The Lovely Adventure (Why Don't We Imagine With Jonah Marais)

Surprise Surprise

"Well, Liza, I'm going to be a member of a band with four other boys. Here in L.A....I'm going to be moving to L.A. at the end of this month."

"Oh...that's amazing, Jonah! CONGRAAAATULLAAAATIIOOOOONSSSS! How does it feel to be achieving your dream?" I sing excitedly into the phone, trying to hide my sadness from when he said he was moving at the end of this month.

"But that's not my dream fully...in my dream, you were there with me....I want you to come with me...."

Jonah trailed off once again, realizing what had just slipped his tongue. He hadn't meant to say that. Not so soon. Not right then and there. Not over the phone. He had wanted to say this face-to-face when he came back, hoping to see the expression on my face first hand. Jonah felt his heart rate go up...out of fear or out of happiness, he wasn't sure just yet.

There was a pause. Quite a long one in fact. Maybe a minute or two. Just the sound of each other's silence filling the distance between us.

I was taken by surprise. I would have never believed that such words, with such hidden likeness, would ever leave Jonah's lips. Only in my mind, I had imagined such a thing. I couldn't react right away. I didn't know what I was supposed to say. I had never been in such a situation before. 

Jonah knew this. He knew simply because he had listened to me talking when we went to that coffee shop. This was why the pause was mutual; he didn't want to push me. He wanted me to feel comfortable around him.

Breaking the pause, I tried to speak, only showing my new nervousness more.

"Jo-Jonah, I..um...I don't know how to react that, to be honest." I said, adding a slight giggle at the end unexpectedly.

"Yeah...I know...I guess..uhh surprise surprise..." he replied. He couldn't get that giggle out of his head. He found the way I laughed adorable, and he loved how I still behaved like a child at times. Especially in this situation, as I was new to this game of feelings.

I also couldn't get the giggle out of my mind, but not because I liked it. Quite the opposite...I didn't mean to have that giggle at the end. I had never done that before.

"That was really cute, by the way.."

"What was cute?"

"Your giggle...it was adorable."

This is why I always liked Jonah. He was honest. He didn't keep his thoughts back. Even towards teachers, he would always call them out about a mistake or something he liked in their teaching.

"Jonah, why would you even want me to come? I'm will be useless in L.A.; it's almost a requirement to have a social life." 

I would have loved to move to L.A., but for what I want to achieve I need to finish my last year of highschool with top grades. I need to focus. I couldn't be moving and dropping out at that time.

"But didn't you say you were planning on coming to California for uni?" Jonah asked, slightly confused as to how smart I was, I couldn't see what was happening. School would be done in a couple of months. Then, it would be summer. Jonah believed I would be accepted right away into Stanford and Berkley, my top choices.

"Yeah, I would be, but the universities are not exactly in L.A., Jonah..."

"Liza, I will drive to see you whenever you can see me and whenever I can see you. I will do anything to see you..."

"But...Jonah...why?"

"Because you're very important to me. Ever since we started talking, I have realized that. Even if you don't want us to be more than best friends, I want to be your bestest friend. I want to be with you."

"I want us to be more than best friends though..." I whispered, trying to recuperate from the break my heart took from beating.

Jonah was taking aback from what I said. He had never thought I would say such a thing, just like I thought he never would say what he said.

"Oh...well...uhh..." Jonah said, trying to make up for the silence.

"Surprise, surprise" I repeated him from earlier, hoping to bring some humor into the awkward situation.

"Well, I guess then, I should ask you..." Jonah disappeared for a couple seconds.

"Yessss?" I asked, impatient, waiting to hear the question I have wanted to hear for the longest time.

"Sorry, I was looking at places...would you like to go on a date with me when I come back?"

"Yes, I would love to do that, Jonah." 

"Wow, your answer sounds so enthusiastic..." Jonah joked.

"Well, I would scream "Yes" as loud as I could from excitement but my mom is sleeping next door sooo I'll just do that when I see you at the airport."

"YOU'RE COMING TO PICK ME UP?"

"SURPRIIIISEEE!" I shouted in a whisper.

"So, I guess will just connect from the airport to my house to the date then?"

"Yes, that would be best."

"Okay, I got to go, Liza. I can't wait to see you tomorrow."

"Likewise. Write me before you leave, okay?"

"I will. Sleep well, cutie."

"You too."

I hung up the phone, and got ready for bed, by accidentally dropping my drawing journal and my colored pens. I left them on the floor, to only have to deal with them in morning.

I just had to sleep on what happened and what would happen. I knew for a fact though that I would sleep well.