Lastly, the day after, Andrea drove over to Madeline's house after school for more information that would help her with her project. Madeline let her in and took her into her bedroom to where they chatted.
Madeline held a pink polo shirt in front of her upper body. "Do you think this will look good on me?" she asked, tilting her head.
"Come on, Maddie," said Andrea. "Everything looks good on you."
"Aw, thanks."
"But it does look a little loose."
Madeline pouted and threw the shirt at Andrea. Andrea giggled and put the shirt over to the side. Madeline went through her open closet as Andrea asked her query:
"Madeline, can you help me with my homework?"
"Oh, you came to the right place. And by 'help', do you mean 'help', not 'do'?"
"Of course."
"Okay, then. What do you need help with?"
"I have to complete a project for English class next week and it's on aspirations."
"Oh, aspirations. I know a little something about that; I describe myself as 'ambitious'."
"Cool. So on the project, we have to explain our dream future. But I don't know who I want to be."
"You don't know who you want to be? That's ridiculous."
"No, that's me."
"Everybody--"
"I know, I know! Everybody knows who they want to be. I get it. But I don't want to be just anything so I have to really think hard about this."
"So you're telling me there's not one thing you want to be or do in the future?"
"Nope."
"Not one thing?"
"Nada."
"Dig deep, Andy. Dig deep."
"I mean I want to be Jennifer Lopez but there's only one of her so I can't be her."
"It's hard to compare to J-Lo. But there's gotta be something that you wish to do in the future."
"What do you want to be in the future?"
"That's easy; an actress. You know that."
"I know; I just wanted to hear it again."
"Are you sure? One time, I got the lead role in a play and your boyfriend got to be a co-lead. As this upsetted you, you came up on stage the night of the play and embarrassed everybody."
"Yeah, you don't have to bring that up."
"Sorry but it happened. You know I forgave you. But, yeah, I want to be an actress. Hollywood, Broadway, all of the good stuff. You know I've been in ten plays? I keep the hope alive every day. Every chance I get. 'Would you like tea, sir?' 'There's no place like home.' 'I think they're coming through the attic, mama!' I practice even when I don't need to practice. But you know what they say: practice makes perfect. I want my name in lights, glitter, a bold font printed on the television. I don't want to be in just plays. I want to be in TV series, films, commercials. I can do a Pepsi commercial like Sofia Vergara. 'Pepsi.' See? I am probably better than I think. See, having a dream is not just about what you want to do; it's what you can do. And I can act till I just can't act no more. That's right; I used a double negative. And I don't care because I can take on the world."
"Wow, Madeline, you're really... ambitious."
"That's what I call myself."
"I wish I could think just like you but there's nada in this noggin."
"Come on, there has to be algo in your noggin."
"I just don't know who I want to be. And what I do now isn't something I look forward to doing in the future. Why can't I be like you or the girls?"
"Do you want to be like me or the girls?"
"I want to think like you."
"Then you have your project."
"What?"
"An aspiration is a dream but it is also a hope. What do you hope for?"
"I hope to be like my friends."
"There you go. You got it."
"I got it?"
"That's your project."
"Oh, my gosh! Thank you, Maddie! And I think I know where to start. Oh, thank you!"
"Don't thank me now; save it when I'm on Broadway."
"It could take you years to be on Broadway."
"Andrea, I just helped you with your homework. Don't be a dream killer right now."
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