Bigger Than Us

003. Define Okay

Jonas

Jill's apartment was small but it didn't stop her from thinking she could invite half the apartment building into it. Jillian Lance didn't care for simple obstacles like that, if she wanted something she'd find a way to make it happen, albeit at the last minute. An assortment of chip dips and fruit trays lined the wannabe entertainment center that used to hold a flat screen. Jonas sunk into the corner of the couch, scrolling through Instagram with his hearing aid turned off so he wouldn't have to hear more than the muffled sounds of music in his right ear. It was when he was checking to see if he got a text from his parents yet, probably asking if he was being safe and not drinking, that he noticed the missed message from yesterday under Sky.

Feeling bad Jonas opened it. The white bubble of text said: Hi, it's me. Jonas felt himself sinking even further in his seat. He had to have texted him during a lecture, that's the only explanation for why he got the message sent to him so early in the afternoon without a notification of any kind. He always put his phone on silent during class. Should he text back? It's a little late for that though.

A hand shook his shoulder, startling him before he realized it was Jill, her brown eyes squinting as she looked at him. God he hoped she wasn't high. Not when he was the one who'd bought chips this time. He'd better get himself some before they disappeared.

Turning on his hearing aid he braced himself for the barrage of music and shouting that came with people following the lyrics to a popular rap song. Jill shook his shoulder again, "Jonas what are you doing sitting down?"

"Avoiding you people," he grumbled, pushing her hand off his shoulder.

"Oh so it's you people now?" Jill said with an angry look on her face. Jill wasn't high but she was drunk, she was stumbling too much not to be drunk. "You... You racist cunt."

"Jill. You're white. Half the people here are white," Jonas rolled his eyes, "You're boyfriend wears his pants halfway down his ass and uses slurs but I'm racist?"

"Don- don't talk about Tim like that alright. The only reason I haven't left him yet is cause-"

"And I don't care to hear it," Jonas got up, rushing off to the bathroom before she could finish her sentence. If he'd have stayed she would have tried to get him to dance with her. Last time she did that Tim accidentally bumped into him and made him spill his soda onto the white carpet. What part of "dude I'm gay" did he not get?

Sitting on the edge of the tub he unlocked his phone to stare at the message. He was only doing this cause he was bored and had nothing better to do. Yeah that's it. But he didn't like texting people. Calling them was always better, he just liked being able to hear their voices.

"Hello?" Sky's voice was deep, nice to listen to. Jonas almost forgot to say hi back.

"Oh hey, it's me." Jonas tapped his fingers on the edge of the tub waiting for Sky's response.

"Jonas?"

"Yeah, the cute one from the Cafe, remember?" he quipped, licking his lips as they curved into a smile.

"Yeah right. Well what are you up to?"

"Right now I'm at that party I was telling you about. I may or may not be hiding in the bathroom," Jonas said, picking at a loose thread to keep himself occupied.

Sky's soft chuckle reached his ears as he said, "You're hiding in the bathroom?"

"Kinda sorta maybe... I really don't wanna be here. I mean, I thought we were just gonna have some snacks and maybe play some music but all of a sudden Tim was inviting his friends over," Jonas explained.