Me and My Manager!

Chapter 6: Mom Please..

Lara and Tomi sat in the cozy café, sipping their juice and savouring their pastries. Tomi, curious about Lara's latest web novel, asked to see the likes and views.

Lara pulled out her tablet and showed Tomi the staggering numbers. Tomi was impressed, congratulating Lara on her success.

Suddenly, Lara's eyes darted to an email notification she had received in the morning but forgot to check. She opened the email, and her eyes widened in excitement.

"Finally!" she exclaimed, jumping out of her seat.

Heads turned as everyone in the café glanced at Lara. Tomi gently nudged her. "Lara, people are looking," she whispered.

Lara sat back down, her excitement still bubbling.

"What's the matter?" Tomi asked.

"I just got an offer from Japan's famous anime studio! They want my web novel to be an anime!" Lara squealed.

Tomi's jaw dropped. "Whoa!"

Lara showed Tomi the email. "My dream is finally coming true!" she said, her voice filled with excitement.

"But it says you have to go to Japan for signing the contract and other deals," Tomi pointed out, a concerned look on her face. "Will your parents agree to that?"

Lara's confidence wavered slightly. "Of course, I'll make them say yes," she declared, trying to sound determined.

Back at Lara's home, the atmosphere was tense. Her father, Rob, was a silent observer as Lara and her mother engaged in a heated debate.

"Absolutely no! I am not letting you go to Japan alone," Lara's mother, Lauren, stated firmly.

Lara puffed out her cheeks in frustration. "But why!"

"You can't even clean your room, how will you take care of yourself?" Lauren retorted.

"I'm not going there forever. It's just for the deal," Lara argued.

"You can't even make your own bread, how are you going to make a deal?" Lauren countered.

Lara, sensing an opportunity, turned to her father for support. "Dad, help me!" she pleaded.

Rob hesitated. "Lauren, honey, you should..." he began, but was cut off.

"You just don't speak because of her! She's like this because of you, Rob!" Lauren accused.

"Now, how did I come in between all this?" Rob asked, looking bewildered.

Lara, desperate to change the subject, offered a compromise. "Mom, I'll clean my room. So can I go?"

Lauren shook her head stubbornly. "No."

Lara raised the stakes. "I'll score 100 marks!"

Lauren remained unmoved. "No."

Lara's mind raced. She had to come up with something convincing. "I'll bring you a makeup kit so you look young!" she exclaimed, a hopeful glint in her eye.

Lauren's expression softened for a moment before hardening again. "You mean I look old, huh?" she retorted, her voice laced with sarcasm.

Lara covered her mouth in horror. "Crap, I screwed up," she thought to herself.

"In your room now!" Lauren ordered, her voice final.

Lara retreated to her room, defeated but determined.

Lauren's expression softened as she sat beside Rob. "I think I was too hard on her," she admitted, her voice filled with regret.

Rob reached out and took her hand. "Honey, I think we should let her do what she wants. She's worked so hard for this."

Lauren nodded, a thoughtful look on her face. "But it worries me how she'll manage alone."

Rob smiled reassuringly. "Our girl is braver than anyone else. She can handle herself. We can't just keep her away from her dream. She's been working on this for so long."

Lauren's eyes welled up with tears. "You're right," she whispered.

Rob squeezed her hand. "Now it's time for her to achieve what she worked so hard for."

With newfound determination, Lauren stood up and headed towards Lara's room. "You're right, honey," she said to herself as she climbed the stairs.

Lauren peeked into Lara's room, finding her daughter engrossed in writing her web novel. A warm smile spread across her face. She knocked gently on the door.

"Yes?" Lara responded, her attention still focused on her work.

Lauren entered the room. "I'm sorry for being so hard on you before," she began, her voice filled with sincerity. "I know this is your dream, so I won't stop you. You can go."

Lara's face lit up with excitement as she jumped up and hugged her mother tightly. "Mom, you're the best!" she exclaimed.

Lauren returned the hug, a sense of pride and happiness filling her heart. "Okay, okay," she said, pulling away slightly. "But you have to promise me you'll be disciplined and won't do anything crazy there."

Lara saluted dramatically. "Your order, my life, sir!" she replied playfully.

"So go and reply to the email," Lauren instructed.

Lara's excitement reached new heights. "Oh, that! I already did at the café. They said they'll book the ticket for tomorrow evening," she announced triumphantly.

Lauren's eyes widened in surprise, her gaze shifting to Rob, who wore a look of amused resignation. "So you knew I was going to say yes, Lara?" she asked, her voice laced with disbelief.

Lara grinned mischievously. "Well, I knew if you didn't, Dad would persuade you anyway," she replied.

Rob chuckled nervously, trying to defuse the situation. He gestured to Lauren, silently urging her to stay calm.

Lauren sighed, her resolve weakening. "Can't be helped now, but tomorrow evening? Isn't that too soon? You haven't even started packing your stuff and other important things."

Lara dramatically threw her arms in the air. "My sweet mother, I love you. Please pack my stuff!"

Lauren's stern expression returned. "No," she stated firmly.

She turned and left the room, adding, "Do it yourself, and Rob, dare to help him, and you'll be sleeping outside the room."

Rob chuckled nervously and followed Lauren out.

Lara slumped in her chair, dramatically sighing. "My mother, what a mother," she muttered to herself.

"I should start packing. Ah, I'm already tired just thinking about it," she yawned, collapsing into her chair.