Surviving the Aces (#Wattys2018)

Blimp

Oh my goodness! 10K! I never dreamed I would get this far. Sure, it's not much, but it is more than I ever expected. Thank you guys so much. Because I've reached 10K, I decided to give you guys a small insight to the story of Jakota :) Please vote guys, tell your friends, share my story, I'd really like to reach 15K!

I practically ran to my room, exhausted from yet another day of working and school. Though college life more than surpassed that of high school, working as soon as I got out of classes was no fun. On top of that, people who came into the shop were exceptionally snotty. The only reason I hadn't quit was because I got a pretty paycheck.

My parents weren't against giving me money, but I didn't like taking their money when I knew that I could work on my own. A day that I had not envisioned anywhere other than dreams had recently passed; their remarriage.

I had never cried so much in my life. My mother was finally alive again, and she was absolutely breathtaking in her wedding dress. I was her maid of honor, of course, and my father made Ash his best man. The relationship they struck up had surprised me greatly; at times, I thought Ash loved my father more than me. 

There was a knock on the door, and I knew immediately that it was Jace. Rose lived with me so she had no reason to knock, and Ash didn't know how to knock. I groaned aloud and he took that as his cue to come in.  

He smiled when he saw me sprawled atop my bed with my limbs splayed every which way. "Tough day?" He guessed, positioning himself at the foot of my bed. He began to take off my shoes and socks; something he always did for me at the end of the day. Jace did so much for me that I was surprised I could function before I met him. 

I rolled my eyes at his ignorant understatement. "One old lady that came inside wanted to try on every single dress as if she were going on the red carpet or something. They all looked awful on her, and when I told her that, she got upset!" I exclaimed, throwing my hands up in the air.

Jace chuckled and began massaging my feet; I always thought it was pretty gross since they were always sweaty, but he never seemed to mind, which I loved him for. "I can't believe you told her." He said in shock.

"Well, she asked." I defended. "They were all much too flashy on her dying skin." I wasn't trying to be rude but the woman looked eighty years old. Everything on her body sagged; I shuddered at the memory, then grimaced when I realized that I would be old and sagging one day.

Jace shook his head with a smile on his face; he looked so handsome and carefree and my mind went back to three years ago when I'd met him. He was the same childish Jace, yet somehow he'd managed to grow up somewhere inside of him. Though he was still careless, it was a mature carelessness. He had his own apartment, and he worked a steady job.

Jace was even doing an internship at a photography studio in the city. I'd never been so proud of him in my life.

"You're too much Kota." He said, still shaking his head. I smiled and leaned forward, pulling his arms away from my feet. I continued to pull him forward until we were touching noses. 

"Am I too much for you?" I whispered, closing my eyes and relishing in his scent. 

His lips touched mine in response and I wrapped my arms around his neck. He pulled away, as per usual, leaving me breathless. "You're always too much for me," he replied with a wink.

I laughed and hugged him tight, "I know." I responded. We jumped apart with a start at the sound of a whistle. I turned to the doorway with wide eyes that immediately relaxed at the sight of Quintin. 

"Seriously?" I said, rolling my eyes. "I love you Squinto, but I'm really contemplating kicking you out right now." I informed him.

He gave me an easy smile, at eighteen, he reminded me of his older brother, so much that it was scary. He didn't have Jace's long hair, but they shared the same nonchalant personality.