Meet Me Where the Oak Tree Grows novel Chapter 45

In a room full of sniffles and tears, an unexpected chuckle broke through the somber atmosphere. Jonah turned his head ever so slightly, a smile teasing his lips, his eyes twinkling with mischief.

It was strange. His laughter was infectious, pulling me out of my embarrassment and into a fit of giggles. I glanced down at my toes, trying to keep it together, but my shoulders shook with laughter.

Laughter is contagious, after all. Before long, the classmates nearby caught the bug, their tears turning into laughter. Their noses even started to bubble with snot. The scene was so absurd it only made the rest of the room join in.

The sentimental moment had turned into a comedy, and our teacher, the one supposed to keep order, just stood there with a bewildered look on his face. He gave Jonah and me a pleading glance, “Why don’t you two step outside for a bit?”

And that’s how, for the first time, a student and a family member got kicked out of a parent-teacher meeting. Jonah and I strolled around the empty campus, the night air cool against my flushed cheeks.

I stared at the ground, feeling a bit sheepish. Jonah rubbed the bridge of his nose, “Honestly, I didn’t mean to, but you looked so hilariously clumsy.”

I just rolled my eyes.

Time flew by, and before I knew it, senior year was upon me. The school switched from giving us breaks every two weeks to just once a month, so I saw even less of them.

On the bright side, Marie was almost free of her depression, according to the doctor. She no longer sat by the door lost in thought, claiming the wind was too harsh and the sun too blinding. She rarely woke up at night to hang wind chimes or dance under the tree, saying she’d forgotten the steps.

Instead, she began following the doctor’s advice, venturing out more often, sometimes dancing or going on shopping sprees. Every time I came home, she’d have a new outfit waiting for me.

As for Jonah, I fretted over the possibility of him falling for someone else, or someone falling for him. The daily mix of anticipation and worry became my new addiction.