One New Message (Random Updates)

Chapter 43

Jade gasped as papers landed on the dragon she had placed on the table an hour early, "It's not dry yet!"

"Sorry," Kota apologized as he quickly picked them back up. "I'm sorry."

Jade placed the wing she was forming down to pick up the dragon. Turning it around carefully she smiled softly up at him, "It's okay, no damage done. What's that?" She barely tilted her chin to the papers in his hand. "Sorry I snapped."

"No need to apologize," he smiled as he crouched down in front of her. "I should have checked before I dropped them. Does Doc know you are up here?" He asked as he looked around the room.

"Gabriel carried me up here," she murmured as her nerves started to get the best of her. She cleared her throat as she rubbed the palms of her hands down her jean covered thighs.

"Alright, I fucking found the paintbrushes!" Gabe said as he strolled into the room holding up two jars filled with various kinds of brushes. "If these won't fucking work I'll go get new ones."

Her eyes skimmed over the jars before lighting up, "those are great."

"Fucking awesome," Gabe beamed. "Hey Kota, what's up?"

"Just came to drop these off before I have to go back to work," Kota smiled.

"Oy, what the fuck are they?" Gabe asked as he sat the jars down before taking the papers from Kota. "Oy, what the fuck, K?"

"You two," Kota smirked as he crossed his arms over his chest, "start school on Monday."

"What are you talking about?" Jade asked, dropping the ball of clay that was in her hands. A thud was soon heard but no one commented on it.

"You and Gabe have been enrolled into the Art Institute," he beamed. "You both start on Monday. Victor will be teaching there as well so you will not be alone."

"I can go back to school?" Jade whispered so softly both men almost missed it.

"Fuck yeah you are, my cute Trouble," Gabe beamed as he dropped down into the seat beside her and kissed her hair. "And I'm going to fucking be right goddamn there beside you in every fucking class every goddamn day. The guys are going to be fucking jealous with how much time we spend together. It's going to be fucking perfect."

"Enjoy it while you can," Corey chuckled from the doorway where he was leaning against the doorframe. "Because that's the only time you'll have her all to yourself. Once my girl is home from school and work, she's ours." He smirked, "And just remember, she's mine first."

"What if..." she trailed off.

"Ask, DreamKitten," Corey encouraged.

She took a deep breath and slowly let it out, "What if I don't want to go back to school?"

"Then you don't have to go," Corey shrugged. "We just know how much you enjoy art and didn't want you to have any regrets about not finishing. You can always try and see how you like this new place and if you don't or it gets to be too much, you don't have to continue. It's just an option, it's your choice."

"And you won't be alone this time," Kota nodded. "You have us."

"What do you fucking say, Trouble?"

She looked down at the papers as her eyes misted over. This was her dream place to attend and now it was a reality. But could she actually go back to school? What if it was the same? What if she didn't actually belong? The Institute was hard to get in, was she actually good enough to get in or did they buy her way in?

"Hey, look at me," Corey whispered as she felt her head lift, snapping her out of her thoughts. His eyes bore into hers then she felt his thumb wipe away a tear she didn't realize slipped free. "What's going on in that pretty little head of yours? Talk to me?"

"Did you buy my way in?" she blurted out seconds before her eyes widened as her hand covered her mouth in a way to prevent any more words from slipping out.

"What?" Corey chuckled, "Oh Sweetheart, no. They reached out to us."

"Show her," A deep voice said from behind him. She barely shifted to look over his shoulder and her breath hitched. Gray eyes bore into hers, resulting in the slight tremble in her hands to calm. "Now." Her eyes remained on his as the sound of his shoes approaching her filled her now settled mind. "She needs to see it for herself."

"You got it," Corey said as he pulled the phone out of his pocket. He tapped on his screen a couple of times then turned the phone around for her to see.