Ace's POV

I need a new look. I don't know what I want. I just need something different.

"What do you want me to do?" The lady standing behind me questions.

I shrug. "Cut it and color it."

"How short do you want me to cut it?"

"Not too much on the top. Just make me look good."

"Do you want a certain color?"

"Surprise me."

"Okay," she smiles at me in the mirror and smile back.

----THE YEAR OF HELLOS----

"Alright, I am done. What do you think?"

"Woah," I whisper and lean towards the mirror. I run my fingers through my now sorta Mohawk hair. "I wanted different and you really gave it to me."

"Bad or good?"

"Good."

"Your girlfriend should like it too."

I give her a small smile and thank her before leaving. I push my hands in my front pockets.

Sophie probably would have done this herself. She dyed it blue before. She could do it again and add red in with it. I wish she was still here: still my girlfriend.

I run my left hand through my hair for the second time in less than two minutes. My phone rings from inside my pocket and I pull it out.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Ace."

"Jaxon. Hi. What's up?"

"I am just running around. I didn't get the chance to talk to you the other day and today is really the only free time I have. Do you want to meet some where and hang out for the day or are you busy?"

"No, that's totally fine. I'm not busy. Where do you want to meet at?"

"How about you meet me in New Jersey? I have tickets to a football game in a few days from now. We can catch up then."

"New Jersey? I choke on my spit and barely get the two words to come out of my mouth.

"Is that okay?"

"Umm yeah. I'll be there in a few days."

"Okay. I'll see you in a few days. Talk to you later, Ace."

"Bye, Jaxon."

I blow out the breath I did not I know I was holding.

I did not expect to go to New Jersey this soon. It would be nice to see Jaxon. Now I have to figure out how long I am going to stay there, find a job if I am going to be there for a while, and where I am going to live if I do stay there.

I guess I will go ahead and get on the road. I have close to a nine hour drive to New Jersey.

----THE YEAR OF HELLOS----

I rub Max behind his ear. "Are you ready to go to New Jersey, Max?"

Max stares at me with his big, brown eyes.

"I have to admit I am nervous. What if I see Sophie?"

Max sits up and barks.

I smile. "Yeah. I would be excited too."

After five hours of driving, I stopped and found a hotel to stay at that allowed pets. The next day I drove less than four hours to get to New Jersey. I found a hotel close to White Mountain College. It is the college Jaxon and I are going to watch play football.

The game is not until tomorrow afternoon, so I am going to look for an apartment to rent. I have decided to stay in Jersey if I can find somewhere to live for at least a month if not longer. I can't stay in hotels forever. They are really expensive for a nice room.