unconventional

A Change In Plans

From: Marie (The Boss)
To: Scout (Me)

Kid,

Hope you're enjoying your time off but gearing up for Paleyfest in March!

I know we talked about focusing on the screen right now not the stage, but I got an email from a Broadway director about this new musical they just got greenlit.

He wants you to be the lead. So first of all, congratulations, because you've really made a name for yourself.

I always knew you'd be one of the greats.

But second of all, you have a decision to make. I know you're living it up in LA but this is an opportunity of a lifetime.

Let me know what you're thinking, and if I should get my people to book you a flight.

- Marie

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"So, I don't know what to do." I say honestly, taking a sip from the champagne glass in front of me.

"Well, I do." Dakota says from beside me on the couch. "You go to New York."

"It's not that simple, Dakota."

"Why the fuck not?"

"Because Sarah is here Dakota, we're all here. You just want her to leave and never look back?" Lily says from the other side of me.

"Well no, but I mean it's not like it's forever. And we'll all go visit, i'm sure Sarah will understand."

"It's Broadway, Dakota. It's not just three months and then it's over. She'll be there for awhile if she does it." Dianna answers from her spot next to Dakota.

"You need to talk to Sarah." Lily says rubbing my back softly. I sigh, my head falling back onto the couch behind me.

"How come everytime I ask for the advice of you fools, it always involves me having uncomfortable conversations with Sarah?" They all laugh, Lily's head falls to my shoulder as she gives me a tight squeeze.

_________________________________

I hear the front door open, the sound of Sarah's keys hitting the bowl in front of the door and her shuffling footsteps getting closer.

"Hey, is everything okay?" She asks walking into the kitchen, a concered look in her eyes. I press a kiss to her cheek and pull her in for a quick hug. "What do you need to talk to me about?"

"Just some work stuff." I pull away my hands still on her shoulders as hers wrap around my waist. Her expression hasn't changed a bit, her eyebrows are still furrowed and her eyes still worried.

"Work stuff?"

"Yeah, uhm," I look around the house, motioning to the stools at the counter. "we should probably sit."

"You're kinda freaking me out, Scout."

"Don't, really it's nothing. I just got an email from my agent this morning and a director in New York is offering me the lead for his new Broadway show."

"Oh." I fiddle with my hands anxiously underneath the table. "Well, you can't take it. Right? I mean there's no way."

"Huh?"

"We just started dating and you're gonna move across the country?"

"No, I don't even know if i'm going to-"

"Oh my god, I can't believe you're even considering this right now." Her hands rise and fall with her words, her tone becoming considerably more angered and stern as the conversation continues.

"Sarah, I don't understand how you can expect me not to consider it." I push myself up off the stool, pacing in front of her from the opposite side of the island.

Biting on the tip of my thumb, her eyes follow me like a lazer.

"Scout, we finally have eachother, we're finally together—I mean jesus christ, just the other night we were talking about fucking dog names."

"You're acting as if me taking this job means we have to break up or something. I don't think you understand how much this could advance my career."

"Which will not advance this relationship!"

I hate being yelled at. I think a big part of it is that neither of my parents ever yelled at me, not even on the rare occasion that I did something bad.

Their disappointed silence said so much more than them yelling at me ever could.

"I just need some air." And just like that she was gone. The sound of that door slamming rang in my ears for what seemed like hours.

I lean against the counter, my head falling into my hands.

God, I hate being yelled at. It shocks my entire system everytime, sending my stomach into a frenzy of knots and twists.

And it hurts just a little more that it was Sarah. A woman who is infamously known for her cool composure...just yelled at me.

Like I was some toddler that got into the cookie jar when she wasn't looking.

A part of me didn't know why she got heated so quickly.While the other part of me knows it was because Sarah knows me better than I know myself most days, and she could tell what I couldn't:

I was taking that job.