Back When We Were Kids

Chapter 1: Heather

-=PART ONE=-

I opened my eyes to fresh sunlight seeping through my opened blinds and sat up with a satisfactory stretch. I rolled out of bed and strode over towards my desk to check my agenda for the day.

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-Interview for the Influencer of the Month section in Excellence Magazine @9:45 ☐

-Check e-mail ☐

-Open PR packages on camera ☐

-Dinner with Scotty @6:30pm ☐

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Still drowsy, I made my way to my bathroom and looked at myself in the mirror. I pulled my golden blonde hair back into a low bun to do my makeup.

Maybe I should just keep it natural and simple for today.

I began applying my concealer, trying my best to hide my imperfections. I made sure that it was lifting my face instead of pulling it down, just as I had seen on another influencer's blog. I then precisely put on my eyeliner and glued on my false eyelashes. As I was putting on my lip gloss, I heard a knock at her door.

"Heather, darling," I heard my mother call. "Can I come in?"

"Yes, Mom," I shouted back in response.

I turned in my chair as my mother entered the room seeming more upbeat than usual.

"So," she began, "your father and I have been entertaining the idea that you pursue acting as a career. I presume you still feel the same way as you did at our last meeting?"

"Mom, that 'meeting' was dinner when Dad last came to visit," I replied choking up a laugh. I couldn't quite tell if that bad humor was masking the anxiety I was feeling. I knew from a very young age that I wanted to perform, more than anything in the whole world, but my parents didn't want me to end up middle-aged and unemployed; Hollywood is rough.

"Honey, as your manager, that was in fact more than a mere dinner," she smiled. "Anyways, we have put a lot of thought into this, and we want you to know that we--as your managers--think that this is an option open to consideration."

My heart leapt to my throat. "Yes! I knew you would come around. This is amazing! I will not let you..." my voice trailed off as I recognized the lingering look on her face. "I'm sensing a 'but.'"

"Well, as your parents, we aren't sure how open we are to this. It's--"

"A dangerous world out there. I know! This is my dream, though, Mom. Haven't you ever seen 'Tangled?'"

"Heather, darling, I understand. The last thing your father and I want is to hold you back. But, I--we--don't want you to have any regrets. So, as your parents, we are requiring you to move back to Arkansas for the summer and explore all possible opportunities. I know you love acting, but we want you to have one last summer of being a kid before you move into the next phase of your life."

I personally don't view myself as a spoiled brat, but the heat of the moment caught me with that such look on my face. "Mom!" I whined. "But, no! I can't. All my friends are here in LA, and-and it stinks down there, remember?" I thought for a moment longer before adding, "There's more opportunities here, anyways."