Chapter 30: 𝓦𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝓓𝓸 𝓨𝓞𝓤 𝓦𝓪𝓷𝓽 𝓣𝓸 𝓓𝓸?

Thursday, July 28th

Cory Walker:
Sent 4:44pm

Hey.

How are you feeling?

Gracie and her parents were experiencing a monsoon storm. Lightning was flashing nonstop, thunder was booming over their house and the wind was powerful enough to take down trees.

She hated storms. They made a knot form in her stomach and she felt a little nauseous. Her parents, on the other hand, loved them. They always turned the lights out, opened the blinds and oohed and awed the flashes and the rumbling thunder. While her parents were in the living room, Gracie hid under her covers.

That was why she was relieved to have gotten Cory's text. It was something to distract her from the hurricane-like sounds.

Gracie Summers:
Sent 4:45pm

Much better.

Cory Walker:
Sent 4:45pm

Good. My mom asked me to check up on you.

Gracie Summers:
Sent 4:46pm

She sounds sweet.

What about your dad?

Gracie Summers:
Sent 5:26pm

Sorry if it's a sore topic. Forget I said anything.

Cory Walker:
Sent 5:27pm

He wants me to join the family business.

Which I really don't want to do.

And he's pissed about that so we don't have that close of a relationship.

That's why I went to the bar the night I first texted you. He and I had just gotten into a huge fight. It was what my brother and I fought about too. That day I acted like a dick to you. I was just pissed that he gets to do his own thing and dad's proud of him and in the meantime, I have to sacrifice my dreams and make myself join the family business just to make my dad proud of me. It's not fair. It's not fucking fair.

Gracie Summers:
Sent 5:28pm

I'm sorry to hear that...

And you're right. That ISN'T fair. You should be able to do your own thing too and have your father be proud of you too.

What do YOU wanna do?

Cory Walker:
Sent 5:28pm

Football.

Dad thinks this football thing is just a phase, but this is something I've been wanting to do since I was nine.

I've dreamed of being on the field with thousands of fans screaming my name or wearing my jersey. Maybe even win the Super Bowl one day.

Cory Walker:
Sent 5:30pm

I don't know.

If it means dad would be proud of me, maybe I should resign and only do football as a hobby.

Gracie Summers:
Sent 5:30pm

What??

No!

Cory Walker:
Sent 5:30pm

It doesn't look like I have that much of a choice if I want my dad to be proud. Which I do.

Gracie Summers:
Sent 5:31pm

Fuck that!

Cory Walker:
Sent 5:31pm

Excuse me?

Gracie Summers:
Sent 5:33pm

Fucking do it.

No offense, but who gives a shit about what your father wants from you?

Pardon my language.

You need to follow your own heart. Not your dad's dreams.

You need to follow your own heart. Not your dad's dreams.

Those words bounced around in his head five times.

She was right.

Who gave a tiny rat's ass about what dad wanted for him?

Damn, Gracie was hot when she swore.

Wait...

What?