A FAREWELL IS IN ORDER BUT READ, WE'LL TALK AFTER<3
I phoned them, the admissions people.
The last day of interviews in on Saturday.
Which is the same day as my interview here.
I had to choose, as the city was literally a four hour drive away.
I didn't know what to do, I was unsure. If I go to the interview in the city and miss this one and I don't get the job, I will have to stay here anyway, and I wont be doing the placement I want. But I could always stay with dad anyway.
Life decisions are hard.
Honestly.
I haven't told Jackson I had been looking into it, I just, I wanted to do this on my own.
Not do it on my own, because I have been asking my mum, dad and Charlotte for help. But just, I wanted to decide it without the pressure.
I decided.
And I was glad I didn't tell him I had been looking into it, it was better this way.
"Ives, are you sure you don't want to come?" Jackson asks, he was laying on my bed as I was just going through my CV.
"No, I'm good. I just need to get this done, I have an interview on Saturday."
"I know, but I've read your CV, cover letter, they're perfect. You need to eat."
I send him a little smile. "Jackson I am eating, I just will grab some lunch from downstairs. Go have lunch with your friends, spend time with them."
"It's not as fun if you don't come." He smiles persuasively and I shake my head at his clingy ass.
"Jackson go." I deadpan and he sighs getting off the bed and walking towards me, I shut my laptop and let him place a kiss on my lips. "Just come back after." I send him a small grin and he laughs nodding.
"Okay, I'm going to head out, do you want food brought back?"
"No."
"Is this where you say no, but then when you see that I brought nothing back you get this little disappointed frown on your face?" He says, giving me a 'I know you' look.
My lips tug up and I nod. "Yep."
"Okay, got it." He chuckles, grabbing his things. "I'll see you in a bit."
"Okay."
Jackson pulls my bedroom door behind him and I reopen my laptop.
St. Agatha's Academy.
I'm going to confirm the interview time. We'll figure us out, we love each other.
I cant just mess around with my future, especially when I don't know what I want. I should be sensible.
As soon as I confirm the date, my phone rings and I stare at the unknown number.
"Hi?"
"Good afternoon, this is Keira Thompson speaking from the student services department of St Agatha's Academy, can I confirm this is Ivy James?"
"Oh that was quick, yeah, speaking."
"Oh good, it's nice to meet you." She says and I try not to laugh as I don't know if a phone call counts as meeting.
"You too."
"I was just ringing to confirm the date and time, and to tell you how to prepare for the interview."
"Oh good thankyou." I say and my eyebrows raise as Jackson walks back into my room. He sends me an apologetic smile and I press my fingers to my lips to tell him this phone call is important.
"So, this Saturday, and can we make it 11:00 AM on the dot?"
"Yes." I say. "I can make that."
"Okay so we have copies of your CV and Cover letter. We would like you to bring an example essay, on something you are passionate about. This is a little different than most courses I know, but we just want to see your strength or debate I suppose, it can be about anything. A debate title is best: for example 'Do all teenage boys need more wellbeing support'. Is that okay, I know it's Friday already but-"
"Oh no, that's fine. I can do that now." I say.
"Oh brill. You will also need to be prepared to answer questions about your CV, your education background is unusual to our usual applicants, which is actually a pretty positive thing. But we might ask questions about that?"
"Are you going to be conducting the interview?" I ask.
"Yep I will be there, and another one of my colleagues."
"Okay, does the essay have to be a certain word count?"
"Around 2000 will be brilliant."
"Okay, thankyou." I say and smile at how nice she seems.
"You are welcome, we look forward to meeting you."
"I am too." I say and send Jackson a small smile.
"Okay, take care."
"You too, bye." I say and press the end call button.
"Who was that?" Jackson asks and I send him a small smile.
"A woman called Keira, she'll be doing my interview on Saturday. Why are you here?" I ask.
"Jayden's picking me up, he just said, something about car pooling and saving the planet."
"Oh right, Nora is rubbing off on him." I laugh.
"Tell me about the school." Jackson asks taking an interest.
"You don't have to-"
"Is it for the secondary here?"
I watch him carefully and nod.
"Oh, so you don't want to work with your dad?" He says and I shrug.
"It's not that at all. It's just if I get qualified at a primary school, I will have a harder time looking for jobs later if I want a job in a secondary school. But if I do the apprenticeship at a high school, then I am qualified for the younger years as well."
"Oh okay, that makes sense." He says his tone light. He has stayed away from the topic of moving as well, he doesn't want to upset me or stress me out.
Even though I have been getting my shit together, like I am almost okay again now.
"Has your landlord found a renter yet?" I ask easily, softly.
"Nope." Jackson says, sitting down on the edge of my bed, facing me.
"How come?"
"A lot of first years live on campus I guess, we are just waiting, he said that we'll definitely get one soon." He says and I send him a smile.
Hopefully.
"When's Jay coming?"
Jackson's eyes widen and he looks down at his phone. "Oh shit. Now, ha." He laughs and stands up, leaning down to press a short goodbye kill on my lips.
"Love you, see you later." He mumbles and I laugh at his sudden franticness.
"I love you too, go, go."
As Jackson leaves, I text Charlotte, replying to her previous message about whether my parents and I would like to come to their family BBQ, and asking her a question.
As soon as I get my answer, I smile. And then make the call.
......
"When's your interview?" Jackson asks, we were sitting at the dinning room table, I was writing my essay and he was just sat next to me on his phone.
"Tomorrow, early in the morning, so I will be gone before you wake up."
"When will you be back?" He asks and I smirk, raising an eyebrow at him.
"I'm not trying to be annoying." He laughs and sends me an apologetic look. "I got a call from my landlord saying someone wants to look round the flat tomorrow, at like 1 or 2 ish, and I just thought we could go up there too?"
I shake my head at him, placing a soft kiss on his cheek when he frowns.
"I am going to be busy still when you will have to leave. I'm sorry. But you should definitely go and meet them, who knows they might be your best friend for the next few years." I smile at him and he nods slowly.
"Okay, if you are sure?"
"Sure about what?"
"That you can't come." He says, laughing at the fact I am not following.
"Oh, yeah I'm sorry, I can't come with you."
"What are ya writing about?" He asks and I send him a pleading look.
I was almost done, and he kept asking questions.
"The importance of friendships as a support system. The sort of, yes they are so important but also no, they can't be the only support for a young person in need."
"Oh okay." He says looking over my shoulder.
"Jackson, I love you. But please go watch Netflix or something." I laugh and he chuckles too, realising how he is distracting me.
"Okay okay, sorry."
Jackson leaves and goes upstairs, which I was a little surprised at, I meant put on the tele, but I guess if he wants to go lie in my bed, that makes sense too.
I continue writing and before I know it, I'm done.I'm pretty happy with it and decide to get everything organised, printing it off.
I print four copies so everyone could read at the same time, if necessary. I get my folder ready, my CV, cover letter, references and my DBS certificate all filed accordingly.
I got this.
Placing the folder into my bag and placing that ready by the front door, I climb the stairs back to Jackson.
"I didn't know you were-" I start and then my words quieten when I notice him asleep.
He was so fucking cute. Honestly.
"Jackson?" I whisper and crouch down beside him, I'd let him sleep but my parents will be back with take out soon.
"Mm?"
"You hungry?"
His eyes open and I laugh, food, always food.
"Yeah?"
"Mum and dad are bringing Chinese home, don't sleep." I say and he lifts the covers up and I laugh, climbing in despite my words.
He wraps an arm around me and I smile to myself at how much I love being here with him, how much we have both changed.
"Did you ever contact that Sarah?" He whispers suddenly and I pull away slightly so we could talk.
"Yeah. But it was only a very short conversation. I sent her a few numbers, and a few different sign up links. She wasn't ok, about Layton. But she said she was trying to be. So she just asked for the info."
"It's nice of you to help her Ives."
"It's what anyone would do." I smile at him and he just shakes his head at me slightly.
We hear my parents get back and I groan, my comfy position being disrupted.
"But food." He smiles and nudges me to get up. And so I do, because food trumps sleep at the moment.
......
I left way before Jackson was getting up, I felt bad because usually we wake each other before we leave. But I knew he would be surprised that I was getting up so early to prepare.
I hadn't driven in so long, like he usually drives everywhere at the moment. Or we walk, Nora and Jay have been on our backs.
It's very strange going into a school you don't know, a school that my dad doesn't teach at, or I don't attend.
But it looked so beautiful here, it was a pretty old building but as soon as I was buzzed into the gates, I could tell it was nice and modern inside.
A lady met me in the office and I was taken into a little room to wait, I was so nervous honestly. Like this was important wasn't it? It was this or my dad's school and I loved the kids at my dad's school but I wanted a different experience.
The interview went by in a blur, you know when it's just sort of adrenaline keeping you going... but I think it was going good.
I got smiles every time I answered a question.
"Well Ivy, obviously we have to talk about things but we are really impressed with everything." Keira smiles and the man on her right, Toby nods in agreement.
"Oh, thank you."
"Have you travelled far today?" Toby says and Keira nods.
"Oh yeah, do you live locally?" Keira asks in addition.
I send them smiles and shake my head. "No, I live almost four hours away, but I am moving here in September, depending on the job."
"Oh." Their eyes widen and I laugh.
"Yeah, I'm actually going to look round a flat after this."
"Wow. The commitment is impressive."
"We do value commitment." Toby says and I nod.
"So do I, especially in this job. I feel like you gotta have determination and will power to get through to some young people." I smile.
"Yes definitely." Toby smiles and looks at Keira.
Keira looks back at him and shrugs nodding. "You are our last candidate and we shouldn't tell you this but you are the one we want."
"Oh." I almost gasp, well shit. I guess this is happening.
"So, just, we will send you official email or give you the official call and then you can accept or decline the job offer."
"Oh my goodness." I say my lips tugging up again. "Thankyou."
"No, we think you'll be a really good addition. We will send over all the extra information probably Monday."
We all stand up and say goodbye, I am so bloody shocked. Like I didn't think I'd get a yes. It's just, of course the local schools are keen to have me, but in the city? Where there would be so many more students? I was just shocked.
And so fucking happy.
I stayed and just talked to them a little longer, the conversation flowing freely until I realised, I had to make my way over to the flat, to meet the landlord.
When I got to my car and let out a little excited squeal. Because I couldn't wait to see Jackson's face.
He was going to be so confused.
Oh my.
I smiled all the way as I drove to the location, but as soon as I looked up and met the eyes of the landlord I was nervous because this was so serious, as in actually, could be happening.
What if Jackson didn't want me to move with him anymore?
"Ivy James?"
"Yes, Hi. How are you?" I ask smiling up at the grey-haired man in a suit and he smiles back.
"I'm good. And yourself?"
"Oh I'm great, I just got a job offer, or well, it's unofficial, verbal."
"Oh wow that's great." He smiles and as we walk up the stairs. There was just one set of stairs until we stopped outside a door, a big number 5 on it.
"Okay so, we already have a roommate situated, but I should tell you that it a male. Is that going to be an issue?" He asks and I shake my head, a smile jumping onto my face.
Hehe Jackson.
"No, not at all." I say and try to keep my tone nonchalant.
"Oh good, so many of my flat shares refuse to mingle with a different gender."
"Oh no, I'm good." I nod as he unlocked the door.
As we walk in I smile even brighter, good choice Jackie.
"Okay so as we walk in you can easily see the Kitchen to your left." He smiles and I grin too, the kitchen ran along one wall and then curved round to create like a island.
Which was going to be useful.
Infront of the kitchen was a dinning room table and its light grey wood mixed so nicely with the white marble counter tops in the kitchen.
"The furniture is a little outdated." He nod towards the leather sofa and I nod. "But I have been meaning to change it so if you and the other tenant agree on something, we could always discuss options."
Wow okay.
The sofa was a little outdated in the open plan front room, but the room was large and it could look so nice if maybe we changed the seating to a greyish colour, or even Black would go.
It honestly didn't matter.
"Your room is this way." He nods and I smile thinking, how can I ask to see Jackson's room as well. As he opens the room I grin at the inbuilt double wardrobe, remembering Jackson's comment about my clothes.
I look around the room and I don't see why we couldn't stay in this one, it was so nice.
"The bathroom is just through there." He nods to the door and I smile going in myself.
"There are ensuites in both bedrooms so you wouldn't have to share any facilities other than the living spaces."
"Okay, thank you." I smile for the tour.
"So what do you think?" He asks and I nod.
"I really like it."
"Well, I haven't had much other interest so you'd definitely get it if you wanted to say yes to this place."
"I do." I smile. "But I would like to meet the roommate first, you mentioned he was coming too?"
"Oh yeah, he said he was coming. Would you like me to introduce you two?"
"I would love to be able to look around and talk to him first, alone?"
He looks a little taken back and I smile gently. "It's just because if I am going to be living with him, I wanna know what he's like without the presence of someone that could potentially kick him out." I chuckle and he smiles at me.
"You know what, ok." He laughs, "I will fire him a text and tell him that the door is open. Please don't rob me. And tell me if he's a bad guy, it could be useful for me to know too."
"Okay." I laugh too and I am trying to not buzz in excitement.
"Right, do you like coffee? Tea? Cake?" He asks.
"All of the above."
"I'll go pop to the café and grab some takeaway stuff. Then I'll come back and if you want to go over paper work or we could discuss when you want to sign contracts?"
"I'm not going to lie, I'll probably get someone to go over the contacts with me before I sign, like a parent. First time tenant and all. But it would be good to go through them."
"Okay sounds good. I will be back." He smiles and I take a seat on the sofa waiting for him to go.
As the door shuts, I stand up and look around again, smiling widely at the huge ass windows and the way the sun shines so easily through them. I decide that this would be such a fucking ace place to live, especially with Jackson.
I walk over to the countertop and grin, jumping up and smiling at the way he would walk straight in and I would be there, just sat, waiting directly in front of him across the room.
My phone buzzes and I smile widely at it.
Jackson: Just got to the flat, am about to go meet the roommate. I hope your interview went okay, text me as soon as you know anything. Love you.
I don't say anything just wait for him to come.
I don't have to wait long.
I can't refrain my smile when he pushed the door open and then freezes.
His beautiful face is frozen on an illustration of shock and I laugh loudly at him.
"Hiya Baby."
He takes a step forward and he looks around, as if he was so confused, and I can't help it, I laugh, grinning so wide.
"Ives, why are you here?" His voice is thick, he knows.
"Because you are."
My words seem to trigger movement from him because his keys and his phone fall from his hands and I watch as they are tossed easily to the floor. He walked towards me and I'm smiling so wide and he is smiling so wide too.
"What the fuck?" He laughs as he reaches me, coming to stand between my legs and his hands place themselves on my waist.
"I got the job Jackson."
"Your interview was for here?"
"Yes." I laugh at his bewildered tone.
"I-" He shakes his head at me in astonishment.
"You still wanna live with me?" I say and he laughs.
He doesn't let me laugh too, he doesn't need to answer, instead he presses his lips against mine and we are both so happy in this moment I knew this wasn't a mistake.
If this all went pear-shaped then so be it.
You can't trade happiness for what ifs.
Falling in love with Jackson, both times, was unexpected. But my goodness, were we so fucking right for each other.
Our souls were never meant to belong together, but somehow along the way they met and they tied.
And there was no going back after that.
Authors Note
Omg, can you believe it's the end?
I started writing theses books 15 weeks ago, and here we are over 100 chapters later and we are done!
I would just like to thank you all!
Especially those of you who have left me some hilarious comments , heart breaking comments, and comments packed with love. Yous who dont write, don't understand how great it is reading people's reactions to your words. Honestly thankyou so much.
I hope everyone enjoys the 'Confessions' stories. And i can confirm i have been thinking about Cole and Nova. It's in the making dont worry.
Just, thankyou!
Jadeee
Blair
Charlotte
hehe u can choose ^
xoxox