(no subject)

[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]

"I had no hesitation whatsoever. I'd shout it from a rooftop, if possible," Stuart said, nudging her side gently. "Those guys are twats, Guin."

[aimlesswonder]

"Well it doesn't matter anymore because I'm with you." She smiled back at him. "So what are you going to study at college?"

[crossinglines]

"I'm a lucky lad." Stuart gave her hand a gentle squeeze. "Good question. I've been thinking about it a lot lately. Business maybe.. Or law. What about you?"

[aimlesswonder]

"I don't know. Guess I'll have to see what they offer." She shrugged as they arrived, locking up their bikes before stepping into the cafe. "Maybe literature. Or political science. Why don't you snag us a couple of chairs? Dinner is on me, just tell me what you want."

[crossinglines]

"The special looks nice." Stuart replied, going off to find them a good spot. "A soda to go with it, of course."

[aimlesswonder]

“Your tastes never change.” She laughed and went to fetch their food, coming back balancing a full tray that would keep them busy a while.

[crossinglines]

"Suppose they don't," Stuart smiled sheepishly. He helped her place the tray down. "We won't need to eat anything later, that's for sure."

[aimlesswonder]

“You wanted dessert.” She giggled as she sat down and helped him lay everything out. “What should we talk about?”

[crossinglines]

"Oh yes," he chuckled. "We've talked about school quite a bit, so... I want to hear more about you, baby."

[aimlesswonder]

"What do you wanna know? You've been here for most of it," she pointed out. Guin spent most of her time with Stuart, unless he was off with his friends. "Not much you haven't known about. Aside from stupid stuff with my dad."

[crossinglines]

"If you could do anything right now, what would you choose?"

Stuart's curiosity only grew the more time he spent with her.

[aimlesswonder]

"I don't know, honestly," Guin admitted. She had no idea what form she wanted her life to take just yet. "I think something where I could travel. And not a stuffy office job. I'm not that uptight. But I don't know what that looks like. Maybe I could be a photographer. A travel writer."

[crossinglines]

"A travel writer? That sounds brilliant. I'd be your most faithful reader." Stuart couldn't really see her spending all day at some stuffy office either. She had that certain adventurous side to her which he really loved. "I could help you out too."

[aimlesswonder]

"Maybe. I mean, I'm not the world's best writer but it'd allow me to travel the world, see new things. That'd be interesting at least." She shrugged a bit, the question bothered her more than she let on. "I guess I'm still trying to sort it all out. I don't have myself together like you do."

[crossinglines]

Stuart noticed it with a longer glance, feeling a little bad for asking such a big question. "I'm sorry, Guin. I didn't mean to put you on the spot or put that pressure on you. The school already does that enough." He reached for her hand, squeezing it lightly.

[aimlesswonder]

"I just don't know," she admitted, looking down for a moment before she met his eyes. "And it scares me that I don't know. What if we get out of college and I don't know what to do with my life?"

[crossinglines]

"It's okay not to know it yet. We're at the beginning of our lives, Guin.. There's plenty of time to think about it." Stuart assured her. "I don't know what I'll become either. But we can figure it out together. Help each other."

[aimlesswonder]

"I hope so. I have to think of something. I mean, I need something to start our lives together if we're going to be together." She chuckled nervously. "I don't want you having to do everything, you know? I just wish I had something that excited me. Other than you of course."

[crossinglines]

"You'll figure it out, baby." He nudged her affectionately. "It'll come to you sooner than you know. Trust me." Stuart wasn't just saying it. He knew that Guinevere would go on to do something great, he just didn't know that it'll split them up for 10 years.

[aimlesswonder]

"I wish I had your optimism, Stuart." Guin finished her sandwich and sighed, a little down now but she was trying to shake it off for him. "What are you doing this weekend?"

[crossinglines]

"Bringing back your smile. We can go on a bike ride or catch a show somewhere."

Stuart reached for her hand, holding it for a moment. He kissed her cheek. "We can go cuddle after this."

[aimlesswonder]

“If that’s what you want to do. You don’t have to worry about me.@ She gave him the best smile she could muster at the moment.

[crossinglines]

"Of course I do. You're my girlfriend, Guin. My best friend."

He smiled back, kissing her hand. "You deserve the world."

[aimlesswonder]

“I didn’t think I was your best friend.” She was pleasantly surprised by that. “I don’t have a lot of friends. Never have.”