Sport's Aren't My Only (GxG)

Chapter Twenty Three

Rylee's Pov:

I remember everything. I remember telling myself that I was going to go to Stanford, simply because my father wanted me to. I remember crying myself to sleep countless nights because I was more depressed and out of control than I was willing to outwardly admit. I can remember feeling strong when I walked onto the field of the first match of the new season. And I remember meeting Autumn Miller; the girl that had exploded into my life faster than a soccer ball slamming into your chest.

Her family had changed my life for the better, and for that, I will always be grateful.

I remember feeling a sense of relief when the coach of UCLA contacted me to inform me I had made the team. But the feeling more than intensified when Autumn had told me she had been accepted as well.

My father was obviously upset at first. After making sure everything was okay with Audrey, Autumns' older sister, he and I had a long talk about what I wanted.

---

We sat awkwardly in the living room. He wasn't looking at me while I held my head down, feeling as if I truly had done something wrong. It had been at least a week since he saw Autumn and me in the elevator and now graduation was just around the corner. I was beginning to get restless, hating the feeling of anxiety ripping through my blood. 

"Are you going to finally yell at me?" I blurted out surprising both of us, "This awkward silence is suffocating me, dad." I glanced up to see him eyeing me curiously now.

"Look," He sighed, crossing his legs as he bore down on me, "I want the truth and nothing else, do I make myself clear?" It was more so a statement than a question. I clicked my tongue on the roof of my mouth, averting his gaze. "Rylee."

"Yeah, okay I get it," I said with a sideways glance. I hated this feeling of being a six-year-old again, but we all know our parents had this power over us. Well, some parents that actually parented you at least. "What do you want to know?"

"Why didn't you tell me you didn't want to go to Stanford?" His voice sounded as if I had personally hurt his feelings. I furrowed my brows, adjusting in my seat. "I would have understood."

"Dad, with all due respect, I did tell you for years that I didn't want to." I tried my best to not let my voice falter. His face frowned, his hand running over his chin to scratch the stubble that had grown there sue to the stressful week he must have had.

"That's not how I remember it." He argued, glaring at me now. "We spoke about this over years, Rylee. It's not like we just decided this." I gawked at him now.

"You're kidding me right?" I laughed, shaking my head at him. "That alone proves that you live in another world!" I was getting pissed off now, "I tried telling you for years! You never once cared about what I had to say about my own future." My voice seemed to lose its footing now as I averted my gaze from his.

"Its true, Nathan." I furrowed my brows as I glanced towards the doorway, my mother walking into the room now. I smiled as she took her seat beside me. My dad went to speak but mom gave him a glare. "No, you're going to listen," She said, holding a hand up. "She's been trying to tell you for years that she didn't want to go up there. She doesn't want to be a doctor."

"Oh, this is great." He whined, throwing his hands in the air as he stood up. "Now I'm being ganged up on about this?"

"What does it matter if she wants to go to UCLA? It's a great school." My mom offered me a short smile but refocused on my frustrated dad. He glared at me, but I just shrugged my shoulders. We watched as he looked away for a moment.