Before you go // Jonah Marais

Chapter 34: 'You're my person'

"Angel," Jonah whispers, his lips pressing a kiss against my temple.

I stir from my light sleep, my mouth tugging up into a sleepy smile. Jonah leans down on the bed, his face inches from mine.

"Goodmorning handsome," I whisper back.

Jonah leans down, closing the gap between us. His lips are soft, warm, one of my favourite things in the world. After a few seconds, we pull away. My lips left with a tingly feeling. Three years. Three years since we started dating. Three years since I allowed myself to love again.

"Goodmorning Angel, graduations soon, I wanted to spend some time with you beforehand."

I let out a groan. Why did he have to remind me of the fact that today is the day he, my brother, and my four best friends graduate? I had tried to push away the thought of Jonah leaving, but no matter how much I tried, it was always there. The boys made it, they're in a band, and their band is popular. Why don't we, a band made up of five boys, five of my best friends. Zach herron, Jack Avery, Jonah Marais, Daniel Seavey and Corbyn Besson.

"Why'd you have to remind me," I whine.

"Just think, you have a year left, that's it. I may be moving to LA, but that doesn't mean this," he says, waving his finger between us. "Won't work."

"I love you," I breathe.

I give in to Jonah. I get up out of bed, freshening up in the shower, Jonah following like a lost puppy the whole time. I made everyone a big breakfast. Pancakes, eggs, bacon, french toast, waffles. We sat reminiscing over memories we've made together. All the fun times, fights, late nights, parties.

"I'm not ready for you to go," I sigh, walking out of the house with Jonah.

"I don't want to go either, but we need to follow the path life has set out for us. And for now, this is the way the path leads," he insists.

"I'm going to miss you," I confess.

Jonah stops walking. It takes a few seconds to process he isn't walking anymore. I stop, turning around looking at him.

"What's wrong?" I ask.

He walks towards me, his hands finding their way onto my hips. My breathing becomes heavy, my eyes darting upwards, looking into those beautiful bright greeny-blue eyes.

"Fuck," he curses under his breath. "It didn't set in until now. I'm leaving, and you're staying. I'm going to miss you so much. So fucking much."

His eyes gloss over, making my heart crack. To everyone, he's this strong used-to-be fuckboy who no one really wants to mess with. But to me, he is so much more. He's gentle, loving, caring, protective. Jonah rarely shows when he's upset, he doesn't want to seem weak, little does he know how strong he is for letting himself be upset.

I place my hand on his cheek, the other laying around his neck. I feel him lean into my hand, a small sigh escaping his lips. I glance from his eyes to his lips. We both lean in, our lips pressing against each other in a kiss.

"It's going to be okay," I mumble against his lips.

-

"Jonah Marais," the chancellor calls.

This is it. It's finally time. I look over to the row of seated students until I spot Jonah standing. He walks up onto the stage, shaking the chancellor's hand, taking his certificate. He turns back to the crowd, spotting me with a huge smile. I have watched student after student walk up onto that stage, but seeing Jonah up there brings a completely different feeling.

Jonah moves his tassel from the right side of his graduation hat, to the left, before walking and joining the rest of the graduates. The rest of the graduation went by painfully slow, but once it finished I practically jumped out of my seat to find Jonah. There he stood, near the car park, his eyes scanning over the crowd.

"How do you feel, Mr graduate?" I voice.

His eyes land on me, "I'm stoked. But bummed."

"Why?"

"Because we are going to go place your stuff in your new apartment, then I leave for LA," he deadpans.

I forgot he was leaving.

-

"This is as far as I can go," I sigh.

"I'm going to miss you, P," Daniel speaks up, pulling me into a hug.

I say goodbye to each boy, leaving Jonah till last. I had said a very emotional goodbye to Alex before we left, so it was just the boys and I. I move over to Jonah, my eyes filling with tears, daring to spill. Jonah stood there, trying to hold back tears of his own.

"I love you, Jonah." 

"I love you too, Peyton," Jonah replies.

"No, Jonah, I mean I'm in love with you. I'm in love with everything you do. I'm in the love with the way you sleep with your head in the crook of my neck and your arms around my waist. I'm in love with the way you make breakfast every chance you get. I'm in love with the way you dress. The way you look good no matter the hairstyle, the outfit. I'm in love with your smile and the colour of your bright greeny-blue eyes. I'm in love with everything about you, and I couldn't imagine myself not being in love with you. I've realised now that home isn't a place, it's a person, and you're my person. You always have been from the minute I laid eyes on you. I'm so madly in love with you, Jonah Marais," I confess.

He picks me up, his lips smashing onto mine. The kiss was passionate and desperate like this is the kiss we've been deprived of.

"I'm so madly in love with you too, Peyton Marie. I'm in love with how you never judge me. I'm so in love with how hardworking and caring you are, how you always put others first. There are so many reasons why I'm in love with you, but I have to go. Believe me, it's the last thing I want to do. But I will see you. Every chance I get. I love you, Angel."

With tears shred and long goodbyes, I watch my five best friends walk to their aeroplane to start their dreams.

-

Can you believe that it's finally the final chapter? Because I can't. Thank you for coming along on this journey with me. This story isn't quite finished. There's one more chapter. The epilogue. I love you all!