Match

28: Under The Bright Night Sky

"Your match was cancelled too?"

"Yeah," shuffling is heard on the other line. "Like five minutes in. Then it just poured and there were big bolts of lightning."

Jonah smiles. "Yeah it's starting to happen here. Our match got cancelled too."

"Yeah?" Cole's voice has a bit of shock to it.

A loud rumble shakes the car roof. Jonah flinches from the noise.

"You hear that?!" He clutches his chest as his heart begins to pound.

"Yeah," Cole lets out a surprised chuckle, "holy shit."

"I still gotta drive home through all this."

"Oh, wait you're driving right now?!"

"No," Jonah lets out a 'pfft' sound. "You called me before I even got to drive out of the parking lot."

"Ah, okay," Cole breathes a bit through the mic, almost like a relieved sigh. "Well uh, drive safe."

"Hey... wait."

The torrential downpour fills the quiet air for a moment. Cole remains on the line, awaiting what Jonah's going to say.

"You at home?"

Cole pauses. "Uh, yeah."

"I can come pick you up - oh wait, first, are you allergic to cats?"

"No..."

"Cool. Then, want me to come pick you up? We can chill at my house."

"Uh..."

"C'mon," Jonah's voice softens. "It's got the best view for thunderstorms in town. I'm guessing you're pretty bored at home."

"Who's that on the phone?" Someone else's voice hollers on the line.

Jonah raises an eyebrow.

"Just a friend," Cole says to Hayden, his voice a bit quieter as he's talking away from the phone. More shuffling sounds are heard after. "Uh... sure, yeah."

"Alright, I'll be there in like twenty."

"Oh-"

Jonah hangs up before Cole can even say bye. His excitement got the best of him.

———————————

Jonah pulls up along the curb. He remembers Cole texting where he lives and punched it into his GPS earlier. While waiting, he turns the volume nob down and taps with his fingers on the steering wheel. Cole emerges from the doorway. He shields the top of his head as he races to Jonah's car. Jonah leans over the passenger seat and opens the door.

"Hurry man," he says.

Cole bumps the top of his head by accident on the car roof. Jonah's eyes widen.

"You okay?"

"Yeah," Cole rubs the side of his cranium. "I do that all the time with my own car."

He shuts the door, scanning the surrounding of the car's interior. He almost forgot he was in it before. Once Cole slips on the seatbelt, Jonah pulls off the side of the curb and starts driving. He flicks the windshield wipers to maximum as rain pelts the windshield like fluid bullets.

Cole clears his throat. "Um so..."

His voice halts as the awkward tension rises. Thoughts pass through his head in the same pace as the rainfall with repetitive questions: What am I doing? Why am I doing this? When did I get so bold? He rubs at his arm, then runs his fingers through his damp hair to appear distracted.