DDD 17
” C’mon Deloise, you know how much I hate suspense. Can you please talk to us?” Amanda inquired, scared by the silent treatment.
” Loise, I’m getting scared, what’s going on?” Anna spoke softly, her tone riddled with concern. ” I might need to call your mom if you don’t get speaking.”
That elicited a reaction from Deloise.
” Don’t call her!” She blurted, with her eyes wide, ” I just needed a moment.”
The two ladies sported a knowing smirk and drew closer to her.
” Okay?” Amanda urged,
” Swear to me that whatever I say doesn’t leave this room.” Deloise said, looking between them. ” I meant that.” She added after seeing their reluctance.
” That’s ridiculous.” Anna began, ” you should-”
” I swear!” Amanda said, eliciting a smile from Deloise. Anna sported an eyeroll.
” Whatever. We don’t have all day.”
Deloise suddenly felt nauseous. She couldn’t understand why she felt so nervous.
” IgotanofferfromRoyalArtsAcademy, ” she blurted in one breath.
The girls didn’t hear a thing. Or so she thought.Content from NôvelDr(a)ma.Org.
” Wait a minute. How exactly did you get an offer from the biggest creative school on the continent?” Amanda demanded with wide eyes.
” You heard that? I thought I heard wrongly.” Anna’s eyes fixated on Deloise. ” What’s this offer about?”
” Full scholarship and other benefits.” She explained, ” I can’t even tell mom about it, she’ll freak out! You know how that ended the last time.” Deloise held her head. It was all too much, ” I feel there’s something there, but I can’t even explore it.” She added sadly.
” Then do it without her approval,” Amanda said, so casually you’d think she spoke about the weather.
” Uh- no, you shouldn’t. Amanda, what are you saying?” The reasonable Anna showed up, shocked at her friend’s suggestion. ” Don’t listen to her, Dee. It won’t end well. Your mom will never consent to it, it’s best you focus on what you have here.”
” You don’t need it though,” Amanda mumbled to the annoyance of Anna. ” You just need money from your mom, which she already supplies via your school fees. Convert that and you can move to New York and fulfill your dreams!”
” I do not like where this is going.” Anna sounded stressed. ” Stop putting foolish ideas in her head, this isn’t a joke!” She scolded, ” Deloise, you always do the right thing, don’t let anyone take that away from you.”
Amanda scoffed, but didn’t speak. She felt her message had been delivered. Anna’s phone rang and a beautiful smile grew in her face.
” It’s the boy toy,” Amanda said in a sing-song voice, successfully knocking the smile off Anna’s face. Deloise hit her by the ribs, gesturing that she cut it out but it was too late for that.
” You know what, Amanda?” Anna was aggravated, ” that boy-toy has a name – Liam! Maybe if you could find someone that could stand you for five minutes, you wouldn’t be here, spewing crap.”
” Babes, it ain’t that serious. ” Amanda retorted, picking offense.
” What did you say? Anna was ready to pounce.
” Hey hey hey, you guys should calm down. I called y’all for support and now you’re making me go through this?” Deloise asked with a hurt tone, successfully diffusing the situation.
” That was a joke Ann, take it.” Amanda let out a sigh, ” I’m sorry if it threw you off or rubbed off the wrong way.” She added.
” I’m sorry too. I shouldn’t have said the five minutes stuff. ” Ann replied, apologetically. ” I have to go,” she announced, typing on her phone, then looking at Deloise, ” Do the right thing, okay?” She said she left.
After some moments of silence, Amanda finally spoke, drawing Deloise’s attention with her seriousness. ” I’ve never said this before Dee,” she began, ” but I just need to tell you, so you don’t make the same mistakes I did.”
” Whatever you decide, make sure it’s the best for you and no one else. Take the risk and if it doesn’t work out, you’ll rest easy knowing you did the best you could.” Amanda’s words shocked Deloise. ” The worst feeling is regret. And I don’t want that for you.”
Deloise was stunned at her friend’s advice. She never pictured her as one capable of making such serious and reflective comments. ” Thank you..” she said, and felt an unfamiliar feeling of freedom.
” Great!” Amanda said in a much brighter tone, ” there’s a party tonight, and I need to get ready. Catch you later!” She smiled and picked up her things, ” You’re a star, everyone knows that, I just hope you do.”
With that, Amanda walked out the door. Leaving her a lot to think about.
******
Ms Esther was busy in the kitchen when her phone rang. A smile came on her face at the sight of her daughter’s name displayed.
” Baby, how are you doing?” She asked, in her best of moods.
” I’m fine mom, just missing you that’s all,” Deloise was sweet and docile.
” I miss you too hunny, can’t wait for the semester to be over. The house’s not the same without you. ” She said, and rapidly turned the batter, aiming to finish it quickly.
” Are you in the kitchen? Is that cake I hear coming?” Deloise asked, having heard the noise off the phone.
” Yes darling, you know I’m incapable of ignoring my favorite daughter’s call, ” Esther said with a smile,
” You mean your only daughter’s call mum, ” Deloise pointed out with a laugh.
” Same thing to me.” Ms. Esther dropped the bowl of batter as soon as she heard the oven go off. ” I need to go hunny, hope you are great though,”
” Yeah, just here, trying to make you proud and staying happy while at it,” Deloise explained, feeling tired of everything.
” I love you so much baby, I always want you happy, seeing you happy makes me proud and happy too.” Esther said, hoping to cheer up her daughter. ” Take it for the team, and always put your happiness first.” She admonished softly.
” You mean that mom? ” Deloise asked from the other line, feeling very emotional but trying to hide it from her voice.
” Of course I do! You’re my priority love, never forget I love you. Don’t stress and just trust yourself. Be happy for us both okay? ” Ms. Esther requested, genuine with her words.
” Yes ma, ” at that moment, Deloise knew exactly what it was she had to do. There was no stopping her now. ” I love you, always.” She concluded and the line went off.
Ms. Esther continued her work, clueless to what she’d unknowingly supported and fueled. Immediately, Deloise kicked off preparations for her new beginning as a student of the Royal Arts Academy.