"You got in!?" Shay gasped, calling his girlfriend on the phone when she told him the good news after the audition.

"Yes," Erika squealed.

"No way! Well, I knew you would."

"And you're right."

"Where are you now?" The proud boyfriend asked.

"I'm with my dad. He's treating me to lunch," Erika answered. "But, are you free tonight? Maybe we can, you know... hang out to celebrate?"

"I can't. My dad wants me to meet his old teammate."

"Oh!" Erika tried not to sound disappointed.

"I'm sorry," Shay apologized.

"No, it's fine."

"Yeah... You know how it is."

"I bet it's gonna be awesome," the girlfriend replied. Shay could tell from her voice that she was upset that he blew her off again because of his dad. "What about tomorrow?"

"Still can't. My dad wants me to train for the tryouts," Shay replied.

"Tryouts? I thought you told me that you got in."

"I'm not in yet, I'm just offered to try out for the team. This time, they want to see if I have what it takes."

"Oh! I didn't know that."

"I have to go, I have to get ready."

"Right, have a good time."

"You too, bye. I'll text you later."

Erika tried not to feel dejected because it should be a happy day for her to finally got in to the school of her dreams. She celebrated her victory with her dad in a restaurant after the auditions, "Order whatever you want, honey. You deserve it," Collins said.

"Thanks, dad," she replied

Once they finished eating their meal, the young dancer stood up from her seat and checked out the dessert display at the counter. "Hey!" A tall guy with short curly hair appeared next to her, his name was Mikey Heinus, and he too went to the same school with her and Shay. He was also a member of the soccer team.

"Hey! Mikey," Erika said back to him, then quickly ordered her slice of cake. She noticed him gawking at her body, so she closed the zipper in her jacket.

"So what brings you here?" Mikey asked.

"Having lunch with my dad. We're just celebrating. I got just got accepted in Eliard."

"That's awesome. Congrats."

"Thanks."

"Where's Shay? Why is he not with you?"

"He's somewhere else. I have to go." Erika backed away from him since the creep took a step closer, and then quickly got away. "Bye."

"Bye." Mikey was smirking as she got back to be with her father.

----

It was Monday, and the young ballerina was in school, It was the last two weeks before the seniors graduated. It was a stressful yet exciting time since a new chapter of their lives would be staring before they knew it. Before, a week felt longer when you were in high school, but that time, some of them wanted to slow down. That was what Erika was feeling when there was a poster of graduation and senior prom everywhere she looked while getting books in her lockers.

"Can you believe graduation is right around the corner?" her best friend, Chris, said excitedly, squeezing her two books with a crazy smile in her face. Even made a bounce that her thick blonde hair up and down.

"I know, right?" Erika let out a heavy sigh.

"You know, for someone who just nailed her talent test for one of the best dance schools in the world, you sure sound thrilled."

"I am. I'm just finding this all so fast, that's all."

"I get it, I don't know how I'll survive going to college without you."

"At least your boyfriend will be attending the same school," Erika reminded in a playful tone.

"I suppose you're right, but it's not the same as having you around," Chris moaned. "What about you and Shay? I mean, if he became a big shot football player, and you go to Eliard..."

"Honestly, I have no idea how to make it work."

"Hey, you guys are going to figure something out. Other famous athletes make it work."

All of a sudden, Trevor approached them. An average guy with dark brown wavy shaggy hair who was a close friend of the two, "Hey! I'm gonna have a party this Friday. You guys should come," he said to them.

"Cool, we'll be there," Chris answered. "Oh, but Kyle might not be able to make it."

"Yeah, he told me. What about you?"

"Yeah, of course I wouldn't miss it," Erika said.

Trevor smiled since he secretly liked Erika, "Cool," he replied.

However, Shay appeared by embracing his girlfriend from behind. "Hey! miss me?" he chimed, "Hey, Trevor."

"Hi." The love-struck boy tried not to look jealous since they were all friends, so he had to suck it up.

"By the way, Trevor is gonna have a party in his house this Friday," Chris informed Shay.

"Yeah, you should come."

"Gosh, I wish, but I'm gonna be very busy this weekend," Shay replied.

"I almost forgot. I heard you got into RevU, too," Chris recalled.

"Really?" Erika reacted in delight. "Congrats, Trev!"

"Thanks," Trevor blushed and then put his head down, yet he became at woe the next second. "But actually, I won't be able to go this fall."

"What? Why?" Chris gasped. Even the couple were taken aback.

"I applied for a scholarship, but my scores were not high enough, so I'm gonna get a year off to get a job and work it off for the next year."

"Does Kyle know?"

"Yeah, I broke it to him last night. There goes our plan to be college roommates," the poor guy sighed.

"Hey, it's gonna be okay," Erika assured him.

"Yeah, it's just a year," Shay added.

The bell rang, "Come on, we have that math quiz today," Trevor reminded the soccer player since they had the same classes on the first period.

"You go on ahead, I'll just walk my girlfriend to her class first."

"Isn't that sweet?" Chris was in awe.

While the couple looked sweeter, Trevor felt bitter. "Alright, see you there." Then left abruptly.

Shay and Erika walked together while the boyfriend carried her books. "Hey! congrats to you too," he told her. "This is so awesome that you got into Eliard and me in Super Tundra. Our dreams are coming true."

"Yeah, you couldn't believe how nervous I was before the audition happened," the girlfriend expressed her relief.

"At least it's over, and it went great."

"It is, so how was meeting your dad's friend?"

"It was awesome. He was giving me tips and showing me some tricks on how to win goals. Anyway, we're here, see you at lunch."

"Yup." Erika smiled and went inside to her classroom.

----

Later, Shay entered his class on time before the teacher came and sat down on his seat. He noticed Trevor cramming for the quiz since he was sitting in front of him, "Dude, that should be three to the power of two," he intervened.

Trevor startled, then turned around. He looked at the problem again and saw what he did wrong, "Oh, right, thanks," he said to him. "Wow, you're getting good at this."

"Erika is good at explaining things. Usually, you're good at math. Is everything okay, Trev?"

"Yeah, I'm just bummed that I'm not going to RevU."

"It's gonna be okay."

"Yeah... By the way, are you sure that you can't come?"

"I'm sorry," the aspiring soccer player apologized again. "I got an offer to play in Super Tundra, so I have to train more for it."

"That's awesome, but you barely go to parties since the start of the senior year," Trevor replied.

"Try telling that to my Dad."

"Yeah, Shay, take a break. Why don't ya?" Mikey interjected as he stood up from his seat and went to the two. "At least we could celebrate you getting in Super Tundra."

"It's tryouts, I'm not in the team yet," Shay clarified.

"At least you got that far."

"But you got an offer from another team, didn't you?"

"I was hoping Super Tundra," Mikey grumbled.

"Dominate United is just as good," Shay replied.

"Besides, not everyone can a big shot soccer star," Trevor interjected.

"In my case, it's a curse. I'd rather be in the party than train for the tryouts."

"Then go to the party. Sneak out if you have to," Mikey advised.

"He's right. This is the last fun thing you'll do in high school," Trevor added. "After prom that is."

"I get ya," Shay told them. "But, I really can't."

"You're gonna have Erika go without you?" Mikey said in a schemey tone, but Shay and Trevor couldn't tell that he had something in mind.

"I guess if she wants." Shay shrugged. "I'm not gonna stop her just because I can't go."

Mikey devil horns and tail were invisibly showing, then their teacher came, so the boys immediately stopped talking. Once their class began, Shay thought about wanting to go to the party.

Later at night, the disgruntled guy was at the dinner table with his dad again, "tomorrow morning, you have to eat muesli and protein shake, so you have the energy to practice on Friday, you need to have more strength for your kicks and you need to get more speed so you can move past the defense," Rome dictated but his son was just eating like he was not listening to him. "Duke, are you even paying attention?"

"Yes, dad," Shay lied.

"I hope so."

"Dad, can't I cancel this weekend's training, just this once?" the boy asked. "There's this party, and..."

"What?! Absolutely not," Rome disapproved as expected. "I knew you were not listening."

"Just this one time," Shay begged.

"NO. Tryouts are next weekend."

The young man was shocked since it was news to him. "Next weekend? No, it's not. It's in three weeks."

"Well, it moved. I forgot to tell you."

"Moved?! Dad! Prom and graduation are next weekend."

"Then you're not going to those," Rome barked. "It's not that important."

"It's important to me. I want to go." Shay was stunned at what his dad just told him and that he was being inconsiderate. "Can't you reschedule? I don't want to miss my graduation, especially prom."

"Well, you have to, son. Next weekend or next year, you are not going to any parties."

"First, you want me missed my friend's party and now, you want me to miss going to prom, and my own GRADUATION?"

"What's your problem? You finished high school anyway. Graduation is just a ceremony, and prom is not that important anyway."

"Which my friends and my girlfriend are going," Shay argued.

"I told you that you should break up with her," Rome argued back.

"Right before high school ends?"

"High school relationships don't always work. You have to pick one. Is it either her or this? The opportunity presents itself, and you are not missing that, so you have to practice this weekend and not mess up."

"You know, if I can't go to prom and graduation. The least you could do is let me go to Trevor's party."

"I don't care if it's the last party on earth, Duke," the man grumbled. "What's more important? A stupid high school party full of bad decisions, or getting in Super Tundra?"

"Dad!" Shay yelled. "You're being unfair. Why can't you just give me this?"

"Let me tell you this, to be in Super Tundra, you have to train hard."

"But I am!"

"Not hard enough! Not in their standards," Rome scolded.

"I practically eat, breathe, and sleep this. Isn't that enough? I did everything, why can't you just give what I want this one time?"

"If you are serious, you don't have to ask my permission to go to that party."

Shay decided to raise the white flag because talking to his father felt like he was talking to a wall. "Fine, whatever, Dad. I'm not going."

"Good, I don't want to talk about this anymore," Rome told him. Mame was watching them from the kitchen shaking her head.

"You're unbelievable," Shay mumbled.

"Someday, you'll understand why I'm doing this."

"Not sure if I will, Dad." The teenager scowled at his father and then angrily walked away from him.