What Is Home?

Letters For All

Jamie POV:

I picked at the pasta on my tray with my fork as conversations continued all around me. I didn't bother listening or trying to engage. I wouldn't know what's going on anyways. 

It's been a month since Francesca returned to Italy and I haven't heard from her since. Gianna has been messaging Francesco and from what she's told me, Chesca doesn't have her phone and isn't allowed to leave her room. Meaning that even if she wanted to contact me, she couldn't.

I'm hoping that the radio silence I'm receiving from her is truly because she can't contact me, and not that she doesn't want too.

Thankfully, fall season for soccer is over and spring season isn't close to starting yet because I've been missing so much school lately that if we were in season, I'd be kicked off of the team. My grades are slipping severely and I don't even care.

I know I should care, but I don't. If I let my honor roll status slip, all the schools that gave me D1 scholarship offers have the right to rescind them. I can't let that happen because the only way that I have a chance to see Chesca again is if we both go play soccer for the same college next year. However, we're getting closer and closer to the national commitment deadline. 

Though it's only December, the national commitment deadline is May 1st and Chesca doesn't turn 18 until February 13th. That leaves barley two and a half months for her to escape her parents, choose a school, and somehow find a way back to America. 

The more that I think about it, the chances of that actually happening seem slimmer and slimmer. 

"Hey lighten up. Christmas break is only 3 weeks away." Gianna said as she bumped my shoulder with hers, before taking a bite of her pasta.

"Yeah and it still can't come soon enough." I groaned as I pushed my dish of food aside. I then crossed my arms on the table and buried my face in them. "I don't want to be here. I just want to be with her." I whispered so that only Gianna could hear me.

"And you will. I promise. It's just gonna take some time you know that." Gianna said as she rubbed a hand on my back.

"She doesn't turn 18 until February. I don't want to wait until then to see her, let alone wait until college starts in August." I complained.

"It's all going to work out. I promise." Tatum said from the other side of me as she patted my back. "Trust me, I know."

"How?" I asked as I sat up to look at her.

"Because Chesca told me that Italian women are like psychic and can see the future and I'm like 2% Italian sooooo..." Tatum said with a cheesy smile. 

"That's so not how that works." Gianna said with a laugh.

"Trust me! It is!" Tatum argued. "Chesca said that she knows that me and Emily will get back together someday and I believe her. I have to believe her." Tatum said, the last sentence almost a whisper that nobody else could hear.

"You guys will Tate, don't worry." Gianna said as she gave her a sympathetic smile.

"Thanks Gi." Tatum smiled back softly. 

"Anyways Jamie are you gonna eat the rest of that pasta?" Gianna asked.

"Nope. It's all yours." I said as I slid the tray over to her.

"Sick!" She said excitedly before taking a bite of the school food. Tatum and I both cringed.

"I can't eat that. Not after having Chesca, Maria, and Tito make pasta for me." I admitted.

"Yeah me neither. Once you taste the real thing, it ruins everything else for you." Tatum agreed. Working in an Italian restaurant, she knows exactly what I mean.