5 Years Later

I am now 14 years old and I go to Denver City High School. I’m not the type of person that looks forward to school when my alarm goes off at 6am every morning. Every morning I enter Mr. Hall’s biology class at 8:05, usually right when the bell rings because Violet takes forever to get ready. From there I go to math and then the rest of the day seems to drag on in a blur. When the bell rings at the end of the day at 2:50 Olivia and I meet at the library and start homework until we walk home on Wednesdays and Fridays, but Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays are my favorite days. Mrs. Franklin picks us up on these days and takes us downtown to Denver City Ballet Academy. We have done this for a couple weeks now. It was a long time ago that I asked about doing ballet so I’m hoping now my parents will let me. Ever since I started classes I have been happier overall. During the time I am at ballet my parents think I’m at my cello lessons. We are in class for two hours until we go home. My parents of course ask me how my cello lessons went because they thought I was there. I respond the same way every time, I smile and nod my head then walk upstairs to my room. I have been getting away with this for about 4 weeks now without any suspicion from my family, I am hoping I can keep it up as long as possible.

It’s Thursday morning and I’m sitting at the dining room table waiting to eat breakfast with the family. Dad is doing the usual, sitting down with a cup of coffee and reading the newspaper. Mom is in the kitchen making her famous french toast listening to the radio while Violet is doing the dishes. It’s a typical morning here in the Adler household. Mom comes over to the table and brings our food. She starts talking about how there is a cello audition for me to go to to get into a summer program at Julliard for young aspiring cellist. She tells me that that the audition is in two weeks and is right here in Denver. She really wants me to do it. Dad chimes in after and says he wants me to as well...then of course Violet comes in and says I shouldn’t waste a talent like mine. I sit there speechless so I just nod my head and paste on a smile. Thankfully, it is time to go to school so I can get out of the rest of this conversation until at least tonight. I hop into Violet’s car and we leave.

I get to biology and immediately try and find Olivia. As soon as I find her I tell her what happened.
Olivia: What are you going to do Mia?! You haven’t practiced in so long!
Me: I’m not exactly sure...I just wish I could be honest with them and have them support me. I need to come up with something though, and I need to come up with it fast.
Olivia: Maybe you try and be honest? The last time you brought up ballet they shot it down but that was also five years ago, maybe they have changed their mind? Or maybe they will at least be a little more understanding?
Me: I doubt it, they never listen to what I have to say. I will try though, I don’t really see any other option...
The bell rings for class so we both go to take our seats before Mr. Hall comes in. I can’t focus on anything the rest of the day, I’m too anxious to talk to my parents tonight.

School is finally over and Mrs. Franklin picks Olivia and I up and we head into the city to go to ballet. I was super excited because I knew this would take my mind off the audition and talking to my parents. When class starts we start at barre and the music starts playing. Then we move out into center and work turns and leaps. Then after we all get into lines and learn a combination from Swan Lake which was written by George Balanchine. This is my favorite part of class. Learning new steps come naturally to me and it is something that I can pick up really quick. I love the sharp movement of the feet and legs and how everything seems to spiral together in one motion. After we do this for about an hour class comes to an end and we head home. Mrs. Franklin drops me home and I walk inside the door to the kitchen. When I get there my parents are sitting and waiting for me with a look on there face that no kid wants to see.

They tell me to sit down because they need to talk to me. This really scared me, they had never looked at me like this or acted this way towards me. I sit down like I’m told and they tell me that they had received a phone call this evening from my cello instructor. Apparently Ms. Welsh (my cello instructor) had told them that I had been missing my last couple weeks. My face turned bright red as I tried to think of something to say...no words came out.

Mom:
Mia. This is serious. Your father and I have been paying tons of money for you to be able to play the cello.

Dad:
Your mom is right. You need to tell us what is going on right now! You have always loved going to cello lessons! These past couple weeks you have been telling us that you have been taking the Metrolink into the city for your lessons.

Me:
Okay look. I haven’t been being completely honest with you guys. These past couple weeks I have been going to ballet with Olivia. I’m not sure if you remember but a couple years ago I told you guys I wanted to try ballet and you guys didn’t even listen to me before saying no. You both shot the idea of me even trying it down right away. I listened because I did not want to disrespect you guys but it was hard. A couple weeks ago when I went to watch Olivia’s ballet performance it reminded me how much I loved watching it and I decided I had has enough. I do not like the cello. I am not like Violet and I am tired of you guys treating me like I am her!

I sit there with my face red speechless. My mom looks like she is about to cry and my dad is resting his head on his hands. I run upstairs and lock myself in my room. I cried. Not because I was sad, I cried out of anger, I was tired of being treated like Violet. I was tired of being told that I should want to be like her. I was annoyed and done. I let off all my steam right then and there and had yelled at them. I did not want to know what was going to happen to me, I knew I was going to be in big trouble.

It seemed like I had been upstairs for hours before either of them came up to talk to me. My mom came upstairs and knocked on my door. I knew that telling her to leave would do me no good. She came in and saw me on the floor crying. Thank god she had stopped crying or I would have just cried more.

Mom: Mia, I want you to understand that me and your dad love you more than you could ever know. I am so sorry that we did not allow you to chase your dreams like you wanted. Your father and I had just assumed that you had loved playing the cello just as much as your sister. We should have asked you what you had thought. The last thing we would ever want you to feel is that you are not loved as much as Violet or that you feel you need to be just like her.

Me: I guess all these years I have just been really frustrated. I didn’t even want to try to explain how I felt because the last time I did was when you and dad shot me down and I guess I thought it would never change. I hated lying to you guys but I felt like it was my only choice. I wish it didn’t have to be this way.

Mom: It doesn’t anymore. I called your cello teacher and told her we were done with your lessons. You want to do ballet and I know that you are probably fantastic at it. I am going to call Olivia’s mom and thank her for all she has done for you. She has been a better mom to you than I have and I don’t know how I could ever repay her or regain your trust. I am hoping we can get a fresh start?

Me: Of course mom, I love you and can’t wait for you to see me dance. I think you will love it, it is the most beautiful art I have ever seen.

Mom: I am sure it is. Your father and I are both excited to see you.

My mom and I walk downstairs to see Violet and my dad sitting at the table eating dinner. They both get up and give me a huge hug.

Violet: Mia I had no idea you had felt this or I would have said something! I feel horrible, I am so sorry. Just be honest with me next time and I promise I will listen.

Dad: Exactly, I couldn’t agree more with what your mom and sister have said, I love you kid!

Me: I love you all too!!

The next day it wasn’t Mrs. Franklin who was taking me to ballet. It was my own parents taking me to and from. They watched and saw me and I have never seen them smile more than they did. I was finally happy. I wasn’t lying anymore and I felt free. I learned a lot through these five years. The worst thing I could have done for myself was continue to lie. Yes, the first time it didn’t quite work but I should have just kept trying. Family is always going to want what’s best for you, it may just take them a little to realize!