***~Black & Blue~***

The meetings I went to that week were long and tiring and I spent the whole time avoiding my parents and the topic of “my life”. My dad was trying desperatly to sit me down and work out at least a five year plan. He decided that I needed to set more goals and prioratize. Well, in a week, beleive it or not, I had done all those things. I attended a serious job interveiw, set many acheivable goals (putting the moves on Nick carter was one of them), and I prioratized, in a way. Maybe dancing isn’t as important as school to my parents, but to me it was...I needed to be happy....that’s the only thing I was concerned with at that point. I mean my parents weren’t abusive and we weren’t struggling for money, and it wasn’t that I didn’t have an exciting social life....I had it all going for me, but I still felt empty. No problems, no major worries, but there was no drama and my life was begining to put me to sleep. I hadn’t had a serious relationship since sophmore year and that hardly counts. My love life was boring, I was sick of hooking up with random people, espeically frat boys who couldn’t care less. But after meeting Nick, I was starting to feel good, I even caught myself humming around the house. I hadn’t really heard any news about my new job until two weeks after the meetings, I had to begin an intensive rehearsal schedual that would last up until the day the boys went back on tour. They wanted me to get to Orlando as soon as possible. At the moment I was so excited thinking about the beaches and the hard bodies, but once reality hit, I started to cry. My parents would never let me go! I decided I was a woman and I had to stand up to them so I brainstormed and came up with a plan.

Casey slept over our neighbor’s house so I made dinner for my parents and sat them down for a serious discussion. They were more than thrilled to talk about my future. “I see you’re beginging to see clearly again.” my father commented. “Yes, crystal,” I said smiling. For a second I thought it was going to be too easy. My dad got up and came back with a folder. He set it down and began lecturing me on the other majors I could consider. Also the extra cirricular activities I could take part in to improve my “out of control social life”. “Dad? Dad? DAD!” my parents finally stop talking about me, looked up, and listened. “I know what I want to do and I even got a job.” They were shocked I didn’t tell them. “I wanted it to be a suprise in a way, but in another way, I was afraid. Well, I’m not anymore because for the first time ever I know what I want to do and I know I can do it. I will go back to school, but it’s not what I want right now.

I want to find myself, as stupid as it may sound, I need to do this.” “What exactly do you need to do?” my mother asked. “Well.....” and I told them. I explained everything, every little detail from the Aaron Carter concert to our family dinner. I even explained the tour and the rehearsals to prepare me. They weren’t happy. They even seemed disappointed in me. My dad left the table in anger, but I felt too heavy to even budge. My mom starred at me for awhile, “ You really are happy, aren’t you?” “More than ever,” I replied. “Then, it’s ok with me, we’ll deal....your father will learn to live with it,” she smiled. At least I had one parent on my side, I only had three days for him to forgive me and I knew that wasn’t going to happen. So I packed up and flew to Orlando to begin my new life and my new found happiness.