Wherever You Are

Chapter 18

Felicia pulled a chair out from the small round table that in the kitchen. She took a seat beside Jonah's mom, Harper, with Andrew across from her. "Felicia, I am so glad you're here. You can stay as long as you need to, but I insist that you stay to celebrate the holiday with us."

"Yeah, you can stay here and wait for him to get back," Andrew added. "I'm sure once he gets there and someone tells him where you are he'll come right back."

Just then Felicia's heart thumped faster in her chest. "That might not be the case," she said wringing her hands in her lap. "I didn't exactly tell anyone where I was going. It might take him a while to figure out that I came here."

Instantly, Felicia's mind raced to how this could play out. She imagined Jonah running all over town looking for her, asking everyone where she had gone. She pictured herself stuck here for days and Seth getting mad when he realizes she wasn't at Isabella's house like she had said.

"Why don't you give him a call then?" Harper said.

"Oh." Felicia looked down at her phone that sat on the table. She hadn't thought of that. She hadn't contacted Jonah in years. Clicking on his name and hearing the tone ring seemed so foreign to her. "I guess that's a good idea, huh?"

She reached for her phone but hesitated when her fingers were just inches away. Jonah's voice ran through Felicia's mind. Hearing his laugh, being able to see his smile in her mind, these thoughts made her shiver. Jonah was not apart of her life anymore. She hadn't seen or heard him in years. Even thinking about his voice made her body shake.

Ring.

Felicia jumped back in her chair as her phone began to ring and Jonah's name lit up the screen. "This is creepy," Andrew said acknowledging what everyone was thinking.

Ring.

Felicia sat frozen in her chair. At least when she was going to call him she had the power. She was in control, but now he was calling her. It was his name that was popping up on her phone. 

Ring.

She let out a deep breath and closed her eyes trying to focus. Come on, just pick up the phone.

Ring.

"Are you going to answer it?" Harper asked. 

Felicia opened her eyes and reached toward the phone.

Ring.

She held the phone in her hand and clicked the bright green button on the screen. Her mouth was dry, making her tongue stuck to the roof of it. "Hello?" she said shakily.

"Felicia?" Jonah's voice spoke. He sounded almost like he was out of breath and his voice wavered too. "I know I haven't talked to you in a long time and there are a lot of things I need to say to you but for just right now I need to know where you are," he rambled on. "I came back to see you but I can't find you. Everyone's telling me different things and I know I'm just showing up out of the blue and you may be with someone now, but I just need a few minutes to-"

"Jonah," she said cutting him off. "I'm at Andrew's house. I came to see you."

The other end was silent. All Felicia could hear was the thumping of her own heart in her ears. 

"Y-you what?" Jonah let out in a sigh. "Okay, okay, stay there. Don't move. I'm coming back."

Before Felicia was able to respond, Jonah hung up.

She set her phone back down on the table and sat with her hands in her lap. She stared off aimlessly at the table with a million thoughts running through her head. 

"So, what'd he say?" Harper pestered innocently.

"Um," Felicia started not breaking her stare from the table. "Um, he's coming back."

"Oh that's great," Harper said standing up from the table. 

Felicia didn't move. She had a look of confusion and worry on her face. She didn't know if she should jump up and down with joy, throw up from nervousness, or run away in fear. She just sat there.

Harper placed her hand on Felicia back and leaned toward her. "Felicia, why don't we start to get dinner ready? We are all going to celebrate the holiday together."