The Air Between Us • NH

f i f t y s e v e n

Song: First Aid Kit - My Silver Lining

Gotta keep on keepin' on.

        "Ready, baby?" "More than ready, come on, open them already," her voice an anxious dilemma. He had three letters fanned out in his hand: Juilliard School of Music, Syracuse University, and lastly, Manhattan School of Music. These letters told them his path and that path was his future. She was so nervous and excited at the same time. He was calm, but his fidgety fingers on his knee could be seen and they told the truth. "Manhattan, first?" She looked him in the eyes, he silently asked if it was okay, she nodded frantically, "it's your choice, just open them, Niall!"

They had been this way the moment he texted her that he got his letters and was coming over. She screamed as if they had come for her, so happy she got to be with him when he got accepted into one or all three of the schools he applied to. He had talent, she saw it, she believed he would get in; the school had to be able to see what she saw, which would be no easy task.

His finger sliding in the top fold and scooting, jaggedly across the envelope. He flipped the flap up and slowly slid the college results out. He sighed, "what if I didn't get in?" She slapped his arm for thinking that way, leaning forward and kissing him, holding his face in her hands, "shut up and read it." Her eyes on him the entire time as he breathed deeply, exhaling and diving into the words on the page. His face fell as he scanned the page with his eyes, her eyes went to the paper and back to his stare. "No fxckin way, give me that," yanking the paper from his hands she began reading, her smile grew as she shouted the next lines, "Congratulations! We're pleased to inform you that you've been accepted!" Her hand moved over her mouth, she was speechless, eyes glistened and it was only the first of three letters.

        "You're such a shxt liar! You know that. Asshxle!" He smiled down towards his hands, a humbled expression consuming him. "Sorry, baby." "Open the rest, please." He grabbed her hand, gripping it as he brought it up to his lips and kissed her knuckles. She smiled, pleading again, "please, baby." "Okay."

He was quicker with the next letter, it was out of the envelope and he was reading it before she even knew it. "On behalf of the Admissions Committee, I am pleased to inform you..." "Oh my God!" Grier jumped up and kept bouncing on the bed as Niall watched. His smile never faltering. He was happy to have someone by his side that really cared and was proud of him. "Okay, okay. Last one. The big one." She sat back down and waited, he did it slowly, a torturous rhythm, "Oh for fxcks sake, I cant look," placing her hands over her eyes, pleading for it to be a yes.

        "Fxck, I'm nervous." She peeked from the holes in between her fingers as they spread apart, "you're tellin' me." They laughed, needed a little relief. "Here goes..." He took the paper out and began reading, his hand running through his hair. His breath was caught in his throat, he was shaking. Licking his lips, he looked up slowly and into her eyes. "Niall, what? What they say?"

        "I got in. I did it." The letter fell from his fingers as he let go of the breath finally. She grabbed it slowly and read, smiling. Her eyes coming closer to tears. "Grier, they picked me. Me..." She let the letter float down onto the bed, rising up onto her knees. She shifted forward, tears falling from her eyes, "Of course they did, how could they not, I'm so proud of you." Her hands wrapping around his neck, hugging him. She felt his tears on her shoulder, happy she wasn't the only one crying.

...

        "So, who you going with, who's the lucky school that gets your talented being?" They laid there on the bed, happy as ever, having a crying fit that turned into a laughing fit. They hugged for what seemed like hours and then relaxed and fell back onto the cushioned mattress of Grier's bed. "I've done extensive research on all of them. Plus, there's something I didn't see before when we got so excited." "What?" Her body rising from the bed, staring down at him. "Grab the Manhattan letter and read it." She did as he said. Touching the beautiful piece of paper millions wished to have. That letter was a golden door to her boyfriends future. She couldn't be more happy.

Her eyes scanned the whole thing: words, letter, bold letters, italics, everything popped out at her. But one sentence stood out to her from the rest, "on behalf of the Admissions Committee we extend to you a full scholarship to the Manhattan School of Music." She was choked up, barely getting out the words. Staring at the letter, no words could describe this feeling in that moment, none. "What do you think?" She shook her head, "it's a dream come true, that's what I think." He filled the space with a giggle, she smiled, "I love you and I'm so proud of you." He didn't see that coming; knew it was there, but still was taken by it. His hand tugged on her shirt, pulling her down towards him, kissing her hard. Releasing her until he was gasping for air, she too breathed hard after that kiss.

        "There's a quote in one of my books, it says, 'You see the dreamers need the realists to keep them from soaring too close to the sun. And the realists, well, without the dreamers, they might not ever get off the ground.'" He kissed her again, a small peck on the lips, she bit his lip, he smiled. "I think Manhattan sounds just right." Her hand on his chest, looking at him, "Manhattan?" He nodded, "Manhattan."

He picked the letter up once again, his fingers gliding down the page. The inked words looked like art on the letter. He spoke once again, "Manhattan." She kissed his cheek, so happy for him.