Sincerely, Jonah

Chapter 6

We sat in the back near the window. The small tv in the corner is playing an old 40s movie with no color and no sound. I look around the walls, at the indie and moon paintings, and their 'Try the new fall cookies, buy 2 get 1 free!' poster.
"So," Fin says, leaning towards me from across the table. "She was totally checking you out, don't you think?"

V quietly gasps. "I was literally thinking the same thing. Doesn't she have a boyfriend though?"
Fin crosses his arms. Used to. I heard he cheated on her with some Texan girl. It was so bad, whole town was talking about it for weeks."

"Really? When did this happen?" I ask.
"Hm. Not too long ago. It was before you came."
I look back at her and she was taking someone else's order, but still looking at us. I turn around.
"That actually sucks," I say. "She seems very cool."
Fin shrugs his shoulders. "She is. I just don't know why she always chooses the wrong people date."

He then glares at V and she rolls her eyes. "God, we are not talking about this. We've been over it like a thousand times."
A man comes up to our table and sits 3 big oreo shakes with whip cream and cherries on top. I take a sip and cringe a little at the sweetness.

"Yeah," Fin continues. "A thousand times and you're still being a hypocrite about it."
She balls up a napkin and throws it at him. "Shut your trap."
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A whole hour goes by. Our shakes are halfway gone and we ended up ordering muffins and coffee cakes. My stomach is aching. People came and went, and the sunset is setting, just above the clothing store a few streets down. I've gotten a little more comfortable talking with them. I even cracked a few jokes and added to the conversation a little.
I take the last bite of my cakey muffin.

"So you're still going to the game with us on Friday?" V asks.
I sigh. "You're not gonna stop asking until I say yes, aren't you?"
She laughs. "Duh. It'll be funnnnn. It's the last one and if they win, they get to make it to the playoffs."
"Yeah," Fin adds. He's mixing his leftover melted shake with his straw. "The whole schools gonna be there."

"Fine. Fine. I'll go."
They start clapping before I raise my hand. "But under one circumstance."
They groan.

"You," I look at V, "Will stop talking about those stupid jocks. They're not even worth obsessing over. They'll just break your heart like what's his name did." Fin busts out laughing as he covers his face with his shirt. Meanwhile, her mouth is wide open as she scoffs. "I can't believe you just said that."

"Oh come on, it was funny. I think he's sugar drunk."
"Okay. Whatever. I promise."

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After sitting at the booth for hours, talking about almost everything, I look at the time: 9Pm. I jump up out of my seat. Fin and V startle. "What's wrong?" He asks.

I put on my coat. "Nothing, Uh, I need to go home. It's way past my curfew."
V snorts. "You have a curfew?"
"Yeah. It's a long story which I really don't have time for." I dig in my pocket and sit the few quarters I have left on the table.

Fin adds to it and throws a few dollars,and scoots over to get up. "C'mon, we'll walk you home."

The lights inside the stores lit up the streets. We can smell greasy burgers from the restaurant down the street. Everything in this town is more peaceful at night. Probably because everyones off work, and families are out running their late night Errands. As we cross the street, I see a man carrying a vase of dandelions in one hand, and a bag in the other, and it makes me smile.

V sees.  "That's Ivan," she says to me. "He lives in the last house on my street with his wife and kids."

Fin quivers his lips. "They're so cute. I always see them out at the playground almost every weekend. His wife told me the other day that she has one on the way."