Metallic Gold 5, Lust 14, Neon 13: Heights

[bookblather]

Author: Kat
Title: Heights
Story: In The Heart
Colors: Metallic gold 5 (education), lust 14 (get competitive), neon 13 (discount) with Kelly's paint by numbers (Scholarships are wonderful things._
Supplies and Materials: Canvas, modeling clay (battle).
Word Count: 632
Rating: PG.
Summary: Jake and his foster parents have a talk.
Warnings: none.
Notes: I love reusing characters. *evil cackle* Last metallic gold!


The Crofts sat down with him right after he turned sixteen, just the three of them around a table with tea in their hands and solemn expressions on their faces.

Jake squirmed in his seat. This looked like the setup for a lecture.

To his astonishment, none was forthcoming. Instead, Mr. Croft leaned forward and smiled at him. "Relax," he said. "You're not in trouble. We just wanted to talk to you about college."

College? Jake blinked at them. Nobody talked to foster kids about college. Foster kids didn't go to college. "What about it?" he asked, cautiously.

"Do you want to go?" Mr. Croft asked. Jake must have shown his surprise, because he added, "You're certainly intelligent enough, and you have the grades for it."

He shrugged, and flexed his hands on his mug. "Doesn't matter," he said. "I can't afford it. Don't get my inheritence until I turn twenty-one and then it's too late." Not that his inheritence amounted to much, and definitely not enough to pay college tuition for four years.

"Set aside money for a moment," Mrs. Croft said, gently, reaching out and laying her hand on his wrist. "Just focus on what you want. Would you want to go to college?"

It was a really good question, actually. Would he?

There had been a time when he'd taken college for granted. He'd taken everything for granted, then; his parents, his sisters, his safe and secure life. The fire had taken all of that away and after that he'd stopped caring too much about the future. It had seemed silly to make plans when he knew something would change them before he ever got started.

He'd started planning again, recently. But he hadn't even thought about college until now.

Better start, Foster.

"I don't know," he said, slowly. "I like school. I like learning. I would like... I think I would like to go to college, but there's no real way I can do it, is there?"

"We cannot afford to send you," Mr. Croft agreed, which was in itself a minor miracle; Jake couldn't think of any other foster family that would have even considered the possibility. "And I'm sorry for that. But I don't think it's so entirely out of the question as all that."

"There are scholarships," Mrs. Croft added. "Foundations who give out money for this sort of thing. We can help you apply for as many of those as you want. And of course you can go on living here. We can certainly afford that much."

Scholarships. Huh. "I never thought about that," he admitted. "I didn't think I had good enough grades."

They exchanged glances, then Mr. Croft leaned forward again. "Kiddo, you got the grades to get anything you want. Not to mention financial aid."

"Robin got several little scholarships," Mrs. Croft added, referring to their eldest son. "And his GPA was lower than yours."

Mr. Croft nodded. "The point is, Jake, that you can get scholarships. You probably won't cover your whole tuition, but there's student loans for that."

"Student loans suck," Jake said automatically, thinking hard.

Mr. Croft raised his eyebrows, and said, pointedly, "Then you'd better bring your A-game, hadn't you? Get a full ride and you won't have to worry about student loans, ah, sucking."

Jake grinned sheepishly at his foster father in apology. "So... I have to think about this," he said, "but... I think I'd like to go to college. And... thank you."

They exchanged glances again. "For what?" Mrs. Croft asked, carefully.

For thinking of me. For telling me I could do this. For finding me a way. "This," Jake said, and hoped it encompassed everything.

Apparently it did, because they both smiled at him. "You're welcome," Mrs. Croft said, and that was that.

Comments

[shipwreck_light]

Oh my gosh, that got so sweet there at the end. He (and you) said so much with that thank you :D.

[bookblather]

Thank you very much!

[sarcasticsra]

Awww, Jake, and the Crofts are awesome. This is lovely.

[bookblather]

The Crofts are veeeeery old characters of mine. It's nice to be writing them again.

Thank you!

[isana]

Oh, Mr. and Mrs. Croft. Jake is so lucky to have you guys. So very, very lucky. <3

[bookblather]

He really, really is. Him, and their kids, and the other foster kids they take in over the years.

Thank you!

[kay_brooke]

I'm so glad Jake ended up with the Crofts. It's sad how he just assumes he'll never be able to go to college and that there is no one who would help him do it, anyway. But the Crofts are willing to help him, and that's such a great thing for them to do.

And 21 is totally not too late for college, Jake.

[bookblather]

It's the way of the world right now: people don't talk to foster kids about college, and they very rarely expect to go. I think it's something like thirteen percent? Anyway.

Thank you!

[clare_dragonfly]

Aww, that's sweet. Go Jake, you can do it! And heh, good for him already knowing that student loans suck.

[bookblather]

He has foster siblings who have them. He knows the pain.

Thanks!

[subluxate]

Jake is so, so lucky to have them as his foster parents. They love him, clearly, and they're probably the only reason he gets where he does. Without their encouragement, where would he have wound up?

[bookblather]

He is. He REALLY got lucky in the foster system; a lot of kids don't get that lucky, and even he had issues with it. I think that might be his bugbear when he starts going into politics on his own.

...also you may have just started an AU DAMN YOU.

Thanks!