Eeek Eeek I'm late I'm late. :D

S:

To: Wordsmith22

From:

Re: Greetings from Boston!

Dear Jane,

I think it's actually colder here in Boston. Jeffrey wore a scarf today when we went walking through the gardens. He misses you a ton: said so himself. Good luck on the paper for Mrs. Bisonetti- that's due today isn't it? I'll be bringing you back lots of gifts. I tried to bring you back this delicious pastry we had yesterday, but Jeffrey said that it would get gross. I guess it would've, but I still think you would've liked the strawberry jam… Send my best to the rest of the family and don't miss me too much!

-Skye

P.S. I enclosed a picture of me sitting on a metal duck. Jeffrey thought you would particularly enjoy it. He said the place was full of romanticism and you should write a love confession based on this area. I think he is totally full of shit, but if you want to... Here's the picture.

Jeffrey called me at seven Sunday night and Jane handed the phone out onto the roof because I had officially decided that it was a black hole for thinking. I had tried to explain it minutes before.

"An opposite side black hole though." I told her, leaning on the windowsill. "Somewhere, in a lab or a hotspot for intelligence, a black hole leads all thought to the cusp of the roof."

"Maybe during the northern lights you could see it floating just outside the window."

"No." I told her dismissively. "Something as great and powerful as a black hole wouldn't be affected by something as magical as the northern lights. If it was a very small black hole, perhaps it could be affected by tides. Changes in pressure. Hmm, but it would have to be in a particular cycle. Perhaps a blue moon. Only in November…"

She smiled over at me, rustling through pages stacked on her desk. "You know Skye?" I widened my eyes. "In the right light, you believe in magic. A different kind of magic, but magic all the same."

"Careful there Jane," I grinned, swinging my legs around out onto the roof. "We might secretly be the same person."

"Psh.." She grabbed a stack to the right and shifted it over a little. "I could never understand Algebra even if I wanted to; a different theory must be presented if you wish to impress me."

I hopped off onto the roof and was leaning against the wall when she handed the phone out to me.

"Hello?"

"Skye Penderwick."

"What's wrong?"

"Why does something have to be wrong, why could everything be perfectly aligned?"

"Is that a trick question?" I slid the window shut to block out all other noise; Jane had started playing more of her sappy music and it was messing with my brain waves. If he was upset, he deserved to converse without a mantra based off of Jane's abominable taste in music.

"Yes. And no. I mean, perhaps I'm just asking too much of the universe. I want something real, you know Skye?"

"I'm not sure if this will be any consolation, but perhaps you're searching for the wrong thing."

"What, real isn't a worthy goal?"

I sighed. "What is real, Jeffrey? How can you be certain if something is real? Have you heard of the allegory of Plato's cave?"

"Plato was a Greek philosopher right?"

"Yes. Look it up Jeffrey. We can't ever be sure if anything is real."

"It doesn't matter."

"Please explain."

"I want to live an expressive life. If all I live is an illusion, then I don't care. I lived through my memories and I will remember what I believed was reality. If it wasn't real, oh well, but that doesn't change what happened."

"I disagree."

"Of course you do."

I could still hear Jane's music beating; a plane of glass away.

"It does change things. I can't explain why, but it does."

There was a pause.

"So would you prefer to live life as if it was real or if it was an illusion?"

"I haven't thought about it." I admitted.

"I have all the time in the world."

"You don't. But I only need a moment."

And it did only take a moment. "I suppose it would be easier if it all was an illusion, if I could just mess up my life and it wouldn't really matter because life ends, doesn't it? But I have to admit, the human instinct is to want something real."

"Hah." He sighed. "So I'm not so crazy for wanting a relationship with the opposite sex that doesn't end in lies and heartbreak?"

"No, you're human. I'd advise you to step beyond your urges and perhaps, take a break for a while. Jeffrey. Stop getting hurt over and over and over again." My voice sounded shrill even to me. "Not that I'm complaining though," I added slyly. "You're much more thoughtful when you're in pain."

"I'm honored that you might think so." He said sarcastically. "So is Jane listening in on our thoughts?"

"No, I'm on my roof." So I explained my theory about the black hole connection, and he listened in complete silence until I was finished- as he always did.

"That sounds like quite the conspiracy theory." I could hear his smile curving the words.

"Oh shut up, you're just jealous you didn't think of it first."

"That must be it!" He exclaimed. If he were there, I would've slapped him.

"But even after my extremely long-winded story, you haven't told me where you are."

"Nothing nearly as interesting as your special space roof, but I am in fact on the couch. And it's plaid. And there's a bit of wind that makes the curtains shake."

"Fascinating." I grinned. If he were there, he would've slapped me.

"I know, I do tell great stories. But, I have a test tomorrow, so…"

"Right. You have to do that sleeping thing."

"Sadly."

"Do it well then."

"I shall try, mostly because if I don't, I am absolutely screwed."

I realized that I liked how the curse words sounded like candies on his tongue. "Tuesday night?"

"Always."

"What a positively idiotic thing to say. What if I died tomorrow…"

"It's too late for these kinds of conversations."

"Right. Goodnight."

"Skye?"

"What?"

"You realize you mean more than Gracie ever did, right?"

"Right. If I had any romantic others they wouldn't add up to you. Obviously."

"Goodnight."

The phone was empty. I realized my hands were almost numb and slid the window back open, scooting inside.

Jane looked up, waist deep in handwritten notes.

"Homework?" I asked over the music.

"Free writing." She sighed happily. Lost.

I trudged over and stood the phone back up on it's connector.

"So how is Jeffrey?" She turned on her stool conspiratorially.

"Fine." I replied, slumping down on my bed. "As he always is."

"Then why are you blushing?"

"You're an idiot if you still think that will get me, Jane." I grumbled, pulling out a book. "And get some goddamn headphones, you're killing my brain cells."

"Shut up, it's Mister Wives." She said dreamily, reaching for the lime green headphones stacked on top of the papers. As soon as she picked them up, the entire pile slid over onto my side. I rolled my eyes and turned over, settling into black holes again.