April 5, 2018
Eliska stopped her car in one of the last spots in the parking garage, only slightly frazzled from the busy rush of the Atlanta traffic. She turned off the ignition. Tapped her finger on the steering wheel once, twice, three times. Took a deep breath. Swung the door open.
Walking down unfamiliar streets was normal for her. She was comfortable with her surroundings—shops, businesses, a few random houses—despite the apprehension residing in her thoughts.
She and her father had arrived in Atlanta, Georgia late the night before. After settling into the hotel, showering, and reading for about four hours, she forced herself to turn off the lamp next to her bed and attempt to sleep. She laid awake in the dark for a long time, not because she was nervous about the event of the next day, but rather because she had no idea how it would play out.
Once she rounded a corner where tree branches had been obscuring her sight, The Tabernacle came into view. She moved closer to the venue, eyes scanning the line of those waiting in General Admissions. She stopped behind a mom and her daughter standing in the VIP line, catching sight of the sign above the entrance doors reading: Why Don't We Sold Out.
As she waited, she turned over the reality of what she was doing again and again in her mind. It had been a month since her five minute conversation with him, a teenage singer on an international tour with his best friends... and she was going to see him again in less than half an hour.
She didn't expect anything to happen. In between flights and spells of reading during the previous weeks, she had listened to all of their music. She told herself that's why she was there, but she couldn't deny the bit of interest she had felt towards Jonah in that coffee shop in Chicago. The worst thing that could occur was him not remembering her, and she knew that if that indeed did happen, she really would be fine.
Security let her into the venue, her ticket was checked, and then she was waiting in another line.
The maroon cardigan she was wearing was making her warm, so she was messing with that when she glanced up, eyes happening to land on five boys standing together a few yards away in front of a backdrop of their logo. Her movements halted as she saw Jonah, watching him smiling, hugging, and talking to the people appearing in front of him.
She still wasn't nervous. Her heart wasn't pounding in her chest, her hands weren't shaking, her body wasn't breaking out in a sweat; she was just... there. Waiting.
Before she knew it, however, she was up next, walking towards them.
Daniel was the first she reached, who unashamedly pulled her into the most firm hug she'd ever been given. He pulled away smiling, which made her do the same as he greeted her.
Corbyn was absolutely grinning. He hugged her too, making a comment about her "fly cardigan," causing her to let out a light laugh.
And then she was turning to Jonah.
He and Zach were talking animatedly, and though it was only a split second before the younger of the two tapped his arm to direct him to her presence, it was enough to finally let nerves attack her heart and stomach.
"Hi, how are you?" he said in a lively manner, immediately wrapping his arms around her.
His facial expression was priceless when he pulled away and actually took in her appearance, recognizing after a few moments of visible confusion who she was.
"What—" he stuttered out. She just smiled. "Eliska... you're here."
"Surprise?" she offered.
The man standing behind the camera a few feet away called the group's attention, counting down from five before snapping the photo. Jonah didn't fully look away from the girl under his arm until number one was called.
She felt rushed with the lights on her and a line of girls waiting their turn to meet the band behind her. Jonah pulled his arm off her shoulders.
"Nice meeting you," she told him, grey eyes flicking to meet his. "Again."
He couldn't think of a way to respond and as a result, he almost let her leave.
But he knew better.
He knew himself. He knew he would regret not learning something about her before she left. He knew that if he didn't get over his worry of how she would receive his question, he would always wonder, what if?
So, in a flash of instinct and abruptness, he said her name.
"Hmm?" she hummed, facing him again, though she was acutely aware of the fact that she should already be moving away.
"What's your last name?" he said, almost in a hushed tone.
A gentle smile tugged at the corners of her lips.
"McNeel."
And just like all of their prior meetings, she left, just like that.
Zach caught Jonah's gaze as he tried to shake off the encounter.
"You know her?" he asked, a glint of amusement evident in his eyes.
Jonah turned his head away, fighting off a smile.
