FATE

29. Blonde Pigtails

BROOKE

"Be my girlfriend"

I cough into my lemonade, nearly choking before looking up, to face him with my mouth agape.

He has a smug look on his face as he grabs a small napkin from the table in front of us. He hands it to me.

"I'm sorry, what?", I ask as I drop the cup and begin to clean my lips.

"I asked you to be my girlfriend", Jonah repeats casually, his gaze on my hair as he twists it in between his fingers.

"That was so-", I drop the napkin, "simple and unexpected"

He chuckles, "if you want extravagant and expected then I'll ask again tomorrow morning by 8am, when the bell rings with a bouquet of flowers in one hand and an hand written love poem in another that I will recite in the hallway in front of the entire school"

My eyes widen and he smiles at me.

"If you want, I'll ask Hailee to throw in some confetti when you say yes", he adds.

I cross my arms, "I doubt you would do that and I doubt that Hailee would join in even more"

He moves closer to me on the couch, "you're right. The attention would be too uncomfortable for the both of us but I'm sure she can manage and I would gladly endure all of that for you Collins"

He places his fingers on my chin and moves my head up as he plants a light kiss on my lips.

"Say yes now", he says, "or should I ask again tomorrow at 8am?"

"Yes", I say softly, beaming at him.

He releases me and stares at his feet, pouting his lips in a pondering manner, "Well, there's this flower shop not too far away and if I leave now, I can get there before they close..."

I roll my eyes and shake my head, "Jonah"

"Yeah? What's up?"

"I said yes as in yes, I'll be your girlfriend"

He squints his eyes at me before his lips curve into the widest grin I've ever seen on his face.

"Well, that was unexpected", he says

"Really?"

He shrugs and moves closer to me, going back to playing with my hair with a small smile on his face. Since the night of the party, I've noticed an intense vibrancy in him and excitement in his eyes. He makes little gestures often, like playing with my hair, lacing his fingers in between mine and sometimes, pressing his lips against my head.

He does just that, circling his arm around my shoulders and pulling me close. I place my head on his chest, hiding my heated face.

"I adore you, Brooke Collins", he says softly into my hair.

I don't reply. I raise my head instead, staring into his twinkling dark eyes. He rubs his thumb on my cheek, smiling playfully. When he looks at me, I can feel every ounce of breath slowly leave my lungs. He leans in and kisses me, it feels like the first time all over again, like the earth has stopped rotating- everything else has disappeared and it's just us.

****

The bell rings and Jonah places a kiss on my cheek.

"I just imagined what I would have been doing by now if you hadn't said yes yesterday", his face is rigid.

"How freaked out are you by that thought?", I smirk.

"Very", he shivers slightly, "I'll talk to you later. I have a class and I have to find Hailee first. Bye"