Indigo Skies | A Short Story [COMPLETE]

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"So, um, Braylin..." Jonah started after a long moment. We were nearly to his grey Sedan now.

When he didn't continue, I glanced over at him. His face was slightly scrunched in nervousness and as he composed his thoughts, he reached up and twiddled with the cross necklace that was always strung around his neck.

And with that, I instantly became nervous, too. "I don't think I'll be able to go, Jonah."

He met my eyes, his expression deflating slightly. "Are you sure? My mom would love it if you did."

I looked away.

"And I would, too," he added just for a little extra motivation.

This was a weekly conversation that usually happened on Saturday nights. But every time he brought it up, my stomach clenched into knots and it was hard not to fidget. "I have to continue packing for when my aunt gets here. You know that." It was a clumsy excuse but I stood by it anyway. Aunt Sheylee would be coming in from New York next week, back home for the first time in nearly seven years. But I knew she was excited. Even though she had been several states away for a long while, we had always been close and spending my last year of highschool with her was going to be a huge upgrade from my dad.

But, really, I had plenty of time to pack. I probably wouldn't even be moving out of Jonah and his mom's place for at least a week after Sheylee came in since she still had to get the apartment ready. But the thought of really going with Jonah and his mom to his church made me so uncomfortable. I really didn't feel emotionally ready for anything to that extent.

Jonah dropped his hand from his necklace but my eyes lingered on the cross there. He really believed it, but it was so hard for me to grasp.

"I'm sorry, Jonah," I said simply, knowing how much he wanted me to come.

He gave me a quick smile, though it didn't reach his eyes. "It's okay. Maybe next week."

He said that every week.

Guilt wrapped around my heart, but I tried to push it down. This was for the best.

We made it to his car which was parked under a street light, though it buzzed off and on sporadically.

Jonah rounded the front as I waited for him to unlock the doors. He fumbled for his keys in his pocket until he was able to press the automatic unlock button. Sighing at how I had ruined Jonah's good mood, I climbed in reluctantly.

But Jonah stood still, not even grabbing for the driver's side door handle. I waited a moment but he was frozen in place.

Leaning over the consul, I knocked on the window. For a second he didn't react but then looked down at me with wide eyes. I raised my brows. "What are you doing?"

He blinked a few times before opening his door. I leaned back, expecting him to sit down, but he just stuck his head in, his hair falling over his thick eyebrows. "Give me a second."

"Wait, what are you-" But he closed the door on me before I could finish that sentence.

Huffing, I let my eyes follow his shadow-basked figure as he made his way back to the sidewalk and up the street a bit. When I noticed he was headed straight for a dark alleyway, I sighed. Guess I shouldn't let him enter a shady alley in the middle of the night.

I scrambled out of his Sedan, slamming the door shut behind me. "Jonah, wait. Where are you going?"

He paused, turning back to me. I jogged to catch up with him and when I sided up next to him, I cocked my head.

The corner of his mouth lifted slightly and he nodded toward the shadows in between the consignment store and an office building. I squinted, trying to see what he was so riled up about. A movement caught my eye and I realized exactly what was going on.