Page 38 of A Sky Full Of Stars

My Lainey.

I reach out to touch her when a door slams, startling me awake again, snapping me out of my drunken fantasy.

I rush to throw on some clothes, but I’m so uncoordinated that it seems like an impossible task.I’ve drunk before, but Jesus, this is the worst I’ve ever been.

When I finally get downstairs, Mom’s at the kitchen counter and Dad’s pacing the room. The second they see me, Mom gasps. “You’re home?”

I squint at the brightness shining through the windows and answer her with a grunt. “Of course I’m home.”Where did they think I was?I’m about to give her another smart-ass response until I see her face clearly and sober up.She’s crying.

“What’s happened?” I say as panic settles in my chest.

Mom rubs her eyes before shaking her head. “Summer’s gone,” she says, an emptiness to her tone.

“What do you mean, Summer’s gone?”

My eyes bounce around the room as if it will somehow hold all the answers I need, but I stop when Mom whispers, “She took all her things and moved out.”

Chapter Fifteen

Lainey

The second I walk into the kitchen for breakfast Sunday morning, Mom rushes over, handing me a piece of paper, a giddy expression in place. Dad hovers in the background, but his expression gives nothing away.

It takes me a moment to process the weird vibe in the room, but when I glance down at the paper, I gasp.

Congratulations. You’ve been accepted to New York International Ballet School.

New. York.

What? How?“I don’t understand? I didn’t audition.”

“Your gran sent them the audition tape we originally sent to San Francisco Ballet School,” Mom says, while Dad stays quiet. “Since they’re international, they accept digital auditions.”

Again, what?“But I didn’t audition.”

“I know.” Mom smiles. “But they don’t know that. For all intents and purposes, that was an official audition. It met all the requirements, and you’ve been accepted.”

Jesus.

“When does it start? Is it a summer thing? Or after I graduate?” I’m certain it’s neither of those things, but I hold out hope that I’m wrong.

“It’s a high school,” Mom states plainly. “And since you’ve already missed the first week of the semester—”

“I’ll start next year?”That’s a relief.

“No,” Dad finally speaks, his stern voice silencing me. “You need to leave tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow?” I squeak out.That can’t be right.“But I have a life here and—”

“It’s a great opportunity, Lainey,” he cuts me off, a warmth to his tone that I wasn’t expecting. “This is what you’ve always wanted.”

No, it’s not.I turn to Mom to catch her subtly shaking her head, and I lose it. “No. No. No. You can’t. No, please don’t.”

“Sweetie…”

“No. Dad, I thought you said Mom explained the kiss. It’s not what you think.”

“This isn’t a punishment, Lainey. You’ve been working toward this since you were a toddler.”

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