Who's that girl?

Chapter 14-Not a date

"What brings me joy:
You.
Of course.
Always you."

"Go away" I pleased as Jackson pestered me from over my shoulder and he smiled; I could see him smiling, who even smiles at something like that? "No" he answered very simply and it reminded me very much of the conversation we had a couple seconds ago.

"I'll get my very protective brother on you" I now came to threatening and his smile didn't waver. "Oh really? I don't find that very fitting seeing as your best friends are all of what gender Leah?" He asked and my shoulders slumped. "Boys" I grumbled and Jackson grabbed my wrist; stopping me from walking further in the process. An act to which I was ready to karate chop him in the face but he had pushed me in the direction of an arcade place and I raised my eyebrows at him.

"Please" he strained the word and I rolled my eyes but accompanied him nonetheless. I hadn't been to the arcade since I was a little kid, I never really liked them; it was just another pointless way to waste mine and the worst thing was I fell for all the coin eating games again and again and again but this time I was with Jackson so surely; I could just watch him waste everything he had on him.

I dragged him over to the first game which featured the claw of doom and the teddy bears that literally avoided getting picked up; he went for it anyway, eager to please. "Go on then" I added for good measure and he put all of his concentration in the pink dinosaur tail he was trying to get hold of.

"I'm gonna go get cola twizzlers" I yelled but I doubted Jackson was even listening. We spent way too long in that arcade game with me watching him fail time after time and chew on my gummy sweets, of course without offering any. Until, eventually, I got a call from Jonah asking for my whereabouts and when he heard the background noise, he knew. After all, the mall was his second home.

"You gotsta go" I said to Jackson who currently held a lot of teddies which he eventually brought from the gift shop. "Oh because of psycho guy, I get it. Here" he said, shoving a cushion into my hands and then slipping away effortlessly. I looked down at the heart cushion in my hand; like something from Valentine's Day and when I looked back up Jackson was there again and just as I were about to shove him in the ribs he stepped forward. "We should do this again" he stated; kissing my cheek and escaping just as quickly.

"What's that?" Another voice said; Jonahs of course, monotone as ever. "A cushion" I answered bluntly and he raised his eyebrow, taking it from me. "A heart?" He asked and I nodded, "yes a heart, problems?" I questioned and his eyebrows furrowed further. "Where's Mason?" He continued and I shrugged. "With his girlfriend" I replied and he licked his bottom lip, "so who were you with?" Jonah asked; thinking he was breaking me.

"No one" I said simply and he sniffed; not at all believing me. "C'mon then" he ordered, placing his hand behind my back and guiding me away as if I were a hostage. "Actually, I was gonna go get something to eat" I stated and he turned to face me. "I'll come with you then" he said just as bluntly and I pressed my lips together; knowing I could not argue now. "Yeah, okay" I allowed and we began in the direction of a burger place but I had lost my appetite.

"So how's school?" Jonah attempted a some pathetic small talk, "good" I said and once we chose a booth at the diner, he studied me for a while. "Please talk to me L" he said, throwing in the nickname to guilt me further. "I am talking to you" I said and he could no longer take the bluntness to he shuffled closer to me and tapped his finger on the table.

"Did I do something wrong?" He continued and I sighed. "No J, you never do anything wrong do you?" I asked and he frowned now, I recognised the expression from just before he'd punch someone in a fight but he wouldn't dare touch me. "I'm sorry Leah, okay?" He said softly and I raked my hand through my hair. "No, you're not. You're never sorry J, you just say it for the sake of saying it. You just don't want to loose me too" I yelled slightly; speaking too fast for my own good, the last sentence slipping out on its own accord. I wanted to take it back immediately though.

Jonah remained calmer than me though and inhaled slowly. "I don't want to loose you L. And I don't see anything wrong with that" he said quietly and I stood up, stepping over his legs and over to stand beside his so that he would have to look up at me for once.

"Look Jonah, I love you so much and you're the only family I have left but I'm not your daughter and you're not allowed to order me like this. Just be Jonah again," I said, the pillow still in my hand and I wrapped my arms around him, my chin on his shoulder. "Please don't come looking for me" I whispered and I pulled back before he could stop me and slipped out of the diner like a snake.

I wondered about Jonahs reaction but I was travelling too fast to turn back for him; I mean, I'd left the poor guy in a booth assuming I had met someone and was trying to get him to let me be with him but I hadn't. I just wanted to be free. Plus, my only friends were guys, not to be hoey (totally a word) but they were the only ones to took me in and I think I were beginning to love them in all their quirkiness and problems.

My friends.

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