The Black Rose

Chapter Eight

"Yeah, it's me!" Jace smiled, but not at all looking surprised.

"Well, isn't this a pleasurable coincidence!" I said, walking to the side of the door so we could actually exit, while resisting the urge to wrap my arms around him.

"To be honest, I kinda figured I could find you here," he said, still holding his beautiful smile, his emerald eyes locked onto mine.

"I guess that officially makes me predictable," I replied, not sure how to reply.

"Oh, it does," he laughed back.

"Well, how've you been, dude!?" because it'd been ages since I last saw him.

"I've been pretty great, actually. I bet you'll never guess what I did," he said, sounding unpredictable.

"Uhh," I thought. "You stole a rock from a national park? Ooh, bad boy over here," I said, trying to be funny.

"No, not really," he laughed. "I enlisted. In the military. To be more specific, I'm a Marine now."

When he told me this, I wasn't sure how to feel. This meant that he could be killed. He could die young and never get to live a full life. Well, it depends on your definition of a full life, I guess. But why'd he join?

"Dude, that's rad! But, um, why?"

"Well, my whole time in high school, it was planned by my father that i would basically take over the family business when my old man retires, but I knew I didn't want to. I just don't have the passion that he does. I knew I wanted something honorable, something that would change lives and help people. Help the country. Help our country. Help my country."

"That's amazing," I said, though not really amazed. It kinda sucked. He's probably stationed at some base a thousand miles away for like God knows how long.

"And I um just wanted to see you. I really wanted to talk to you again, y'know, to pick up where we left off."

"Aw, that's so sweet. Yeah, oh definitely, we should come out for coffee sometime, tomorrow works," I said because I was actually very eager to catch up.

"Great! So I'll see you here tomorrow at...?"

"Two. It's an awkward time in the middle of the day, but it gives me time to look nice and presentable."

"You always look nice," Jace said with that same half smile that I fall for everytime.

We went our own ways after, and I headed home and made coffee. I needed another coffee after that.