Metanoia: A Change of Heart

Chapter XIX ~ Thonia

What did a girl want for her eighteenth birthday?

I wasn't fan of Nicole, but since Joshua Silva was somewhat nice (as what his friends said), I wanted to make it up to him. Besides, his friends were my friends, so he should be grateful. "What do you think she'll like?" he asked me as we walked beside the wide glass window sides of the mall. Bright lights brightened our way under the darkening sky. The wonders of the sky were always a beautiful view. Sometimes it is blue, red, orange, gray, purple. Each represented special explanations that remained a mystery until now.

"Dress? Shoes? Jewelry?"

I stopped and looked at him. "Let's try something a little simple since you said you don't love her."

"Okay," he said. "What?"

"Well if you really love her you can give her jewelry and stuffs. My father told me that when someone gives you jewelry, that means you worth special for him or her." I rolled the ring my father gave, in my finger. White-gold band and a single diamond cut. "So yeah, she seemed special to you."

He thought about it. "What about the simple one? Like what?"

I did not know her well but I suggested some possible presents most girls would like. I still thought about what he said that I was different from normal girls. Rick told me that before, but Joshua probably meant it negatively. "Cupcakes? Letters? Books? I guess she likes reading. Saw her in the library a couple of times."

Joshua shrugged. "Let's try to the bookstore."

We walked to the nearest bookstore in the mall. The sensor alarmed once I entered, my heart raced a little. The guard checked our bags, but since we were just about to enter, I simply end up leaving my backpack on the deposit counter with the book I'd brought with me, the reason of the alarm. After we merged in the bookstore shelves, we laughed. For what reason? I wasn't sure.

"Why are we here again?" Joshua said, laughing.

Why were we here? My mind went blank. Oh, I remembered. I raised a brow at him. "Nicole."

"Yep, so what now?" Joshua searched the shelves. "What book will she like?"

We were in the history section. "Well, it is definitely not in this section."

We scanned the whole store until we reached the teen fiction and Romance. "Close your eyes and turn wherever. You get the first book you'll see."

"Are you serious?" He asked me like I was ordering him to eat a tarantula.

I nodded showing I was serious. "It is the easiest and fastest way."

Obediently, he closed his eyes. I laughed silently because I thought he would not do it. He opened them instantly and I hid my laughter. He was not that handsome and appealing, but I must admit, he looked hot with closed eyes; he should do that often, better yet he should not open his eyes and walk around here. The imagination made my day.

He looked at me with curiosity, still not sure of what he was doing. But closed his eyes again and stepped closer to the aisle of the shelves.

"Now do it," I said. He opened his eyes and grabbed a book from the second layer of the shelf.

"This?" He let me see.

The book was "Sparks of Destiny." I've read it before. It was mostly about choices and decisions. "Very apt," I took the book and read the synopsis at the back. "They have said it maybe the sparks of destiny, but I said, maybe it was because of the decisions we made and the chances we took, that brought us to wherever we're at and whoever we're with." In the cover, there was a couple partly hugging and dancing under the night sky. It was also one of the things that made me realize Joshua was right about choices.