Crossing Hearts- A Maidstone Love Story

Chapter 48

Jasper lay in bed, staring up at the ceiling, his thoughts heavy and swirling. Today was September 21st, his and Alessia's fourth anniversary, but it felt hollow and distant. He'd been dreading this day for weeks, knowing it would be harder than the last anniversary. Last year, she was in Jordan, but at least he could fly out and surprise her. This year, though, she was in America—thousands of miles away, playing football for North Carolina. There was no way for him to see her in person.

His phone buzzed on the nightstand next to him, but he didn't reach for it. Probably Chris or one of the guys in his shared accommodation, reminding him they had a class soon. He didn't care. All he could think about was Alessia, and how much he missed her.

A knock came at his door.

"Mate, you awake?" Chris's voice was tentative. Jasper didn't respond, so Chris let himself in.

Chris stood at the doorway, his eyes scanning Jasper, who was still bundled up under the duvet like he hadn't moved all morning. "Yo, you're going to be late for class."

Jasper sighed heavily, pulling the duvet up to cover his head. "I don't care."

Chris raised an eyebrow and stepped further into the room. "What's going on with you? You're never like this."

Jasper let out a long breath, his voice muffled under the covers. "It's our anniversary today. Four years with Alessia."

"Right, I remember you mentioned that," Chris said, sitting on the edge of the bed. "Why does that mean you're hiding in bed, though? Shouldn't you be, I dunno, happy?"

"She's in America, man. I can't see her, I can't hold her, I can't even take her out on a proper date." His voice cracked, and he hated how pathetic he sounded. "It's just... it sucks. I miss her so much, and today is supposed to be special, but it's just... empty."

Chris sat quietly for a moment, considering his words. "I get it. That's tough, mate. Long distance is brutal. But just because you can't physically be there doesn't mean today has to be a waste, you know?"

Jasper peeked out from under the covers, a frown creasing his forehead. "What do you mean?"

Chris smiled, a spark of an idea lighting up in his eyes. "You've got technology, don't you? You guys FaceTime all the time—why not do something special that way?"

Jasper blinked, his mind slowly processing the idea. "Like a virtual date?"

"Exactly," Chris said with enthusiasm. "I mean, it's not the same as being there in person, but it's better than spending the day sulking in bed. Plus, you could make it special. Get creative."

Jasper sat up a little more, intrigued but still sceptical. "How would I even do that? It's not like I can take her to a restaurant over FaceTime."

Chris shrugged. "Why not set up a dinner for yourself and have her do the same? You could both cook something, eat together on video. Maybe set up your room to look nice. I'm sure she'd love it."

The more Jasper thought about it, the more the idea took shape in his head. It wasn't perfect, but it was something. It was a way to show Alessia that he was still thinking of her, still wanted to celebrate their anniversary, even if they were half a world apart.

"Yeah," Jasper said slowly, his voice picking up energy. "That could actually work."

Chris grinned. "Told you. And you could even send her something—like, order something online for her to open during the date."

Jasper nodded, feeling more alive now that he had a plan forming. "Yeah, that's good. But I'm going to need some help."

Chris raised an eyebrow. "What kind of help?"