The Words I Never Said [editing]

3.4

danielle

"Excuse me, sir?" one of the women asks Jonas.

"Yes?" he replies, his head turning towards her direction.

"Are you here to pick up your child?" she asks, "I was just wondering, because you both look really young."

Jonas and I's eyes grow wide. She couldn't be insisting that I think she's insisting. Is she?

"Oh... Um... No." Jonas removes his hand from my knee, the warmth that was once there, now gone. "We're just here to pick up Danielle's younger sister." Jonas motions towards me.

"I'm sorry for the confusion. It's just- You two look like you've been married for years. You both have an aura," she replies, "You look like you're deeply in love."

"Well, we are happy together," Jonas says, smiling down on me. My cheeks heat up, a blush forming on my cheeks.

I hear a few hushed "aw"s from the mothers. The same mom that asked Jonas the question scoots back over to her group.

Jonas puts his hand back on my knee, the same warm feeling returning. I lean into his shoulder, waiting for the school bell to sound. When it does, my eyes search the hall, waiting for Jessie's red backpack to come into view.

Her black flats tap against the tiled hall as Jessie makes her way towards Jonas and I. "Jonas? Danielle? What are you two doing here?"

Jonas and I stand up from the bench.

"Your mother had to work late, so she asked us to pick you up," Jonas replies.

"Are we going to get something to eat too?" her innocent voice says.

"Sure! What do you want to go eat?" Jonas asks, opening the door for Jessie and I to walk out of.

Jessie thinks as we all make our way to Jonas' car. Jonas unlocks the vehicle, and Jessie hops in the backseat. Jonas and I take our seats in the front- Jonas in the driver's seat, and myself in the passenger seat.

"Oh! Could we go to that little cafe near the mall and get sandwiches?" Jessie asks while buckling her seat belt.

"Yeah, totally. What about you Dani? To the cafe?" Jonas asks me. I nod my head, smiling. "To the cafe."

Jonas continues to drive, his eyes fully focused on the road.

third person

Danielle focuses her attention out the window. The green trees and maple leaves catching her eye. Lately Danielle hasn't spent any time outside in nature, or outside period. She watches as the leaves fall from the trees down to the ground, dead. Some leaves have previously fallen- she noticed. They were either lightly brown, or looked almost burnt.

Winter would be arriving soon. Snow would cover the ground, leaving everything layered in a white fluffy covering. The air would get colder, jackets and coats would be needed. Jessie would run outside, frolic in the snow, make snow angels, everything a wonderfilled child would do.

A hand on Danielle's kneecap shakes her out of her thoughts. Jonas looks to her for a second, smiling. Danielle appreciates the gesture, it keeping her head out of the clouds. Jonas rubs circles on her knee with his thumb, it relaxing Danielle. From the backseat, Jessie notices. She watches as Danielle rests her hand on top of his and interlocks their fingers together.

Jessie loves that Danielle is finally happy. She sees what Jonas does to Danielle. He makes her glow. He makes her light up. You can see a gleam of hope in her eyes now.