Page 157 of The Failed Audition

The nerves return.

“Act normal,” I say to Nikolai.This’ll be fine. Don’t sweat it.The closest I’ve come to this moment was introducing my homecoming date to my parents. I was sixteen. Not living with him, of course. This is a different caliber.

Nikolai stares down at me. “As opposed to all the times I act abnormal.”

Right. No, wait, notright.“You pierced my…”

“Thora!” My mom exclaims, throwing her hands in the air to hug me. That was a close call. She squeezes me tightly, my dad nearby with a proud smile.

“Pierced what?” Tanner asks.Or not.

My thirteen-year-old brother is taller than me. It’s not right. He has his hands in his jeans, sizing up Nikolai.

“I pierced her friend’s ear,” Nikolai lies easily.

Tanner looks impressed. “Really?”

“It’s easy if you have a piercing needle.”

“Huh,” he says.

I’m in a death-grip with my mom, frozen at the string of lies.No one thinks they’re lies but you.Right. I release my mom so she can breathe and then gently hug my dad.

“I’m proud of you, Thora,” he says again. He tells me that almost every day now. Even though I achieved this position with my boyfriend’s help—they see it as a true success. I didn’t think they would, but their joy—it’s everything to me.

Don’t cry.

I’ve been doing well so far. “Thank you. And thanks for coming.” I hug Tanner next.

And he whispers, “Your boyfriend is a fucking beast.” He has an f-bomb problem.

“He’s not that tall.”

Tanner steps back from me and gives me a weird look. “Did Vegas make you stupid?”

“Hey,” my dad cuts in.

“Just saying,” Tanner says, raising his hands. “I’d still live here…even if it rots a couple brain cells.” He nods his head, fixated on amucholder cocktail waitress at the casino bar.

“I’m sure,” I say. Now for the hard part. “Mom, Dad…this is Nikolai.” I gesture between the three of them. My two worlds are colliding again. This time, it’s a much smoother fusion.

Nikolai shakes my father’s hand, both amicable.

“Thanks for looking after my daughter,” my dad says.

“She did well on her own.” He looks down at me, his lips rising.

My mom is full-blown smiling. “How long have you two been together?”

“Almost seven months,” he answers.

Seven months.It went by quickly but in the same breath, I feel like I’ve spent years with him. Maybe because we shared every day together training.

“Seven months?” She smiles more, if that’s even possible. “Wow.”

I say, “It’s been wow.” I end up grimacing. What even was that?It’s been wow.That’s not how you describe a relationship. “I mean…you know what I mean.”Stop while you’re ahead, Thora.

“Well, you have a show to get to,” my dad begins. “We just wanted to wish you good luck. And we’ll see you after?”

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