The smell of fresh baked treats is the feeling of home. It’s my families bakery and my parents have been bringing me here since I was born. I am now seventeen years old and I work here part time and my parents think that I will work here for the rest of my life like them.
I am the second baker, the first is my cousin Zach, he’s nineteen. We’ve always been really close because we are both the only child. We tell each other everything, he know’s things that if my parents knew -- they would kill me. For example, he knows that I want to become a teacher, instead of working here.
“When are you going to tell them?” We were just having fun telling jokes and he ask me the most random question.
“Tell who what?” I knew what he was talking about but I didn’t really feel like talking about it so I pretended that I didn’t.
“Tell your parents about your future plans.” He just took one look at my face and he knew that I didn’t have an answer. “You’re going to be out of school soon, you will have to tell them at some point. Where you just planning on going to college without them knowing?”
“I was just waiting for the right time.” I couldn’t look at him, he made me feel like the room was getting bigger and I was getting smaller and smaller.
“And when is the right time? Tori, there is no such thing as ‘the right time’.”
I didn’t say anything for the rest of my shift because I knew he was right, I just wish he was wrong.

Two months before school ended I decided to make dinner for my parents. My moms favorite side dish was mashed potatoes and baked carrots and my dads favorite main dish was BBQ ribs. It was ready before either of the came home.
“What’s the occasion?” My mom looked really exhausted from work.
“Nothing I just wanted to make dinner for you guys.” I was trying to calm down but that was hard to do with the feeling of my heart in my throat.
“Well, thanks. I see it has our favorites.” My dad acted like I was being suspicious.
When we were half way through the dinner I told them. I just interrupted their conversation and said: “I am going to become a teacher.”
The room got so quiet that if the sound of my heart wasn’t beating so loudly in my ears I could have heard the gritting sound of my fathers teeth and the sound of my mothers deep breaths. I couldn’t even look at them, I fidgeted with the silver fork in my hand making a mountain with my mashed potatoes. Zach was right, I’ve hid from them for too long and it is time to face my biggest fear.
“How long? How long have you wanted this?” My fathers teeth were still clenched and his face was getting really red -- he was trying to not to let me see the hurt and anger.
“I decided when I was twelve. I have always loved to tutor so I decided that I wanted to go to college and become a teacher.
“But we’ve already had your future planned out, ever since you were born.” My mom was close to tears now. She did her best to stay calm, she used a high pitched voice with me like I was a baby. The thing was, I couldn’t. I couldn’t stay calm anymore.
“My whole life you told me what I was going to become. You made me think that there was nothing else I could do except bake! You never asked me what I wanted to become! So know I’m telling you.
I know that the bakery is the family business and I know that I am your only child, but I am going to college and I am going to become a teacher!” By now I was crying.
My mom tried to reach for my hand from across the table but I pulled away.
“Honey, we’ll talk about this later, we can work this out…” My dad tried to reach for my hand also but I didn’t let him.
“No! There is no “We’ll work this out,” I am going to college! I am becoming a teacher! And no matter what there is nothing that you can do or say that is going to make me change my mind.”
“Darling,” my mom had tears running down her cheeks, “You will be throwing away your life dream.”
“No, mom, I’ll be throwing away your life dream, while I live up to mine.”
They were holding hands and their palms turned red from the pressure that they were putting on each other. The food turned cold and the ice in my drink melted making it watery.
“I’ll give you guys two choices. Choice one, you can support me in my decision, Probably the easiest way through this. Choice two, you can stay mad at me, because I know that both of you can hold grudges. Choose which ever one you want, I am fine with either of them.
I stood up from the table and walked to my room leaving my food to get colder and colder. I slammed the door behind me and put my headphones on making sure that the music was on full blast. Looking out my window made me stop crying, the world was crying for me.
The rain hit the window hard, the lighting was bright enough to see for miles and you could feel the thunder through our old house.

I haven’t talked to my parents since that night and it is a week before graduation. I realize that they chose choice two, when I was hoping but doubting that they would even consider choice one.
I am at the bakery filling in my last shifts before I go to college.
“I am really sorry that it turned out the way it did.” Zach has been apologizing since that night when I told him what had happened.
“It’s fine, I knew that it was going to turn out the way it did. Sometimes I just wish that they could be happy for me and support me in my decision other than being upset that I didn’t choose what they wanted most. They never thought about how this would affect me, it has always been about them...Always.”
“Well, at least you told them.”
“Yeah, at least.”

My last day coming into the bakery and I have to open it. Before I turned the lights on, I took a deep breath, knowing that it would be the last time in a long time before I smelled the smell of home again.
“Surprise!” Everyone in my family that works at the bakery popped up. There was balloons and cake and a home made banner that said “Good Luck In College Tori!” I had the biggest smile on my face looking at everyone in the room, then I saw my parents. My smile completely dropped and they walked over to me holding hands.
I had that feeling of my heart being in my throat again, but then I realized something, both of my parents were smiling.
“Surprise,” they both said at the same time, “we want you to know that we love you and we support you in any decision that you make in your life, and we are sorry that we didn’t before.” My mom grasped my hand and squeezed it.
I couldn’t stay mad at them, I was just thankful that they accepted me. I gave them both a giant hug at the same time.
“I love you guys so much! And I want you to know that I will keep working here part time.”
“You don’t have to do that…” My dad had his hand on my shoulder.
“I want to, trust me.”
They were smiling and so was I. I guess that I owe Zach an apology, because he was right, everything was going to be okay.