Mister Masterpiece

Chapter 13 - College

"It would be so amazing to go to Juilliard!" Jack lay on Mark's bed, talking about all of his dream schools. "It would be really hard to nail that audition, but with this scholarship, I could really have a chance of going."

"Yeah, that would be a great opportunity." Mark stared at his laptop.

"Hey, you've been really quiet." Jack sat up, leaning back on his hands. "Is something wrong?" Jack asked softly. Mark looked over at Jack, and the look on Jack's face made Mark's heart shatter.

Mark sighed, and rubbed his face. "Look, Jack..." Mark paused, chewing on his lip as he looked back at his laptop. Jack crossed his legs and put his hands in his lap, listening intently for Mark to start speaking again. "Jack, my parents are moving back to Cincinnati."

"Oh..." Jack shifted.

"And they want me to go to school in Cincinnati." Mark broke the news to Jack.

Jack didn't speak.

"Tom's internet comic thing has really taken off, and my parents want me to take over Workday." Mark set his laptop aside. "They want me to go to the business school that they went to."

"I can't exactly go to business school, can I?" Jack laughed breathlessly.

"Well, I have to go to community college for my Associates degree, of course, but..." Mark ran a hand through his hair. "I don't have much of a say in the whole business school thing."

Jack thought for a moment. They both sat in silence, not looking at each other.

"Well, I don't have to go to dance school right now." Jack shrugged.

"But, what about your scholarship?" Mark looked at Jack with wide eyes.

"There's no way I can get that scholarship to stretch across four years of school without student loan debt. I could probably easily pay for two years of community college, and get a free ride to dance school for the last two years for my bachelor's degree." Jack smiled.

"Jack, don't you even fucking think about throwing away your success just to go to school with me for another couple years." Mark glared at Jack.

"I'm not throwing away my success!" Jack waved his hand. "I'm just... Thinking about the cost. This is far more cost effective." Mark still stared at Jack. "If you're gonna be upset at me about this, I'm sneaking into your suitcase and coming with you anyway." Jack smirked.

Suddenly, Mark yanked Jack off of the bed and into his lap, hugging him tightly. Jack snuggled into Mark's chest, giggling happily.

"I love you." Mark whispered into Jack's hair.

"I love you, too."

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Jack stood outside of his apartment, staring at the moving truck full of his and Mark's family's belongings.

"So," Jack shrugged. "This is everything." Jack turned to Molly.

"I guess..." Molly shifted on her feet. "I guess this is goodbye.

"Not forever!" Jack reassured Molly. "Just... Not for a while. In real life, at least."

"Yeah..." Molly sniffed. "But it's still a long time. And you're still gonna be far away."

"We'll still talk every day. I promise." Jack forced a smile, but the corners of his lips twitched into a frown as he saw a tear roll down Molly's cheek.

Molly yanked Jack into a hug, and Jack hugged her tightly. It was tight, warm, and silent, until a shuddered gasp fell from Jack's lips. The two sobbed in each other's embrace, clinging on to each other for dear life. Jack cried uncontrollably, and Molly's shuddering sobs shook her tear-stained shoulders.