The Words I Never Said [editing]

0.8

[danielle]

"Hi, Dani! You're home la-" my mom says, walking to the front door. It was then she noticed Jonas standing beside me. "Whose your friend?"

"I'm Jonas ma'am," he says, stretching his hand out for her to shake.

She grips his hand and shakes it lightly, "Nice to meet you Jonas."

"You too, Mrs. McAdams," Jonas says.

I freeze at his comment. I completely forgot that he doesn't know about my father, or of his death. My mother notices my change in demeanor and brushes off Jonas' words.

"Ms. McAdams," she corrects.

"Oh... u-um I'm s-sorry," he apologizes. He runs his fingers through his hair, brushing back some pieces that were on his face in nervousness.

Wanting to tell my mother about the ride Jonas gave me, I use my hands to make a writing gesture. My mother knows this signal all to well, so she reaches for a new pack of sticky notes and hands me one with a pencil. I quickly jot down what I'm trying to say.

'Jonas gave me a ride home, but I want to show him around since he's here and all. Love you.'

I hand the note to Mom and drag Jonas upstairs to my bedroom. I open the door, and the look on his face is priceless. In my room, I have an iron headboard with a cream color quilt, brown hardwood floor, a brown wooden desk, and tons of sticky notes and papers taped to my walls.

He walks up to a wall, the one with my desk resting up against it. This wall has all my favorite notes I've ever written. Most are to my mom or younger sister, but some of the colorful squares are ones I've written to myself. They usually have a quote from books I've read, but some are just kind, meaningful words.

Jonas touches a couple of them, the red, blue, green, yellow, and pink notes dancing on his fingertips. "What are all these?"

I take a new note from the pack I got from my mother and write down a message to Jonas.

My wall of quotes. They have sayings that I've come across in books that I've read. Or just meaningful sayings people have said. But some notes are conversations I've had with my family, I write.

Jonas takes down multiple sticky notes from my wall, reading the quotes:

"Don't cry because its over, smile because it happened. -Dr. Suess"

Be yourself; everyone else is already taken. -Oscar Wilde"

Be the change that you wish to see in the world. -Mahatma Gandhi," he says, "These are so beautiful, Dani. I understand why you'd want to surround yourself with these words. They're so inspiring."

I smile at his kind words. He walks over to my bed and traces the pattern of the quilt with his pointer finger. Jonas sits on the edge, and I walk over to do the same.

"Why did you bring me in here, Dani?" Jonas asks.

I try to think of an answer, but honestly, I have no idea why I did bring him here.

I wanted to thank you for today, the ride home, and I wanted to apologize again for what happened with us and William, it reads.

"You're welcome, by the way, but you don't have to apologize for anything. This William dick should be the one saying sorry. I mean, hell, he punched you in the stomach. He shouldn't have done that, and because he did, it's entirely his fault. Not mine, and most defiantly not yours." He looks directly in my eyes when he says this.

I smile. Jonas is just so kind, and he's been the only real friend I've made, after the whole "Amy Incident". I might not know much about him, but he's more of a friend than anyone else has been. Even Amy.

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edited.