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Four Diet Cokes, three bags of Cheetos, seven grilled cheeses, and one and a half packages of Oreos later, I had a solid plan Dad had even given h them three times, and he’d drilled me on questions--even the hard stuff I’d been unco at first It’d been hard for me to answer his questions, but by the last time, I had htly less scary

I sat on the kitchen island, kicking ainstso hot all the ti I wasn’t sure I’d ever adjust to

"You’re pretty good at this stuff"

Dad laughed "It’s my job, kiddo"

I stared at my feet "What if none of this works?"

"Do your best" He leaned against the kitchen counter across froet that no one can force you to do so you don’t want to do"

I ate another Oreo "That’s not true"

"Maybe before it wasn’t true, but you’re stronger than everyone else now That’s why they’resuch a fuss over this Don’t be afraid to use that to your advantage if it co Sure, I was more in control than I used to be, but I didn’t really know anything aboutto understand the Were part of o It wasn’t like this was a home run

I was new I felt new I felt the opposite of e to win So, hoas I supposed to do that before tonight?

I wasn’t sure at all It seemed like every time I took a step forward, I took five back Eventually, e I didn’t want it to be a trudge I wanted to own it

"You’re a s you put youralive and being with Dastien, but the rest…

It was going to take more than visualization to come out of the Tribunal unscathed

Chapter Seven