Lifeline (Marc Guiu)

Chapter 27

After all that time, all of those weeks of being sad thinking he might never even talk to Alicia again, Marc woke up next to her. A part of him wanted to not move so she wouldn't wake up. He didn't want to bother her. But the part that had missed her terribly won and he had to squeeze her tighter. It felt so good to hold Alicia again.

"I'll need to breathe at some point", she joked.

"I know how to do mouth to mouth. It's fine".

"Man of many talents...".

"That's me".

"What are the plans for today then?"

"I thought we could go to London", said Marc. "Just walk around the city a bit. Have you been here before?"

"Yeah, but I don't mind playing tourist again if you're my tour guide".

"Ok. Should we have breakfast here and then leave or do you want me to take you somewhere to eat?"

Alicia thought about it and her laziness won. "Can we go somewhere nice? I don't want to cook".

"We'll do everything you want".

During their months together, but not really together, both Alicia and Marc had been slightly worried about getting too close. About doing too many things that felt like that which a couple would do. However, they were now free to do it all. Because they were a couple...right?

"Umm...Marc? Should we have the what are we conversation?"

Marc turned to look at Alicia and got slightly distracted by seeing her only wearing a towel wrapped around her body. But he recovered quickly and nodded.

"You're my girlfriend. I'm your boyfriend. Right?"

"Yeah, right. I just...I wanted to confirm".

"It's confirmed then", he chuckled, wrapping his arm around Alicia's waist and tickling her so she would giggle. "Are you happy about this arrangement?"

"Very", she told him, smiling and getting on her tiptoes so she could kiss Marc. "I'll get dressed quickly so we can go".

The area where Marc lived was actually lovely. More similar to the part of Barcelona where their families lived than she would have imagined.

"Do you usually go to any of those cafés to have breakfast?"

"Not really. I don't have anyone to go with and I get bored by myself".

Alicia and Marc both looked down at their linked hands when he mentioned being alone and she felt a little sad for him.

"I can try and visit as often as possible. But...I have to go to uni and all that".

"I know, Ali. Any time I get to spend with you, it'll be enough. I'll try to go to Barcelona too. We'll make it work, I swear".

"I know we will".

Every single touch they shared felt so special and proved to them they weren't going to mess up this time. They were going to fight for their relationship even if doing long distance was scary.

"Can you order for us?", asked Marc, hugging Alicia from behind and placing his chin on her shoulder while they both looked at the menu. "I have to repeat everything so many times because my English is so shit".

"It's not that bad".

"But yours is better".

"Yeah...all those summers I spent in Ireland might have helped a bit", she laughed. "So what should I order for you?"

"Bacon sandwich sounds good. And the purple smoothie. No way I'm pronouncing that name".

"How about you get a table for us while I order?", she suggested and then noticed Marc placing something in her hand. "What's this?"

"My card, so you can pay".

"I have my own card, Marc".

"I know, but I want to pay for our breakfast. I'm going to pay for everything while you're here so deal with it".

"You're not going to so you deal with it", she told him, raising an eyebrow.

"We'll talk about it later but pay with my card now. It's not even that much money for this breakfast".

"Ok...".

Alicia had always hated being dependent on anyone. Obviously, her parents had paid for most of her things. They still did because who paid her uni tuition? Her parents. It was fine. Parents were supposed to pay for their children's stuff, especially while they were unable to work. But the moment Alicia could get a job, she started to earn her own money. And even if it wasn't that much, it felt great to spend money she had earned herself.

Victoria had also had to get used to Alicia not allowing her to pay for their meals and such, even if Victoria's family had more money than Alicia's. She didn't want to be dependent on anyone and that was that. Marc would have to deal with that little quirk of hers.

"She ordered a matcha! What a shock!"

"You're so funny. And still have no taste", told him Alicia, taking a sip of her lovely matcha.

"Do you want to laugh at how pathetic I am?"

"You're not pathetic, Marc".

"Yeah, well...wait until I tell you about how I bought matcha powder to try to make it at home because I missed you".

Alicia stared at her now official boyfriend and felt like crying. Not because he was pathetic. But because he was too adorable.

"That's so cute".

"I still think it tastes horrible, though".

They both laughed and then smiled at each other. It felt so good to be together, having left behind all the sadness and tears.

Alicia had been to London before and yet, walking around the city with Marc felt so different. The streets she was already familiar with didn't look the same. The food tasted better too. Everything was better because she was so happy to be with Marc again. And he was happy too. England had felt so overwhelming when he first landed there. However, since Alicia joined him, he started to feel like England could become a new home for him. But he feared the feeling would disappear once she left.

"Should we take a cliché photo with the London Eye in the background?"

"Sure", Marc placed his arm around Alicia's shoulders and leaned down so they could both fit in the photo. "Do you want to go inside the London Eye? I've never done it".

"The queue is too long. It's fine. I know where we can go to look at London in a similar way".

"I'm supposed to be the guide", he reminded her.

"Let's do a little exception".

Soon, Marc was happy about allowing Alicia to guide him to a place he had never visited before. He never even heard of it. Alexandra Palace. Or Ally Pally. Alicia had visited it because Ally and Ali sounded the same so it had caught her attention on her first visit to London. She told him about how they could go ice skating there one day if he was allowed and Marc wasn't...but he was going to do it anyway. Anything to make Alicia happy.

"See?", she was pointing at the incredible view of the London skyline they could see from up the hill. "Better than the London eye. And we don't have to pay".

"It's beautiful".

"But not as beautiful as me?", she teased.

"You took the words out of my mouth", he chuckled because she really did. "London wishes it could be as beautiful as you are".