Mel & Jono | First Impressions

[xp_aero]

Mel runs into Jono- literally.

Mel liked to run. 

The burn of her legs, the piercing in her side, the sour taste of lactic acid on her tongue. Back in school the cross country coach always said she ran like she was running from something. And maybe she was. Then and now. 

The trail was soft underneath her shoes. She was keeping a good pace and it was blissfully quiet except for the odd birdsong. No thinking, just the bite of the cold and the sharp inhale of breath. 

Mel sighed in annoyance as she rounded the corner and saw someone up ahead on the trail. It wasn’t wide enough where she could pass them comfortably. She began to slow down, calling out “On your right!”

Jono liked to walk. 

Long meandering strolls through the city or the parks. Leisurely hikes in the woods with his mates. He enjoyed taking his time, and if walking in the daytime around this many people he liked to do so with music whenever possible. 

At present his headphones were blasting After the Fire is Gone, a Loretta Lynn song that Paige had recommended to him. He can hear nothing but the guitar and the crooning voices that carry an accent he’s really starting to enjoy. 

The person wasn’t moving aside. Mel dreaded going off the trail and getting her shoes soggy to get around them. Maybe she could just squeeze past? Keeping at a jog, she stuck to the very edge of the trail. 

Unfortunately, Mel’s calculations forgot to include her arms, and as she came up alongside the boy in black her elbow snagged the cord of his earbuds and sent them flying. 

Jono paused and turned around to face the runner, one hand immediately putting up the middle finger while the other signed a word he was very proud of teaching himself. ‘Why?’ 

Okay yeah, she deserved that. “Sorry! I didn’ mean nothin’ by it. Total accident.” Wait, wasn’t that sign language? Mel facepalmed internally. No wonder he didn’t hear her. 

She leaned down to pick up the guy’s earbuds and paused when she heard the song blasting out of them. “You like Loretta? This song is great!” 

Jono's brows furrowed and he inwardly groaned with the realization that he had neither lightwriter nor notepad on him. He unlocked his phone and opened the notes app. "She was recommended to me by an angel. She's growing on me." Both shes were in fact growing on him but he wasn't about to tell a stranger that. 

Mel nodded solemnly, like she understood him perfectly. “Yer angel has good taste. Her, Patsy, and Dolly are some of the best musical talents to grace this earth.” 

"She can't have too much taste if she's fond of me." He typed, rolling his eyes. "But Loretta Lynn is good, I'm enjoying it." 

Mel chuckled a bit at that. “I’m sure yer plenty nice, an’ you’ve got good music now too.” The top part of his face was cute at least. She was guessing burn victim based on the scarf. It really wasn’t cold enough for it otherwise. Was that why he was using his phone? Or was he actually deaf and could read lips real well? 

Mel shook off that train of thought. It wasn’t any of her business. She glanced at her watch. It was almost 1 and she’d agreed to lunch with Paige for 1:30. “Shit, I’m gonna be late. It was nice meetin’ ya, sorry again!” And with that Mel took off again, this time in the direction of the mansion.

Jono shook his head as if it were an etch-a-sketch and he was trying to erase that whole interaction. He rolled his shoulders and put his earbuds back in, determined to continue to enjoy his walk. Odd interactions aside. 

Comments

[xp_submariner]

Mel, making the natural assumption that everyone likes Loretta Lynn and that recommendation isn't a Guthrie green flag.

My favorite part, aside from all of the cute and Mel naturally accommodating Jono's disability, was "She liked to run" vs. "He liked to walk." A clever opening, immediately showcasing the two.