our heads. When we reached the main strip, my eyes started surfing the cars. "Eliana, can I help you find something?" Mom could tell I was distracted.
"No, I'm just checking out the stores," I lied. "I can't wait to see this movie; it looks really funny."
"Yeah; I love romantic comedies."
The theater was packed. Lucky for us we were early enough to grab decent seats. The movie was great and for two hours and five minutes, I didn't have Lucas on my mind. We didn't leave our seats until the credits were over because Mom wanted to know the names of some of the songs in the film.
"Where do you want to eat?" I asked when we finally left the theater.
"I want to take you to a small Mexican restaurant your dad and I used to go to."
"It's still here?" I chuckled.
"Well, we're not that old," Mom frowned.
I turned my grin into an overdramatic pouty lip. "Sorry, I didn't mean for it to come out like that."
"Don't worry about it. The restaurant is across the street from the bowling alley. We can walk over after dinner."
"Mexican sounds good."
"I love this restaurant," Mom said when she pulled into the parking lot. "Oh, the memories this place brings back. This is where your dad asked me if it was okay for him to join the military."
"Wow, he asked your permission?"
"Well, he had already asked me to marry him and he knew the decision to join the military would effect both of us, so he wanted to make sure I was okay with it."
I couldn't help but smile. I knew my dad was a great guy, but this solidified it even more.
We followed our hostess to a table and got comfortable. "So spill it," Mom said.
Her abruptness threw me off guard. "What are you talking about?"
"I want to know everything." She leaned toward me with wide eyes.
"Can we order dinner before you grill me?" I tried to postpone the inevitable. I wanted time to rehearse my answers in my head so I wouldn't stumble over my responses.
"Okay, I'm ready to order when you are." She hadn't even opened her menu.
I analyzed the menu, reading and rereading each description. Finally, I laid it down, knowing I couldn't postpone any longer. "Okay, I know what I'm having."
When our waitress arrived, Mom ordered the bean and cheese enchilada with a side of Spanish rice.
"That's so funny; we want the same thing. Like mother, like daughter."
She smiled and went back to her one track mind. "Okay, we ordered. Talk."
"There really isn't much to talk about. I've only been in school three days." I felt bad lying to her.
"Well, I know that. I want to know about the friends you've made; if there are any boys of interest; if you plan to enroll in any activities."
"Okay, okay. Here it goes. Yes, I've made a few friends. A girl named Casey—she's a junior—and we have four classes together. She's entertaining. Some of Casey's friends talk to me. I wouldn't call them my friends yet. Also, there's a guy named Lucas in study hall. He's a junior. He's kind of cute. But before you get any crazy ideas—I've decided not to date this year. We're just friends."
Mom didn't say anything.
"As far as activities, I'm putting off everything. I'm not going to dance or do gymnastics this year. I don't want to be the 'freaky' talented girl. So, there you go. That's my life in a nutshell."
Mom's eyes looked sad. "Eliana, you are so talented, you shouldn't be ashamed. You've worked too hard for too many years to put your dreams on the back burner for a whole year."
To my relief, the waitress brought our dinner and interrupted our conversation.
"Thank you," Mom said, and then returned her attention back to me. "Is there something else you're not telling me?"
I hesitated, "Well, there's this girl at school. She's pretty popular. I think she's threatened by me or something. I haven't done anything to her, but I feel like she doesn't like me."
"Honey, there will be people like that throughout your life. It doesn't matter how old you are. You shouldn't let them hold you back."
"I'm not saying that
"No, I'm just checking out the stores," I lied. "I can't wait to see this movie; it looks really funny."
"Yeah; I love romantic comedies."
The theater was packed. Lucky for us we were early enough to grab decent seats. The movie was great and for two hours and five minutes, I didn't have Lucas on my mind. We didn't leave our seats until the credits were over because Mom wanted to know the names of some of the songs in the film.
"Where do you want to eat?" I asked when we finally left the theater.
"I want to take you to a small Mexican restaurant your dad and I used to go to."
"It's still here?" I chuckled.
"Well, we're not that old," Mom frowned.
I turned my grin into an overdramatic pouty lip. "Sorry, I didn't mean for it to come out like that."
"Don't worry about it. The restaurant is across the street from the bowling alley. We can walk over after dinner."
"Mexican sounds good."
"I love this restaurant," Mom said when she pulled into the parking lot. "Oh, the memories this place brings back. This is where your dad asked me if it was okay for him to join the military."
"Wow, he asked your permission?"
"Well, he had already asked me to marry him and he knew the decision to join the military would effect both of us, so he wanted to make sure I was okay with it."
I couldn't help but smile. I knew my dad was a great guy, but this solidified it even more.
We followed our hostess to a table and got comfortable. "So spill it," Mom said.
Her abruptness threw me off guard. "What are you talking about?"
"I want to know everything." She leaned toward me with wide eyes.
"Can we order dinner before you grill me?" I tried to postpone the inevitable. I wanted time to rehearse my answers in my head so I wouldn't stumble over my responses.
"Okay, I'm ready to order when you are." She hadn't even opened her menu.
I analyzed the menu, reading and rereading each description. Finally, I laid it down, knowing I couldn't postpone any longer. "Okay, I know what I'm having."
When our waitress arrived, Mom ordered the bean and cheese enchilada with a side of Spanish rice.
"That's so funny; we want the same thing. Like mother, like daughter."
She smiled and went back to her one track mind. "Okay, we ordered. Talk."
"There really isn't much to talk about. I've only been in school three days." I felt bad lying to her.
"Well, I know that. I want to know about the friends you've made; if there are any boys of interest; if you plan to enroll in any activities."
"Okay, okay. Here it goes. Yes, I've made a few friends. A girl named Casey—she's a junior—and we have four classes together. She's entertaining. Some of Casey's friends talk to me. I wouldn't call them my friends yet. Also, there's a guy named Lucas in study hall. He's a junior. He's kind of cute. But before you get any crazy ideas—I've decided not to date this year. We're just friends."
Mom didn't say anything.
"As far as activities, I'm putting off everything. I'm not going to dance or do gymnastics this year. I don't want to be the 'freaky' talented girl. So, there you go. That's my life in a nutshell."
Mom's eyes looked sad. "Eliana, you are so talented, you shouldn't be ashamed. You've worked too hard for too many years to put your dreams on the back burner for a whole year."
To my relief, the waitress brought our dinner and interrupted our conversation.
"Thank you," Mom said, and then returned her attention back to me. "Is there something else you're not telling me?"
I hesitated, "Well, there's this girl at school. She's pretty popular. I think she's threatened by me or something. I haven't done anything to her, but I feel like she doesn't like me."
"Honey, there will be people like that throughout your life. It doesn't matter how old you are. You shouldn't let them hold you back."
"I'm not saying that
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