You Call This a Gift?
Chapter 20: Jonah

I made my way to the kitchen pushing past the guys. I grabbed my team mug from the cabinet “Go Husky’s” and poured some coffee in. I added the usual creamer to it and made my way to the porch. I sat down and peered around; it was such a nice day today. I hoped it wouldn’t get too hot. I looked up at the clouds; they were overtaking the blue of the sky only letting little squiggles of blue peer through. The sun was hiding behind a decently sized cloud illuminating it from behind.

I looked down and brought the coffee to my mouth to take the first sip. I could feel the warmth of the coffee travel past my tongue down my throat over my heart and to my stomach. My chest remained warm and it felt nice. It reminded me of the way I felt every time I saw Anna’s smile. She had the most beautiful smile I’d ever seen. When she smiled, it caused a chain reaction; her smile, then her dimples appeared, followed by her eyes lighting up with joy, and finally the smiles of others erupting after seeing hers. Her smile was dangerous it could pull even the strongest into her eyes and make the weak crumble. I smiled just thinking about it.

I shook my head and took another sip of my coffee and heard sticks snapping in the woods. I stood up gazing in the general direction of the snaps to see what it was. Squirrel maybe or a rabbit or maybe a person. I saw a body move through the woods in the direction of the dining hall. They moved too quick for me to notice who it was. I shrugged and sat back down to finish my coffee. I wondered what it would be like to be with Anna to hold her in my arms again… of course in less of a panic than last time. I dreamed of her almost every night. In my dream, I would walk to the lake back in the woods, and when I got there, Anna would be standing on the rock in a blue flowy dress just dancing and spinning in the breeze. In my dream, I would approach her and pick her off the rock her arms around my shoulders, fingers through my hair, and legs around my waist. Then I would lean in and kiss her with every ounce of happiness in my body. Then she would disappear right out of my arms and I’d spend the rest of my dream searching for her. I remember being told once that dreams are what the heart wants but can’t have. I hated that saying because I wanted to have her and I didn’t like being told that I couldn’t have her.

I placed my mug in the sink and went to my room to get dressed for the day. My stomach growled and I made the decision to head to the dining hall for breakfast. Maybe I would see Anna and start my day off right. As I walked into the dining hall, Kenna, Sable, and Lorraine walked out the other door heading towards their cabin. I sighed hoping I hadn’t missed Anna. I grabbed a tray of food and glanced around the room to see if she was hiding somewhere among the groups of people. I sat down feeling defeated after not seeing her anywhere.

When I was almost done with the food on my tray, I looked up to see Anna jogging up to the door and walking in. She flipped her hair off her shoulders to land behind her back. Her face was lightly blushed from her jog here. Her eyes sparkled as she looked around the room. I watched as she grabbed a tray and plopped various foods onto it. She swung around and took another good look around the room. I smiled as she sat down in front of me.

“Morning, cupcake!” I said with a cocky smile on my face.

She shook her head with a laugh and said, “Morning, Jonah.”

I loved the sound of her voice I let it sink in and settle in my ears.