds later, but it doesn’t shock me. “Lainey, can I come in?”

“No.”

“Lainey, you know I’m always going to respect your space, but I can’t leave knowing you’re crying.”

“Go away.”

“Lainey,” he warns, his tone giving me the heads-up that he’s getting ready to walk in.

“Luke, I can’t.” My voice breaks and he hears it. “Please go away.”

“Open the door, Lainey,” he calls out what I’m sure is his last warning as I curl up into a ball and let more tears fall. I’m supposed to be happy. As a dancer, going to Jaiton Academyshould be my dream, and this is a big step toward that. But it feels like a punishment. No matter what they say, itisa punishment. Even if they’re punishing me for costing them too much money. “Lainey, please. You have to tell me what’s going on.”

All my life, my parents have pushed me to dance. Luke’s a star football player, and Ryan is on his way to be even better. It wasn’t an option for their little girl to be mediocre. Now I’m stuck, with no one to blame but myself. I let this happen. I never said no. I worked my ass off. I trained. I ate healthy. I happily obliged. And now the time has come and it doesn’t feel right.

Nothing about this feels right.

But that aside, the hardest part is knowing Thomas is gone, and I’ll never get to say goodbye. I can’t say goodbye; I can’t face him.

“Last chance, Lainey!”

“Go away, Luke!”

I still, and wait for the commotion of him coming through the door, but he shocks me by lowering his voice. “Lainey, I’m worried. Please. You have to talk to me.”

I don’t answer him right away, taking a few deep breaths to give me the courage to show him I’m strong. But just as I make the decision to ask him to come in, the door opens, and Dad’s standing in the doorway instead.

“I sent Luke to the store to get you some chocolate. Why don’t you want to see him?”

“Because I don’t want to tell him about Thomas.” The words are out of my mouth without thought, and when Dad repeats his name, I realize my mistake.

“Thomas?”Oh God.

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