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[crossinglines]

After school ended that day, Stuart surprised Guinevere by taking her to see the old monastery a few miles away. It had always been one of his favourite places in Sheffield, a nice piece of history to look at and touch. He hoped she could appreciate it too.

"So... Here we are," he grinned, leaving his bicycle by the tree.

Comments

[crossinglines]

"Other than that, yeah," Stuart chuckled. It's always refreshing being able to do this without curious eyes staring at them. The more they walked and looked around the place, the more he started to think about things. About them.

"Whenever I need to think." He stopped for a moment and turned to face her. "Guin... What if we went to college together?"

[aimlesswonder]

"What?"

She stopped what she was looking at and turned to look at him. It wasn't the first time he'd broached the subject; he'd asked her before if she'd considered applying to Oxford. But it was the first time he'd explicitly said he wanted her to come with him.

"I...I think I'd like that," she admitted, a little bashfully. "If you'd want that with me."

[crossinglines]

"I want you in Oxford with me. I don't want to split now that we've come this far. I've fallen hard for you." Stuart smiled brightly at her response, giving her another kiss. "Let's continue our story."

[aimlesswonder]

"Maybe we'll get to that happy ending." She kissed him back gently and smiled at him, one arm sliding lovingly around his waist. "I really like you too. I mean, I don't know if I can get into Oxford, but I'd like to come with you. You're the only good thing that's come out of me moving here."

Her grades were more than good enough for Oxford if she actually looked. But she hadn't given it much thought. She had been more nervous about if Stuart wanted to be that serious with her, after she had let her walls down enough to commit to him.

[crossinglines]

"You have a great chance at getting in." Stuart wasn't only saying that, either. Guinever did really good at her exams and she studied hard. "Oxford would be lucky to have you."

And he wanted to commit to her from now on too. She was the love of his life.

[aimlesswonder]

"I guess we'll find out when I apply. I'll do it, for you," she promised. She hadn't decided what she wanted to study in college but knew she wanted to go, to get a better education and a better career.

"Maybe we can get a place together? If...you're ready to live together every day. But I won't know anyone out there other than you and your friends, and no offense but I don't want to share a room with them."

[crossinglines]

"We can get a room together. No more sneaking out at night."

He took a seat on the ruins, tugging her gently to sit next to him and wrapping an arm around her. "We'll be a college couple."

[aimlesswonder]

"Is that really any different?" she asked honestly, sitting down beside him and leaning her head on his shoulder. "I mean, everyone knows about us now. We already spend a lot of time together. I just never expected to fall for you like this."

A long sigh. "I don't even know what I want to do with my life. And then I feel bad for not knowing. But I do know I want it to be with you, Stuart."

[crossinglines]

"I'm glad they know." Stuart wrapped an arm around her shoulders, resting his head against hers. "Don't worry about it. You'll figure it out, Guin... And I want the same with you."

[aimlesswonder]

"I know you do. You've always been honest with me." She smiled at him, reaching a hand up to stroke his cheek affectionately. She appreciated that trust that they had with one another. "You know, for an 18-year-old, you're more of a man than most people I know."

[crossinglines]

"And I always will be. You deserve the absolute best in the world, Guin." He nuzzled her hand with a smile. "I am? Haven't really heard that from anyone before. But I appreciate it."

[aimlesswonder]

"Well, I don't know. Look at the teachers. Do they look like they've got their shit together any more than we do?" she commented with a laugh. "You're a good man, Stuart. I was scared as hell of letting you in the way you wanted me to...but you proved you wouldn't hurt me. You're the best thing that's ever happened to me and I don't ever want to lose you."

[crossinglines]

"I didn't want to pressure you, but I'm glad you let me in. I never want to lose you either, Guin." A statement that would prove bittersweet five years later, but for now they were both unaware and happy together. "I promise I'll stay by your side."

[aimlesswonder]

“I believe you. We can do all sorts of things together.” She smiled encouragingly. “We can do anything we want. Doesn’t that sound wild?”

[crossinglines]

"Anything we want. A whole new adventure together," Stuart grinned, kissing her softly a few times. The more he thought about it the more excited he got for their future.

[aimlesswonder]

"You're such a dork," she replied but she was kissing him back and wholeheartedly in agreement with his statement. Infinite possibilities. If only she knew which one she wanted.

[crossinglines]

"A dork who's finding it hard to resist kissing you right now," he murmured as he cupped her cheek. Meeting her had opened his eyes to things he could only imagine before.

[aimlesswonder]

"Notice I'm not objecting." She laughed softly before she returned his kiss. Guin wasn't one of those girls who was always trying to fool around, but if he wanted to she was almost always agreeable. Guin enjoyed their time together as much as Stuart did. "You know how special you are to me."

[crossinglines]

"You're special to me too, Guin." He smiled, caressing her cheek lovingly.

Unlike many other boys, Stuart had more than sex on his mind. But he also couldn't deny how beautiful and irresistible Guinevere was.

[aimlesswonder]

"I know. You tell me a lot, and I appreciate that." She smiled gently back at him. He wasn't shy at expressing his feelings to her, even if like most teenage boys he would resist doing so in front of his friends, so that they wouldn't make fun of him for it. But she liked hearing from him that she was valued.

"What would you want to do?" she asked, knowing they could sit and talk for hours. "If you could do anything."

[crossinglines]

One day he would stop caring about his friends teasing him for being in love. Guinevere was the most wonderful girl he knew and he wanted the whole world to know.

"Anything? I would travel the world with you. Anywhere our hearts take us."

[aimlesswonder]

“That would be a blast. But we have to finish school first. I know that much.”

She laughed softly. She wanted a good life for both of them and knew education was a must. She would want to support them both and not just on her family’s money.

“I’m glad you’re sticking with me. I was worried we’d break up.”

[crossinglines]

"We'll finish school first, but we can already dream about the places we'll visit."

That would give them both the chance to save up some more funds. Stuart wanted to take her to a few romantic spots all over Europe.

"You can't get rid of me that easy," he grinned cheekily. "For what it's worth, I'm crazy about you."

[aimlesswonder]

"Aw, I'm crazy about you too." Guin smiled as she reached down and squeezed his hand affectionately. When the two of them were alone she could often be quite mushy with him, though she never liked to show that side of herself in public. "I have faith we can work it all out."

[crossinglines]

Stuart loved how she could be so mushy with him in private, like their special thing. He was the same with her. "I have faith, too. This is something truly special, Guin."