“Bobby.” My mom called his name.
“Huh?”
“Nothing in life is free, Grey. What’s in the fine print?”
Oh no.I stilled.
“I don’t understand what you mean, Dad.”
He raised his eyebrows. “You got an opportunity at a prestigious school like Columbia, but you don’t know what I mean when I asked you what’s in the fine print? Nothing in life is free.”
I shook my head. I opened my mouth to respond, but nothing came out, so I shook my head again. Looking past him, the wall clock read 6:40 AM, which meant my dad was about to go to work and it’ll be easier to leave my mother screaming, than my dad and the confused look on his face.
“Dad, I didn’t think about the fine print when I read that they were looking for teachers. It’s Columbia. You know it was my first school choice anyway.”
“What about your job now?”
“That’s already taken care of. I promise. Dad. I know it’s short notice, but this is a really good opportunity for me. It’s only six weeks—”
“Six weeks?” My dad cocked his head to the side.
“Yes. I think that I can survive in New York for six weeks on my own. I told you, it’s free room and board.”
“Hm. So, you’re not going to need any spending money or any of that?”
I shrugged my shoulders. “No. I’ll be getting a stipend.”
“So, not only are you getting a free six-week education, but they are also going to pay you.” He scratched his forehead. “Let me see the ad and application.”
My heart dropped to my ass.
“Um… let me go see if I can…”
Rushing out of the kitchen, I went into my room, trying not to have a panic attack. Grabbing my phone, I called Diesel. He answered on the first ring.
“Have you been thrown out yet?”
“This is all your fault!” I whisper-shouted. “My father is asking for the fine print and to see the ad and application. And I have nothing to show him! Why did you ask me to do this!”
“Why did you say yes?”
Moving the phone away from my ear, I tapped my forehead a couple times. I sighed and put the phone back to my ear.
“I don’t know.” I shrugged my shoulders like he could see me. “New York can be a fresh start for me. It’ll be fun, I think. I need that.”
“There you go. Start with that. I’ll be there in a few,” he ended the call before I could respond.
I steadied my breathing before returning to the kitchen. My mother was no longer in the kitchen, but my dad was in the same spot.
“Dad, I have to be honest.”
“Please.”
“There is no application or ad. It was a word-of-mouth thing.”
“That’s what you went in the room and came back with?”
“It’s the truth.”