Stuart. - 2D X Reader

Part 13 - Essex

A/N- I tried digital art after a few years of neglect so yeah here's a drawing of 2D <3

After that day, Stuart and I went on many more dates. People at school knew about us and weren't too surprised , Stuart had had a lot of girlfriends before me so they figured I was just another one of those. I hoped I was different though, and we wouldn't break up, and to be frank, it didn't seem like we were going to, we both clearly really liked each other and i'm sure I loved him; I hadn't told him this yet though. Stuart was my first real boyfriend (sure I had one or two in primary school but like all primary school relationships, they weren't very real, more just labels.) so I didn't know when to say it.

We never did continue what happened on the night of that first date, all thanks to my doubtfulness and naivety. I knew I wanted to at some point, but I never thought I was ready. That doesn't mean we weren't very close to doing it many times though, I always had to wear concealer on my neck at least a few times a month. We were in year 11 and doing our GCSE's and Stuart had got his job at Uncle Norm's Organ Emporium, and from what I saw, loved it. I had a job at the cafe Stuart took us on our first date. It was cute and cozy but was sometimes very stressful, but I had managed to get quite good at it. Sometimes I would visit him while he was at work, he looked very cute in his uniform. It usually wasn't very busy so we could talk, but I always sensed Norm didn't like me distracting his employees. Stuart visited me at the cafe too when I was on my breaks, but I was always too busy so we preferred Norm's shop.

We got our GCSE results, and I had passed everything; highest score in English and lowest in Music. It didn't really mater to me though, I really just took music to see Stuart. He inevitably failed most subjects, barely passed Biology and P.E. and got a 9 (the best mark you can get) in music. He seemed pretty nonchalant about this, and extremely happy he passed biology. I wanted to do A-levels and continue my education and Stuart wanted to continue working at Uncle Norm's. It seemed as though we had it all worked out for the next few years.

Well until that fateful day when my mum announced some news that she believed was 'the best bloody thing that's ever going to happen to you and me' . Of course, it was nothing of the sort. She had been going out with a man from Essex which was an hour drive from where we were- Sussex. (Seriously, what is it with English counties ending in 'sex'?) This man; 'Micheal' who she had started going out with around the same time I had started going out with Stuart, was loaded, and had offered for me and my mum to live in his mansion with him and his daughter. I liked Micheal, he was nice and funny (and rich) and so was his daughter who was around 7 years old. She felt like a biological sister to me and was really funny and loved drawing, but I wasn't so sure I could just pack up my life here and go. My mum was though. She had decided we were going, out of working class life and up into the upper.

I tried to protest but I knew this would be best for her and she deserved Micheal after her failed romances of the past. We were set to move in early July. It was June 14th that day when I was told. Since I was doing A-levels and just finished GCSE, it didn't really matter that I was moving schools and my job wasn't really that important. The reason I wanted to stay so bad was because of Stuart. I had read enough teen magazines and watched enough TV to know long distance relationships didn't work especially at such a young age even though it was only an hour drive. Neither Staurt or I could drive, and when we were old enough to get a license, I doubted Stuart would pass the test, and I most likely wouldn't get the time to drive all that often to Sussex. I was scared that this was the end. No, I knew it was the end.

I had to tell him, as much as it pained me to do so, I had thought about just leaving without telling him to save myself a painful experience, but thought better of it. What kind of Paulaesque bitch would I have to be to do that? I decided to go to the tree house to cry it out. The air was humid, thanks to it now being summer. It was dusk and there were various bugs flying about, quite a few mosquitoes for England. I made my way to the tree I could now confidently climb, the wood of the ladder was warm, heated by the sun. I hauled myself over the edge and sat in the corner. I reached into my pocket, and pulled out the photo of Stuart. Yes, the one where we were rollerskating. My vision began to blur as warm salty droplets formed in my eyes and eventually started to drop down my cheek. I silently cried, letting whatever emotions in me just come out. I took a deep breath in and-

I heard a yelp coming from the balcony off the side of the tree-house. I wiped my tears, returned the photo to my pocket and looked over to my left. There stood a very startled blue haired boy, looking back at me, a half used cigarette on the floor.

'Jesus! 'Ow long were you 'ere?!?'

I tried to speak, but my throat tightened and more tears dripped from my eyes. I put my hands over my face, and tilted my head down. Not wanting him to see me like this, and also because seeing him in real life just reminded me of our inevitable separation. I heard footsteps approach me and could feel the presence of someone crouching down beside me. I removed my hands from my face to get a good look at him. His knees were brought up to his mouth and his thin arms were wrapped around his legs. He looked deep in thought, and a little forlorn. His hair fell over his face loosely.

I contemplated telling him in that moment. My mouth decided for me.

'I- I'm going. To Essex. And i'm not coming back. We're moving in a few weeks.'

He lifted his chin up so it was resting on top of his knees; 'But, what about me?' He replied in a hushed tone, looking into my water logged eyes.

'I don't know. I think- I think-' I didn't finish my sentence. I bursted into ugly tears instead. Through my tears I could see Stuarts face tighten and small beads of water dripped down his cheeks. My heart ached as I had never seen him cry before, it was painful seeing him like that, he looked vulnerable, and all I felt inside was a need and utter love for him. I maneuvered myself into a position where I could hug him. I leaned into him, and engulfed him in my arms.

'I- I love yew.'

My heart stopped.

'I love you too.'

The 3 and a half weeks we had together went by too fast. Before I knew it, I was giving him a long and bittersweet kiss in our tree house for the last time, before I walked back to my house where my mum drove me away from the boy I loved. For that whole ride, I looked out the window and said my goodbyes to the place I grew up in and when we drove out of Sussex, through Kent and into Essex I looked at the photo I had of him.

A/N- SORRY FOR THAT </3 I PROMISE THIS ISN'T THE END THIS WAS THE INTRO <3