Where Do We Go From Here? (BOOK TWO)

Chapter 6

Mia had been so nervous to get on the plane because she had never been on one before. Once the plane took off though, she was fine. It wasn't as bad as she thought it would be. She had brought along a book to read to pass the time but she didn't read it for long. Shortly after she started reading she spaced out and started thinking about Bruno. It had been just over three months. The three longest months of her life, or so it seemed. She wondered what she would say to him when she saw him. What he would say to her. She started feeling like a kid about to go on a date with her first crush again. She smiled to herself. "Not my first crush, my first love, my only love" she said softly to herself.

"What was that?" A voice sounded next to her.

She looked up startled. She had been so focused on her nerves about the plane, and her book, and thinking about Bruno that she hadn't even noticed when someone claimed the end seat in her row.

"Oh. I ummm... I was talking to myself. Sorry." Mia said completely embarrassed. She could hardly look at the stranger sitting beside her.

"No worries. I do that too sometimes. I'm Jonah." He extended a hand to her.

Mia looked at his hand for a second and then placed hers in his. "I'm Mia" she said finally really looking up at him for the first time.

Jonah gently shook her hand and gave her a warm smile. "Pleased to meet you. Is this your first time flying?"

Mia nodded. "Is it that obvious?"

Jonah gave her a slight shoulder shrug. "I mean, a little. You seemed really nervous and made sure not to look out the window even though you have a window seat. It was either that or you're afraid of heights."

Mia nodded again. "Both, actually."

It was Jonah's turn to nod. "Me too. Afraid of heights that is. That would be why I'm sitting in the aisle seat."

Mia smiled. "Really?"

Jonah nodded again. "A little bit, yeah. So, why the trip to Los Angeles?"

Mia smiled again and tucked some hair behind her ear. "I'm actually going to visit my fiancé."

A look of shock registered on Jonah's face. "Fiancé? Wow! You look a little young to be having a fiancé." He was now studying her face to see if he was wrong.

"I'll be 18 in October." Mia said.

"And you're engaged?" Jonah asked still shocked

Mia nodded her head then lifted her hand so he could see the engagement ring that adorned her finger.

Jonah took her hand in his and looked at her ring and whistled. "That's really nice. If you don't mind me asking, how old is your fiancé and why is he in Los Angeles and not with you?"

Mia shook her head. "I don't mind. He will also be 18 in October. He's in Los Angeles because he wants to be a musician and what better place than LA to peruse that?"

Jonah raised an eyebrow at her. "A musician? Is he any good?" he asked her.

"He's better than good!" Mia smiled. "I'm certain that one day you'll see his name in shinning lights all over the world. I just know he's gonna make it. He works so hard all the time! I couldn't picture him doing anything else to be honest." When she talked about Bruno she had a glow to her. She was so proud of him and just knew he was destined for greatness.

"Wow! You really do love him. That's great! Still, I wouldn't leave you far away to go chase my dreams. A beauty like you? No way! I would take you with me."

Mia's cheeks flushed. She was embarrassed now. For some reason the compliment from this stranger made her feel uncomfortable. She wasn't certain she wanted to continue the conversation with him anymore. Suddenly she was on the defensive. "That was the plan...it still is. Once we both turn 18 and get married I'm moving to LA with him." Mia turned her attention back to the book she hadn't even really been reading. Anything to look away from Jonah and try to end this conversation. For some reason she felt like he was, in a way, insulting Bruno for going after his dream.

Jonah studied her for a second before saying anything. "Sounds like you two have it all planned out. I wish you the best. I ummm....I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable or upset you or anything like that. I apologize if I did."

Mia shook her head but didn't turn away from the book. "You're fine. I just wanna finish this book before the flight lands in LA."

Jonah nodded his head. "Gotcha. I'll let you get back to that."

For the remainder of the flight Mia kept her head in her book reading and Jonah let her do just that.