FATE

37. The Pilgrim's Progress

JONAH

"Hey", I give her a kiss on the cheek. She purses her lips and forces a smile at me. "How was class?"

"Good, we had a test", Brooke says.

"And I'm guessing you aced it", I smirk and her cheeks flush.

"I did my best". Her eyes follow two boys down the hallway. They're talking loudly about a party tonight. She faces me, studying me for a bit.

"What?"

"Nothing, just this morning, you yelled at me, I didn't see you during lunch and we had two classes together where we barely spoke"

"You were with your friends, I gave you space", I say.

She folds her arms, "or were you giving yourself space?"

"Brooke..."

"You can't tell me to mind my business when it comes to something that's obviously bothering you"

I sigh and rake my hands through my hair. I was giving her space today. I just need time to fix Hailee's issue without dragging Brooke into it, but I missed her.

"Look-", I say, "some things are just meant for me to deal with alone. I told you once that there were things you didn't know"

"Of course, you're not perfect but neither am I Jonah", she says, dropping her arms, "but you can't just select the things you want me to know about you and keep me in the dark about everything else. That's not how it works. I tell you everything that bothers me"

"Because you want to"

"So you don't want to when it comes to me?"

"I'm not used to people knowing me like that"

"Of course, you're not", she scoffs and rolls her eyes, "except Hailee"

I frown, "don't make this a thing please"

"I'm not. I'm telling you what bothers me"

Brooke and I stare at each other with icy hostility for a while as though staring has become a form of communication for us. Her eyes are immobile, still until they rest and her lips tilt. I look away from her, the tension in the atmosphere might choke me if I'm not careful.

"I just want to spend time with you before I go home so can I please drive you home?", I ask.

"No", she says and I feel my heart drop, "I think I'll just go home with Mandy today"

I nod once and turn to walk away, not looking back even when I'm out of school and walking towards the parking lot.

"Hey boy", a voice says behind me as I open the door and I turn. It's her again.

"What do you fucking want?", I ask harshly and she pauses for a while, "can't you see how you're bothering us? She doesn't want to see you, she stayed away from school because of you"

She sighs before handing me a piece of paper, "I just want to talk to Adella", the woman says, "I know I'm bothering you and I'm sorry but I just want to talk. I will stay away and stop coming here so she can go to school but please just tell her to call me or come see me at that address when she's ready", she points to the note in my hand.

I nod and she walks away.

When I get into the car, my thoughts go back to Brooke but they don't linger for too long. The woman isn't going to be coming back and that's all that matters for now.

---

"Holy shit, are you serious?", Hailee asks and I nod. She jumps on me and squeezes me, "I love you so much, thank you"