20

 

I blinked my heavy eyelids and made out the time on my alarm clock. 8:17 AM. I rolled over and covered my head with the comforter. I did not want to get up and face this day. Today was the day. It all came down to this: My recital with my future hanging in the balance and homecoming—which I was totally going to miss, and I guess I deserved that. I did jeopardize things with my recital and withheld information about Luke and everything. Still, I had learned from my mistakes.

I wondered if my parents realized this. Did they really not want me to be a normal teenager and attend things like homecoming when asked by a very cute and wonderful guy? Not that he wanted anything to do with me anymore.

All that seemed inconsequential when compared to Luke’s situation. I didn’t realize it at the time, but when Luke had said he appreciated me as a friend, he really meant it. And he hadn’t said it to Dion or Mike. No, he said it to me, and then I treated him like a doormat. Yep, I wiped my dirty, muddy feet all over him.

I wondered how he was doing after last night. Maybe I should send him a text. I set my feet over the side of my bed and unplugged my cell phone. I didn’t have any text messages. I set it back down and sighed. It was probably too early to bother him.

Thank the Lord, by this afternoon, it would be over…until the next time. Getting into the performing arts school would only increase the pressure. It’s a good school, and when I was a freshman, I would have given anything to get in there. Why was I so reluctant now? It wasn’t just Luke and the rest of my friends. I suppose I’d found my niche at Aubrey. Moving to another school was scary. It was just one more thing to be afraid of. Why was I such a wimp?

I looked at the cell phone once more and decided to send Luke a text, after all. It was the least I could do. Thinking of you. Hope all’s well at home.

I left it at that and opened my prayer journal.

 

Lord, it’s Day 5 of the Challenge. I think I started this task to see what You could do for me, Lord, which was totally wrong. This was a week of embarrassment and self-assessment. I’ve learned I am selfish and completely self-absorbed, which is why I turn everything into melodrama. You’ve also taught me I need to look outside of myself and to the needs of others. I’m starting to think that the whole reason You had me start this challenge was just that: to be a good friend and learn to think about others first.

I realize I usually come to You because I want something. Today it isn’t about me. It’s about Luke. He’s having such a hard time, and I don’t know what to do for him. All I can do is pray. So today I lift up my friend Luke to You, Lord. I know You are in charge and can work in this situation. Help his parents and their difficulties. You desire for families to stay together, but we don’t always listen to You or follow Your will. In Your mighty wisdom, I know that You are in control. All of this has made me meditate over my own life. I know I’ve made some mistakes lately and I’m sure I’ll make more, but help me think of You in every choice I make and every word I say and every action I take. Thank You, Lord, for all You’ve given me. Help me be the friend Luke needs.

Nugget of Truth: Proverbs 7:2-3 Keep my commandments and you will live; guard my teaching as the apple of your eye; bind them on your fingers; write them on the tablet of your heart.

Before I took my shower, my phone beeped and with it my heart rate increased.

Could it really be Luke replying? Thanks. That was all he wrote.

I waited another minute just in case there would be more, but there wasn’t. Still, it was a good ‘thanks’. I could tell it wasn’t a sarcastic ‘thanks’ like Stephanie might throw at me with a toss of her hair.

No, he meant it.

And for some reason I felt so much better about everything.

 

~*~

 

“Guess who’s here?”

I turned around from where I sat in the front row with the other performers at Kelton Auditorium.

“Amy, if you plan on sitting here for the whole performance, you have to be quiet.” I started to twist back around when she grabbed my chin and turned it so I had to look at the rear of the auditorium. “He’s here. He came. Can you believe it?” She let go of my chin.

I continued to stare at the sight of Luke at the very back of the room.

Amy’s words echoed inside my head: He’s Here! He Came! “Why is he here, do you think?”

“Duh, why do you think he’s here? Have you really become that dense, Andi?” She leaned in closer to me and whispered, “He’s here for you.”

“He can’t be. He hates me.”

“He loves you.” She giggled her answer.

“He doesn’t love me. He’s still upset with me.”

“Believe what you want, but if a boy drove an hour away to hear me play, I’d give it a second thought.”

Luke started coming down the aisle toward me. He looked really good, dressed in a dark grey shirt and khaki pants with his hair brushed perfectly into place. And then I saw in his hands he held a single white rose.

Tears crept into my throat, but I couldn’t cry. No one would understand why I’d turned into such a baby lately—least of all Luke. But he was here. I’d treated him terribly and he was here to support me. My heart pounded, and I realized maybe I did love Luke Ryan. I’d spent two months getting to know him and becoming his friend. And then this week, we’d let that friendship grow a little deeper and blossom into something more. He’d let me see his heart, and I ended up hurting him. But I would make recompense. I wasn’t sure how, but I would prove to him—to everyone—that I was worthy of him and that I cared for him deeply.

And maybe one day he’d forgive me.

I met him at the end of the aisle, away from Amy’s prying ears. “Hi,” I said hoping to tone down my excitement.

“Hi,” he answered back with a slight smile. It wasn’t a pained smile like he’d given me last night. In fact, I really believed that I might get one of his heart-stopping, gorgeous smiles out of him if I tried.

“I, uh, didn’t know what to wear.” He touched his shirt and glanced down to his pants before returning his gaze to mine. “I’ve never been to a piano recital until today.”

“You look great. I mean you’re fine…what you’re wearing is fine.” I was such an idiot, but Luke smiled at me again—a little bit bigger this time.

“You look nice yourself…I mean, beautiful.”

Had he just called me beautiful? If it had come from any other guy, I would have told him he was full of it, but with Luke it was different. I had a feeling he wasn’t a guy who threw compliments away.

“Thanks.” I knew I had to be blushing like two blooming roses because my face felt so hot. “It’s a new dress. My mom made it. She’s a whiz with the sewing machine.”

“Well, you look great in it. Oh, this is for you.” He handed me the rose, decorated in our favorite superhero’s colors.

I fingered the attached ribbons. “Red, white and blue, huh?”

“In honor of our mutual admiration.” He smiled. “Well, I’m sure you have to get back. I just wanted to say I hope it goes great for you.”

“Thank you, Luke.” I reached out and took his hand. “I mean it, really. Now come on and sit with Amy. She’s driving me crazy, and I already have huge butterflies.” I led him over to the row behind mine, and then returned to my seat. I glanced at my parents on the opposite side, three rows back. My mother caught my eye, and she gave an encouraging nod.

I turned back to face forward. This was it. Succeed or fail—today I’d do my best.

 

~*~

 

It was over! Finally! And I felt so free, as if I could finally breathe. Maybe I’d been holding my breath for the last week or longer preparing for this day. Whatever. It was over and now I had some things to sort out.

First, I had to find Mom and Dad, and then I had to talk to Luke.

My parents met me in the vestibule looking very happy—especially my dad. He must have spoken to Mrs. Leeds, my piano teacher.

Please tell me he heard good things, I prayed silently.

Mom gave me hug, followed by Dad. “You were terrific, honey,” Mom said. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you so focused in my life.”

I wanted to burst out laughing because not only had my mother used that dreaded word, but she thought I’d actually been focused when I’d probably been the least focused ever. It might have looked that way because maybe I’d gotten carried away knowing Luke sat in the audience watching me. Or maybe in my heart I was determined to prove to those school reps that I was worthwhile. Whatever it was, I’d played my heart out.

“I just spoke with Mrs. Leeds,” my dad began. I’d never seen him looking so pleased. “The school representatives loved you. No official word yet, but we should hear something later today.”

My heart thumped. How could it be? Was I really good enough? Could this be Your plan for my future, Lord? This was good news, right? Yes, it was good news. I pressed a hand to my stomach. Excitement twirled within, tempered with an amount of nervousness. “Dad, I’m glad. I mean that’s exciting. Thanks for pushing me to live up to my potential.”

Isn’t that what parents always want for their kids?

“I knew you could do it.”

“We both did.” Mom leaned over and gave me a kiss on the cheek.

I inhaled a breath and prepared to speak. “I know I’ve been a complete nightmare to you guys this week.”

“No, honey,” Mom tried to disagree.

“I have. Listen, I just want to say that I’m sorry.” I clutched the white rose in my hand (thankfully the thorns had been removed) and braced for my little speech. “Honestly, I think I was just scared. I didn’t know if I even wanted to get into this school and change everything. You know me. I’m such a homebody and like everything to stay the same. But, I realized that this was a good thing. If I get in, it’s going to be hard and an adjustment, but I think it’ll be worth it.”

“That’s good to hear, Andi,” said my dad. He gave me a smile, a glint of pride in his eyes.

“Having said that, I, uh, I know that piano is something special. It will always be a part of my life in one way or the other, but I think there are times when I need to be a normal teenager, too. Not like I’m planning to go wild and crazy. But maybe there might be a…”

“Something like homecoming,” my mother supplied.

“Yeah, something like that. Maybe. Sometime.” I smiled hopefully at them both.

“We’ve been talking, your mother and I.” Dad looked at Mom, and then back to me. “Going to homecoming might not be the worst thing in the world.”

“Really?”

He nodded, and I couldn’t believe it.

“You made some mistakes this week, and I’m sorry you didn’t think you could come to us. I always want you to feel comfortable enough to tell to us anything.” He laid an arm around my shoulders. “Maybe it’s time to reestablish some new house rules.”

“You are getting older,” my mother spoke up.

“We’ll talk about it more when we get home,” said Dad.

I was in the midst of trying to recover from this new side to my parents when Amy approached us with Luke at her side.

I introduced my parents to Luke, and he acted very polite with them, exactly like the kind of boy you would want to introduce to your parents.

They talked for a moment about his mother and how she’s working for Regal Realty. Then my dad picked up that Luke played baseball, and they talked for like five minutes about some World Series back in 1986 before Luke was even born. Luke should watch out or soon they’d be talking golf and setting up tee times.

“Luke,” my mom addressed him. “Please, make sure and come by the house whenever you like. Andrea really needs the Geometry help.”

“It’s really me who needs the help,” Luke informed her.

Mom laughed, and then she and Dad left the three of us alone.

Amy followed them not two minutes later.

That left me alone with Luke and totally unsure of how to bring up homecoming. I mean, what were the odds of him asking again? Probably nil. I was still trying to get over the shock that he’d shown up at the recital and that he was even speaking to me again. What could I do to make things go back to normal? Of course, who’s to say what was normal anymore?

“You played great, Andrea. I mean it. You have a special gift, and I completely understand why your parents have been so hard-core on you.”

“Thanks, but don’t tell them that.” I leaned a little closer and gave him a teasing smile before standing straight again.

“I bet Julliard comes calling soon.”

“We’ll see.” I sort of rolled my eyes.

“I don’t doubt you’ll achieve what you set your mind to.” He smiled. “Well, I better jet.” He pulled me into a hug.

I mean, I was completely encompassed in his embrace. My heart started to pound.

Then he placed a light kiss on my cheek and pulled back. “Bye, Andrea.”

“Bye, Luke.”

Then he walked away.

I felt crushed.

He hadn’t even broached the subject of homecoming. But really why would he? I told him I couldn’t go. He’d been angry, but I guess he forgave me anyway and decided to just be friends.

But I didn’t want to just be friends with Luke. I should have stopped him and told him everything, but I didn’t. Like the idiot that I am, I let him get away.

I guess like the old baseball saying goes: three strikes and you’re out.