On The Devil, We Ride

16

Waking up next to Jace with only a thin sheet between us was something that I never thought I'd experience again. I felt the need to pinch myself several times just to make sure it wasn't another cruel dream. Surprisingly, it wasn't. Jace's face was buried into his pillow, so only one eye and the corner of his mouth were visible. His long hair was spread out across his pillow, mostly in his face creating a curtain of blonde. Watching him sleep in silence meant that my mind had the opportunity to unbury all the thoughts and emotions I thought I'd forgotten.

I stared at the envelope in my shaking hands, unable to bring myself to tear it open. I must have sat in my room for the best part of an hour staring at it before finally plucking up the courage to open it. I squeezed my hands into fists to stop the shaking before releasing them and gingerly opening the seal. I carefully pulled the letter out, and with a deep breath I read the text.

Dear Ms. Tanner,

On behalf of Colorado State University, I am pleased to congratulate you on your acceptance into our program for the fall 2009 semester.

The rest of the letter was a blur, I just kept re-reading the first line over and over again, a stupid grin spreading across my face. I hadn't expected to get in, hell I hadn't even planned to go to college. My grades were pretty good and I didn't skip school no matter how many times Jace and Jimmy had tried to convince me to ditch with them. It was my guidance councillor who had eventually convinced me to apply to college, the line "what have you got to lose?" being the pushing factor for me to apply. Suddenly rapid banging of my bedroom window made me jump out of my skin and snap my attention to the window. Jimmy's face was pressed against the glass, pulling a stupid expression that made me laugh. I shook my head and got to my feet, walking over to it and opening it up for him.

"You are seriously deranged. What's wrong with the front door?" I chuckled, stepping aside to let him climb in.

"Where's the fun in that?" He winked before racing over to my bed and jumping on it.

"What's this?" He plucked the letter from my bedside table and began reading it.

"Jimmy no!" I ran over but it was too late. His eyebrows shot up as he read it, then slammed down into a frown. I shifted from foot to foot nervously, biting my lip and waiting anxiously for him to say something.

"I didn't even know you were thinking about college." Jimmy finally spoke, laying the letter carefully back on my bedside table as if it were made of glass.

"I wasn't. I figured there was no harm in applying, so I did." I shrugged, sinking down on the bed opposite him and crossing my legs so we were a mirror image of eachother. He avoided my gaze, focusing on something in the corner of my room as he thought. I could almost hear the cogs turning in his head with how much he was thinking. His eyes suddenly flicked up to meet mine, staring at them intensely.

"Does Jace know?" I felt my blood run cold that the thought. Like Jimmy, Jace had no idea that I'd applied to college. I never told him as I didn't know how he'd react, and I'd figured with my history there was no way I was getting in. I'd been done for B&E, underage drinking and stealing a car, though I was too young to be incarcerated for any of it at the time, so I ended up doing community service a couple of times. I focused back on Jimmy and shook my head solemnly.

"Are you going to go?" He suddenly asked, a question I was not prepared for. Applying for college was one thing, but actually going?

"I don't know." I sighed, looking away from him.

"You should probably figure it out, and soon." Jimmy took my hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze.

For weeks I sat on the letter, trying to figure out whether or not I should fill in the paperwork that accompanied it. Going would mean leaving Fort Manor and the club behind. It would mean leaving Jace behind. I'd hoped that we'd at least try the distance thing, but I had no idea how Jace would react if I left.