Always You

Chapter 21

{Meg}

{Ten years earlier}

It's a sunny day in June and with our 'A' level exams over a few of us have met up. Jada, Jasmin, Dan and Layla. We'd been here about an hour, simply sitting out in the sun on a big open field of grass near town. Jada, Jasmin and Dan decided to take a walk into the town centre to get drinks and food. Layla and I on the other hand decide to stay put. Dan promises to get me something to eat.

When the others have disappeared through the trees. The two of us shuffle closer. I don't openly cwtch into her like I so want to do but we lay next to each other. Holding hands. Looking up at the sky.

"What's your ideal future look like?" Layla asks, turning to look at me softly.

Taking a moment, I wonder how honest to be. The truth of the matter is that with the exams finished it is just a waiting game to the end of us. We both know that, we both agreed to it and we both pretend it's not happening.

"I suppose I would like to be happily married with a nice house."

"Kids?"

"Yeah, at least two. I always wanted a sibling; I think that's why Dan and I became so close. If I have kid's I don't want them to be alone."

"Do you want them close in age or spread out?"

"A few years maybe but not too big a gap." If I have children, I want them to grow up together.

"Yeah, I can attest to a twelve-year age gap not bringing the closest of bonds. My older brother had moved out before I could even identify who he was." Layla says. She'd told me about her brother, he'd left for university at eighteen, met a girl and moved in with her after he graduated. He visits but they are not as close as Layla would like. "Any job in mind?"

Again, I take a moment to think. We've talked about future jobs before but neither of us have found one that we're aiming towards. "Still no clue what I want to do, I just want it to be something I enjoy. I know there is no job that you enjoy all the time but I would like one with more good days than bad."

"I understand what you're saying."

"Well, that's my dream, what about you?"

She gets a glint in her eye. "Mmm. Me? well that depends on you."

Okay, if that cheekily glint in her eye didn't make me nervous, that reply definitely did. "What depends on me exactly?"

"Well, this future wife of yours, does she happen to look and share a name with me?"

In my dreams, yes, very much so. Yet how can that future be true? Suddenly the deadline is like a shadow blocking out the sun.

"Hey," she says propping herself up. "Don't think about what's coming. You know, I'm pretty sure I failed all my exams." She says, tracing a finger delicately down my cheek. "You okay dating a girl who's failed all her 'A' levels and follows you to uni?" how I wish that was the case but there is no way she hasn't passed.

She smiles goofily down at me, bringing me out of my short funk. When I don't answer she pulls the face that never fails to make me laugh. Eye's crossed and her tongue poking out. I crack up laughing and see her beam before giving me a quick peck on the lips.

"I love you." I whisper.

"And I you. Always you." She looks at me with such affection that makes me think she fully believe every word she says. How I wish we had a future together.