Endless || Jonah Marais ✓

♪ TWO ♪

"Hey! Are you-" Jonah pauses, doing a double-take as he stares at someone that definitely isn't Aurora standing in the doorway. "I'm sorry, I'm looking for Aurora. Am I at the right apartment?"

"So," Mark begins, ignoring the question and doing his best to sound intimidating as he crosses his arms. "You're Jonah?"

"Uh, yeah?"

"I want no funny business and Aurora home by eleven," he states, glancing over the other boy's outfit and the bouquet of red roses in his hand. "And for future reference, she prefers white roses over red ones."

"Mark! Stop trying to scare him away," Aurora reprimands, coming into view and graciously accepting the flowers. "And please put these in water. I love you, and don't get into trouble without me."

Not giving him any chance to reply, Aurora shuts the door and turns to her date, smiling apologetically.

"I'm sorry about him," she giggles. "I'd say he's not always like that but he really is."

Jonah, on the other hand, could hardly register anything she just said. He couldn't believe the girl standing before him had actually agreed to going on a date with him.

"Don't worry about it," he finally says, realizing too late he had been staring and rubbing the back of his neck nervously. "You look gorgeous."

She ducks her head, using her hair as a curtain to hide the blush rising up her cheeks. Most boys didn't have the ability to make her blush so easily, and it left her flustered.

"You cleaned up pretty nicely yourself. I might just have to steal that beanie from you," she teases. "So, where are we going?"

"How do you feel about the zoo?"

××××

"He smiled at me!" Aurora all but squeals, pointing at one of the monkeys sitting near the glass of the enclosure. "Did you see him?"

Jonah can't help but to chuckle, not regretting his date location in the slightest. Seeing how excited it made Aurora, he knew it was worth it, no matter how ridiculous the prices were.

The ride to the zoo had been filled with both of them singing along to the radio, and a constant conversation during the commercials. Everything seemed to flow so easily with Jonah, and Aurora found herself quickly opening up to him.

She had been practically beside herself with joy when they reached their destination, running from enclosure to enclosure with her hand tightly clasped in Jonah's to drag him along. He could feel his heart skip a beat each time her eyes lit up and a smile spread across her face, and knowing he was responsible for that happiness made him want to do anything within his power to keep her that happy.

"Can we go see the penguins now?" Aurora asks hopefully, turning to him with pleading eyes. "They're my favorite."

"If that's what you want to see," he instantly agrees, ignoring the fact that the penguins are on the other side of the zoo. "Lead the way."

The girl spins on her heel, instantly taking off at a sprint with her hand tucked in Jonah's to tug him along. When they reached the penguin habitat, she was instantly pressed up against the glass barrier, enthralled by the tiny birds.

"Hey buddies," she coos, catching the attention of one that had been swimming around. "You are the cutest thing I've seen all day, right after my date, of course."