Jonah Marais
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"Do you want to go get ice cream?"
"Ice cream?" Jonah asks over the phone.
"Yeah." He laughs.
"(y/n), are you aware that it's February, the winter season, and the temperature outside is below freezing?"
"Yes, Jo, I am aware. Thank you for the weather report," I say sarcastically. My best friend laughs once again.
"Well, to answer your question, yes. I'll go with you."
I whoop in an excessively loud voice.
"Bring a jacket, we're watching the sunset, too," I add
"Alright, weirdo," he replies.
"Idiot."
"Nerd."
"Dork."
"Loser."
"Whale boy!" I yell, hanging up, before he can protest against my nickname derived from the Bible story, Jonah and the whale.
***
I'm already standing outside, holding a single scoop of mint chocolate chip ice cream in a cup, when the bell to the small ice cream parlor rings and Mr. Fishy appears by my side.
We start walking down the cement sidewalk, our destination being the top of the steep hill at the edge of town.
I keep accidentally bumping into him and, somehow, he keeps accidentally bumping back into me.
"Whale boy, huh?" he asks me, bringing up my abrupt end to our earlier conversation, amused.
I look over at him, spoon hanging out of my mouth. He laughs.
"Yeah. May have hurt your feeling but... oh whale," I say in a flat tone.
I feel Jonah's eyes on me but I don't look at him. If I do, I'll fall apart and break the straight face I'm trying so very hard to maintain.
"Oh my gosh," Jonah groans. I finally laugh. "That was the worst attempt at a joke I've ever heard. I cannot believe I'm friends with you."
"So sorry," I mumble, preoccupied with my ice cream, "but I don't think you get to choose who you want to be friends with because I'm the only one willing to put up with you."
That comment earns me a scoff and a shove across the sidewalk.
***
Jonah and I sit at the top of the hill, watching the last colors of the sunset streak across the sky. Soon, the light disappears under the horizon completely and stars blink into focus.
I tip my head all the way back to stare at the night sky above me, so far away, so beautiful, so untouchable, so perfect....
I'm suddenly lying on my back when Jonah sweeps an arm under both of mine, the only support that was keeping me in an upright position.
