Jump | Sanvers

Day 13

"Infuse your life with action. Don't wait for it to happen. Make your own future. Make your own love. Make your own happiness. You control your future, your destiny. What you think about comes about. By recording your dreams and goals on paper, you set in motion the process of becoming the person you most want to be. Put your future in good hands - your own."

Day 13 - The Future

A chilly gust of wind through the air causes goosebumps to rise on my pale skin and for my body to feel slightly uncomfortable. I run a shaky hand through my hair while nervously staring down at the calm water below.

Breathing in deeply, I allow myself to exist in this moment.

Maggie and I are standing on a bridge. I needed some calm and peace, so Maggie and I had decided to take a walk.

"Are you okay?" Maggie whispers, letting out a low laugh.

I lick my dry lip. "Yes. Just having a calm moment of serenity."

"Can you believe that already thirteen days have passed?" Maggie asks, coming closer.

I turn my gaze from the calm water to Maggie. "No, I can't. Days are going a lot quicker than I thought it would."

"Is that a bad thing?" Maggie sighs.

I put a strand of hair behind my ear. "I don't think so. I actually like your company. I didn't think I would, but that's the truth."

Maggie smiles softly. "Well, I like your company too. I had a lot of fun these past few days. And I don't want you to go. I don't know what I am going to do when you decide to leave me. I will spend the rest of my life wondering what I could've done better to save you."

I open my mouth to say something, but end up being unable to produce a single noise. I feel my cheeks go red as my mouth just stupidly stays agape. I can't find the right words at this moment, it's like they have been pulled right out of me and are nowhere to be seen. I feel my hands begin to grow clammy so I ball them into fists.

 "You don't seem happy with that expression on your face." Maggie says with a slight chuckle, noticing my red cheeks. "Don't worry about it, okay? I made this deal, remember?"

I sigh deeply, trying to shove the feeling of guilt, sadness and happiness into a locked box in the corner of my mind. My mind goes back to when I was an inch from falling down that building, and when Maggie came to me and saved me from death.

"Give me fifteen days, and I can give you fifteen reasons not to die." Maggie says. "I would feel horrible just letting you go like this without trying. And if I fail you're free to jump."

I reach my hand to hers and with that I could feel the sense of warmth and safety that I always feel when she touches me.

Something about Maggie scares me, but another part of her makes my heart shine as bright as a thousand stars. 

Something about Maggie Sawyer has put love inside of my heart.

.  .  . 

Later that day, Maggie walks me back to the orphanage, each of us silent for the most part. It's half past one, and I missed lunch. I am expecting Mother Elizabeth to be furious at me, but as I approach the orphanage I see her smiling from ear to ear. 

"Alex, sweetie!" She yells, running towards me. "Where have you been?"

I raise my eyebrows, wondering why Mother Elizabeth is so excited. I've never seen her almost jumping up and down. "Maggie and I took a long walk."

Maggie gives her a wave, to which Mother Elizabeth replies with a big smile. "I have to tell you something."

"What is it?" I ask, looking quizzically at her. "Is there something wrong?"

"Well, I was doing the laundry when the mailman came by. He gave me this." Mother Elizabeth says, showing me a brown envelope. "Here, open it."

I grab the envelope from her. I see it is adressed to me, from Harvard University, one of the universities that I applied to earlier this year. "Wait a minute?!" My eyes widen, as I stare at my name carefully.

"I-I can't open it." I stutter, biting my lower lip.

"You have to." Maggie says, a smile spreading across her face.

Maggie looks over to me, her eyes latching onto mine and her gaze holding me captive. She smiles gently and nods her head at me. I feel my heart twist and flutter inside my chest. 

I find myself surprisingly smiling back at her, but I know that my expression is similar to that of a stupidly stunned cartoon character. "Okay, here it goes."

I tear open the envelope with one big grip. I take out the letter, trying to read as fast as possible.

"Dear Alexandra Danvers," I say, "we are proud to inform you that you have been accepted into Harvard University!"

I let out a screech, smiling from ear to ear. Mother Elizabeth wraps her arms around me, almost squeezing me to death. "Oh, Alex!!! I knew you could do it! I'm so proud of you! You are going to college!"

I pull away from Mother Elizabeth as I wipe my tears of happiness off with my sleeve. "they offered me a full scholarship!"

"We're going to celebrate tonight!" Mother Elizabeth squeals, speed-walking away to tell all the others.

Part of me can't believe that I got a full scholarship, it's insane. I smile, as I turn back towards Maggie, who has been silent for most of the time. My body itches to walk over and wrap my arms around her, to hold her close, to feel that fluttering feeling inside my chest, to share my happiness with her.

"Congratulations, Alex!" Maggie says, reaching up and brushing her thumb against my cheek, "I am so happy for you."

And then she leans forward to evelope me in her arms, and my mind freezes, but my heart doesn't freeze; it sets on fire and I'm lost.

And then she lets me go, and Maggie is smiling at me with an expression I've never seen before. She sighs deeply, as if she has held her breath all this time and suddenly remembers that she needs air. Her brown eyes are gazing at me and I can't believe that this girl makes me feel like this.

"Your life is just beginning, Alex." Maggie breathes, "this is your future."