Two Thousand Miles Away

Chapter 3

Ella

My computer dinged at 9:30 PM with a message from the pen pal website. You have been matched with 18 year old R2-D2 from Durango, Colorado. Click here to write him.

Underneath was a message that I assumed was written by R2-D2. I read through the message.

I responded with:

Dear R2-D2,

How did you pick that name out. Are you some kind of nerd with bright blue hair. I live in New York City (clearly) and I'm a senior in high school. Funny enough I'm going to the University of Colorado too. Hopefully.

You should probably know that I'm doing this penpal thing for school. We have to be in touch at least every three weeks. And my grades are my everything so you better not cause me to fail.

Also you should understand that I'm very sarcastic so take everything I say with a grain of salt.

Cinder

I read through my message once to check for misspellings or grammar problems. Nothing is more embarrassing than a stupid mistake. I clicked send.

Right when I was about to pack up my computer, my little brother came in. He had a blanket tucked in his arms.

Grayson was only nine.

"Can I sleep with you tonight, El?" he asked burying his face in his blanket. Grayson had been mostly over his fear of the dark. Sometimes it came back in full force. Tonight was probably one of those nights.

Grayson climbed in my bed and pulled the covers up to his chin. He was completely asleep when I heard the front door open and close. It must have been my older brother, Mike, coming home from work.

When he passed by my room he glanced in. Then walked back to the doorway. "What's going on here?" he asked, a smirk on his face. Mike also was not hard on the eyes. He looked just like me - fawn hair, blue eyes, tall - and was a total player in college.

I put my hand on my little brother's hair and started to stroke it. "He's sleeping with me tonight," I stated as I looked at Grayson fondly. He was like my own son. When my dad got a job that traveled a lot I started to take more responsibility for Gray.

Mike put his bag outside my door and walked in my room. Then he laid down on the bed next to me. My computer dinged. Mike, who was quickly falling asleep, shot from the bed. "Who is that?" he asked.

I shook my head. "It's just something for school."

I open the laptop and found a new message from R2-D2.

Cinder,

I picked out my name as a joke. And are you saying that you wouldn't talk to me if I did have blue hair. Luckily, you'll never have to make that choice because in my school, I'm hot and popular. I have the blond hair and blue eyes that romance novels are made from.

Don't worry about your project, I won't let you fail. I'm actually doing this for my sister. She has the same project as you and is not happy about it. Do you have any siblings?

R2-D2

A smile filled my face as I read the message. Although I wasn't thrilled that R2-D2 was popular, he seemed nice enough. I could spend the year with him. So I wrote back:

R2-D2,

Well Cinder was also a joke, kinda. If you knew my real name you'd get it but I don't think we're on a first name basis yet. In school I'm just a pretty nerd. Not really a stand out. I have the fawn hair and blue eyes that romance readers are made of.

It's so cute that you're doing this for your sister. I have two brothers. My older one is reading over my shoulder right now.

I stopped typing and glared at my brother. He pretended to be asleep but kept one eye open. I flicked his forehead. "Hey," he complained. "I'm just doing my job as an older brother. I have to be protective"

My younger brother is asleep in my bed. I'd do anything for them.

I can't believe you're popular. The guys in my school who are popular are jerks. If you're a football player we can't be friends anymore. Football players are the worst of all of them.

Can you tell me more about Colorado? I want to know everything about your great state.

Cinder

Jacob

I stared at my screen as I read that message over and over again. I wasn't just a football player but the football player.

I frowned and stared at my computer, as if I was willing it to give me the answer to my problem.

My phone beeped next to me and I saw Rachel's name flash on the screen. I quickly picked up. "Hey, Baby," she said once the call connected. I could picture her on her bed doing her nails.

I grabbed my laptop and plugged it into the charger. I had all year to talk to Cinder. "What's up, Rach?" I asked, the phone between my ear and shoulder.

"My parents are out of town tonight. You wanna come over?"

I smiled. I could just tell my parents that I was spending the night with a friend. We did it all the time. "I'll be right there."

***

I woke up to the bright light of the morning the next day.

Groaning, I tried to roll over but my arm was stuck. Why did Rachel always want to cuddle after sex. It wasn't like our relationship meant anything.

I pulled my arm from underneath her by doing that quick-pull thing in an attempt to not wake her up. Then I grabbed my boxers from the ground and put them on.

Grabbing my phone, I looked through my text and emails, half-wondering if I got anything from Cinder. After that weird message she sent me that I failed to respond to, we hadn't talked.

There was only a text from my mom asking when I'd be home.