FATE

83. Pinkie Swear

JONAH

"Hey you ready?", she asks when I walk out of the room. I nod and she beams, pushing her phone into her back pocket and gesturing for us to walk out.

I'm taking Mira up on her offer to give me a tour. A part of me is interested in seeing the place my mother started but I'm also doing it because Jacques isn't here today and I don't want to be alone. When I'm alone, I think about Brooke and last night, I felt like I was going to cry. I don't want to do that anymore.

I told Jeanne I wanted a journal and she gave me a pencil to write in it because I'm not allowed to have pens. When I told her, I wanted to go back to writing, she said it's good that I have a way to release emotions- but the downside of it is that I have to show her everything I write so she can "analyze it". I don't know how to feel about that since the only people who have seen all that are Hailee and...

...Brooke.

"Fuck", I stop walking and mutter. We're halfway towards the side of the adoption center. Mira turns around and cocks her head at me when she realizes I'm no longer walking next to her.

I gave Brooke my journal. She's probably already read it. She'll know. She'll know all of it.

My heart starts to beat rapidly and I close my eyes to take deep breaths. She didn't mention it when I called her. Does that mean she hasn't read it? I look up at Mira and notice she's staring at me weirdly, so I force a smile and walk towards her.

"Sorry, I got lost in thought for a second", I glance around, "where are we going?"

"Over to where the kids play basketball", she points to the side of the building.

"Is that the only spot?", I ask.

"No", she shakes her head, "there are other activities. I'll show you", she grabs my hand and pulls me behind her.

As we walk, I wonder if Brooke left the journal in Boston. If she did, I wonder if I can ask Francis to get it from her house- but what if she didn't? If Brooke can learn all of that about me from reading that book, then what was the fucking essence of breaking up with her in the first place?

I groan internally but then look up as we approach the basketball court. Under the summer sun, the basketball hoop is hardly visible and a silhouette appears next to it, slamming the ball inside. As she drops, the children around her applause and cheer. I'm not sure if I'm imagining it but Mira tenses and her grip around my wrist tightens.

I want her to let me go but I don't know if pulling my hand away from her would be weird right now.

I glance at her and notice her face is straight and her jaw is clenched. Her gaze follows the black-haired girl running around the basketball court. Her white shoes squeaking on top of the bright red pavement. She claps her hand and urges the children to continue passing the ball. Although, they don't look like they know what they're doing.

The girl glances up at us, her ponytail flying in the wind and she grins when she sees Mira and I. She yells something at the children and jogs over to us. Clad in black leggings and a blue sleeveless shirt, she looks really fit. I wonder if she works out.

She stops in front of us and blinks, her eyelashes fanning the base of her almond shaped eyes. Her cheeks are the color of pink roses and she smiles at Mira and I, revealing a set of pearly white teeth.

"Hey Mira", her voice is high pitched and soft, "what's up?"

"Hey Suri", Mira mutters dryly under her breath.

Suri sets her hands on her waist and breathes heavily, probably from all that running and jumping. She glances at Mira's hand on mine and then at me.