Mrs. Archer Xavier (REWRITING)

Chapter Five

THE ONE WITH ANOTHER MOVE

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"So how did it go?" Maia cuts through the awkward silence at the dinner she and Jace set. I put down my spoon and fork and allow my hands to find their way to the ends of my dress, clutching onto them. "It was fine."

"'Fine'? What did he say?" She asks again and Jace looks at her before popping another piece of steak into his mouth. "It was fine," I emphasize. "He got me into this school, Lockhart-Millington University," I pause briefly to gauge their response but they just look at me intently.

"He says it's good for me so I can work...for the company..." I trail off, breaking eye contact. It doesn't really sound that bad. I mean, I sure had plans with Marianne and Aren about what we'd do for college but this seemed so much better than I thought this whole debacle was going to go.

"So he's setting you up?" Maia comments in disbelief. I'm surprised that she's still surprised at this point. "I can't believe he's actually doing this," she turns to Jace, talking as if I'm not in the room with them. He sighs, meeting her gaze with a face that says 'really?'

This makes her groan and turn to me. "Well, what did you say?"

"I—"

What do I tell her?

"I d-didn't know what to say," I stammer, feeling my walls crumble under her authoritative motherly gaze. "What-? Did you say 'no'? 'No, thanks. I'd actually like to go back to California now'?" She questions, tone somewhat rising that some people turn to look at us in the restaurant.

"Maia," Jace intervenes, earning a glare but he doesn't falter. "She's had a long week. It's not her fault. And you don't know what she wants," He argues with her calmly. Jace was always good with this. Staying calm. Sometimes, he's even too passive.

They both look at me. Is it my turn to speak? Line, please.

"It's not that bad. In this economy, I might be even grateful for my education to be fully paid," I say without meeting their gaze. I know she doesn't approve of my decisions. Our father is a shitty man and shitty father, but it's not like it's dirty money. Not that I know of.

"But it doesn't mean it's free, Jia," Maia sternly retorts. "You know well anything from him is like a deal with the devil," she adds, making Jace let out yet another sigh through his nostrils. "It's just school. I'm not married to my dream college," I argue back, trying once more.

"Do you really think that's what this is worth? Your dream college?" she remarked, and quite frankly she was starting to get on my nerves. This was not an easy decision to make. I know what I'm losing and could lose if he betrays me. I am looking for a way out, like Jace did.

"You don't think this is better than what happened—"

"Jianna," Jace hisses. "I'm sorry," I immediately utter. That comment would have been far below the belt, and I would hate myself till I die. It took a minute before Maia says anything. "No, I'm sorry. Jace is right. It's not your fault. I'm being too hard on you. I just thought it would never come to this."

"What? Like we'd outlive him?" I try to lighten the situation but they both look at me with widened eyes. "Oh, like you weren't thinking it—what? no? It's a joke! I was making a joke," I ramble on. It's probably the age gap.

"What are you planning to do?" Jace finally says after they spend a good while staring at me and processing what I had just said. "Well, I'm gonna go to school, you know? I can't really just disappear. I have a life too. But I am planning to find a way out of it, the inevitable," I answer and he nods along.

"Have you packed yet? You shouldn't worry about bringing too much clothes though. LMU has uniforms," Maia informs me. "I should be fine, I only have what I could fit in my luggages to get here."

I had to leave so much things and I'm still pretty pressed about it. I wasn't sure if I could bring a jar of sea shells with me. Or a jar of random trinkets (others might call it garbage) I pick up. Or a jar of sand from different beaches I've been too. I even have to leave some of my books and journals behind!

"Do you want me to get your things from California?" Jace offers and my heart kind of breaks at the thought. Bringing them here makes this feel real — permanent. If I have things there, I can go back. I have a reason to go back. Plus, it would upset Aunt Marge and Marianne.

"No, it's okay," I answer him in the cheeriest voice I could muster. He might end up offering to fly us on a jet there every weekend if I say that I miss home. Sentimentally, it would be great to go but it's financially and environmentally unnecessary.

"Is there anything else then that you need?" Jace asks. He's always spoiled me, even before it happened, but I think one of the reasons he still does now is because he still blames himself. Maia never blamed him for having to marry someone because Jace didn't — that was and will always be my father's fault. Then, he also punishes himself for letting them send me away.

I reach for his hand. "I'm okay, Jason. I'm okay, I promise," I smiled, squeezing his hand. Again, he sighs. "We could've ran away. I could have been your legal guardian. But—"

"You couldn't raise us all on your own," Maia finishes for him, taking his other hand, scooting closer to him. "We could have afford it," he mutters, obviously lost in memory. "We were spoiled, naive, defenseless kids, Jace. You weren't ready to be a father figure."

"I couldn't eat PB&J's forever," I say as I rest my head on his shoulders. "I know how to make oatmeal—"

"Yeah, and I can pour water," I sarcastically retort, and we laugh. "This is the only good thing he ever got us," Maia says under her breath as she looks at me and Jace. "He once got me a bunny," I blurt, suddenly remembering the fact that he actually did.

"Don't ruin the moment, Jia."

The next week, Maia and Jace helped me move — well, not exactly. Jace had to go to Japan for an important business meeting. Maia had a family thing with the Millers. Of course, I was invited but I can't go. I have planned to move today prior to the last minute decision of her husband's mom. Yikes.

"I'm really sorry, I couldn't drop you off," Maia groans over the phone. "It's fine, Maia—"

"Ah shit, I have to go back now, I just wanted to see how you're doing. I'll call you back later," she hastily talks before ending the call. I didn't even get a chance to squeeze a word in.

When I said they helped me move, I just meant this common friend of theirs drove me and helped me carried my things to the my room. He even helped me get to the main office to check in and get the necessary paperwork for my schooling and my living situation. He doesn't talk much though.

"Thank you so much. You didn't really have to do this."

"You're welcome. Have a great semester," he replies like an automated machine then left. That just felt so embarrassing.

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a|n: this did not happen in the original version, i know, but what do we feel about it?

i feel like it helped in covering the bases of Jianna's background, no?

anyways, we're about to get into the good drama!