Roommates & Soulmates

Ch171: Paige's Calm

Walking down that hallway, Paige couldn't help but feel nostalgic. This would be her last September with a new semester. By the end of this school year she'd graduate with a bachelor's degree, majoring in childhood development with a minor in business. It sometimes felt like just yesterday that she'd first attended classes in this building.

Jon was back in school as well, though he was commuting a bit farther than her to get to Waterloo. It was crazy to her that there was only one school in the whole country that taught Optometry in English. Still she was so proud of him for going back to finish up his schooling. Though Paige suspected that no one was happier Jon was back in school than his mother who had already thanked her on the phone twice for convincing him it was a good idea. Jon had blushed adorably when he heard what his mother had said. Just thinking about it brought a smile to Paige's face.

But now was a time for listening, not smiling. Paige sat down in the chair she'd likely end up sitting in all semester - despite the fact that there wasn't assigned seating - and tried to pull her mind back to the present with moderate success. She was pretty sure she got the gist of the lecture at least and if not she'd just go through the chapter in the textbook again before a test. No problem. Boring part of the day accomplished.

Now onto better things. Like time with her boyfriend. Since Jon lived with Jace they often had accidental double dates where the three of them and Annika all hung out together. Though when Paige called them double dates both Jace and Annika corrected her at the same time, reminding her once again that they weren't a couple. The friends with benefits concept Paige just did not understand, but if they were both happy with the set up she wasn't going to judge, though she felt sure no matter how many times they told her, she was still going to use the wrong word for them without meaning to.

To be fair to them there was quite a difference between the way Annika and Jace hung out as opposed to the way an actual couple spends time together. They never sat with their arms around each other, never kissed casually in a group setting, or did any of those little things couples did. Those everyday little things that showed that people cared were absent with Annika and Jace, though she suspected care was the wrong word. They were very clearly friends, good friends even, but there was something missing.

Most of the time Paige hung out at Jon's, but tonight they weren't going to Jon's place, but rather hers. Alec was having a big get together for no reason other than the fact that Alec could now afford it. Between buying his car and catering a 'welcome back credit card' party, Paige hardly knew how Alec had any money left. He did have parents richer than god, so she assumed that was how.

Everyone was coming tonight including Jordan, which would make this the first time she'd seen him since they'd broken up in December. It felt like a lifetime ago now, but thanks to Jon she wasn't even finding the whole thing uncomfortable. She couldn't even bring herself to worry about it, not with him around. She and Jon had been on their first date only about three months ago, but Paige had this feeling like it didn't matter how short a time they'd been together, Jon was gonna be the one.

"What's with that dopey grin on your face?" Jon asked her from the driver's seat of her own truck. She'd lent it to him this morning to commute to his classes since her's were in walking distance, with assurances that he'd pick her up after class.

"Just thinking about you," she replied, grinning at him.

"I ain't worth that dopey look," Jon answered, seriously.

"Says who?" Paige disagreed with a frown. She could tell from his tone that he actually meant what he'd said and she wanted to make sure to change his mind.

"Says me," Jon said.

"You know for a very smart guy you are awfully stupid," Paige said smiling up at him with all the affection in her eyes she could muster as a way of trying to convince how wrong he really was.