Dipping Into Together

Ch 7

The next day I missed the bus on purpose, thinking that Jonah would offer me a ride and we could talk things out.

Boy, was I wrong.

He sped right passed me and didn’t even spare me a glance. I had to walk all the way to school, and I was beyond late. I could tell he was really mad, but I was going to try and talk to him during lunch and clear everything up. Once he knew the truth then everything would go back to normal, I hoped.

I didn’t even bother getting a lunch. I was nervous about talking to Jonah, and I couldn’t handle to eat anything. When I saw him walk outside, ear buds in, I became even more nervous. He sat down on the same bench he always did and slightly bobbed his head up and down. I got up and walked over to him.

“Jonah,” I said.

He continued to bob his head to the music.

“Jonah,” I said a little louder.

He stopped bobbing his head, but he didn’t look at me.

“Jonah, I didn’t—”

He stood up abruptly and walked away.

I stood there in shock as I watched him walk into the building.

So, I thought, this is how it’s going to be?

I sat down on his bench, still wearing his sweatshirt. Now, with Jonah ignoring me, my mom stressed out more than ever with work, and my dad gone, I felt more alone than I ever had in my entire life.

A ragged breath escaped me as a single tear rolled down my cheek.

I wiped it away, furious with myself for being so weak.

It had been a week. A long, miserable week. Jonah had stopped eating outside. He stopped taking walks at night. He took a different route in the morning. There was no possible way for me to see him. No possible opportunity for me to explain the misunderstanding. There was no way.

“Destiny, can you please just listen to me for once?” my mom asked me, her voice stressed.

I glanced up at her. “Mom, what’s going on?”

“What are you talking about?”

“With you. What’s going on with you?”

“Noth—”

“You’re a lot more stressed than you used to be.”

She sighed. “Destiny. Just put away your clothes and finish washing the dishes. I’ve had a long day. I’m going to bed.” She kissed the tip of my head and slowly walked up the stairs.

I stared at the place where she used to be and sighed.

“Dessy! Come down here and wash the dishes for your mother!”

I walked down the stairs and gave my dad a look. “Can I do it later?”

He just laughed. “Go on, Dessy. You know your mother hates to wash dishes.”

“So do I!” I said, smiling.

“Well, you’re young and able, so you wash them.”

“I’m fourteen, Dad! I’m getting on up there!” I said jokingly.

He came over to me and pulled me into a hug. “Forty trumps fourteen. You wash.”

I groaned, still smiling. “You’re mean, Daddy.”

“But you love me anyway, don’t you?”