Bloom (Malec)

Spoken For?

Magnus winds his way out of the city, humming idly to some random song on the radio. His fingers tap rhythmically on the steering wheel as we make our way into the suburbs. He takes an exit and guides us further away from New York.

"Where are we going?" I look toward him, catching the way the corner of his mouth quirks up into a smirk.

"Shh, patience, we're almost there." He replies quickly. Soon after, Magnus pulls off onto a little side road, driving on the bumpy pathway for a few minutes before pulling to the side and cutting the engine.

"So this is the part of the movie where you off me in the woods and no one ever finds me, right?" I joke, yet fear bubbles up in my chest despite myself. Magnus lets out a laugh, exiting the car and running a hand through his hair.

"Sure, you can see it that way." He smirks and I roll my eyes, unbuckling and getting out to follow him. Magnus locks the car, a quick beep, before pushing past a couple of branches and revealing a small footpath.

"We're...hiking?" I raise an eyebrow in disbelief. Magnus chuckles.

"Just a short walk. Come on." I follow obediently, glad to have left my jacket in the car. The hot sun filters through the trees, casting warmth across my skin where it touches. Magnus looks unbothered, humming tunelessly to himself as he guides us further into the woods. I'm sure, at this point, I'm going to die. After only about 10 minutes, Magnus breaks through the trees, the bright sun blinding. I can hear the rush of water, see the glitter shine in Magnus' hair as he turns to me.

"This is one of my favourite places to be. Isn't it peaceful?" His eyes shine with something I can't quite place, yet the look is pleasant. I find myself smiling at him before stepping forward to take a look. To our left and right are trees, encasing us in this small clearing. The grass dances gracefully in the warm breeze, flowers dotting the land. In front of us, a small waterfall cascades from a cliff face, filling up a small lake. The water is crystal blue, reflecting the vibrant sunlight. Magnus waits patiently while I soak it all in, saying nothing.

"Wow," I whisper, feeling a warm rush of calm wash over me. It feels as if we're the only ones on earth, caught up in this magical place where my family, my wealth, my pride, where none of that can touch us. "I feel invincible out here," I confess. Magnus stands beside me, bending down to pass his fingers through the grass.

"How would you describe this place?" He murmurs, standing back up. I run a hand through my hair, shaking my head.

"Uh, peaceful, warm, nice, it's really pretty." Magnus' face lights up like he's hit the jackpot.

"Would you say...it's beautiful?" I roll my eyes.

"That's why you brought me here?" I question, walking towards the lake, kneeling beside it to dip my fingers in.

"It's one of the reasons," he confesses, sitting cross-legged beside me.

"What other reasons do you have?" Magnus shrugs and grins at me.

"One, I wanted to spend time with you. Two, I wanted to show Lydia that you're spoken for-" I widen my eyes, splashing Magnus with a little bit of water off of my fingers.

"I am most certainly not 'spoken for', why would you even say that? What makes you think-" Magnus cuts my nervous ramblings off with a laugh.

"What? Do you not swing that way?" He challenges, picking up a rock and tossing it into the water. I feel the heat rise in my cheeks. And for some reason, I trust him enough to say this.

"Not...not outwardly." My voice is soft, nearly drowned out by the rushing water. Magnus quirks a brow, smirking triumphantly.

"So what you're saying is I'm just not your type then?" His tone is teasing, never lacking confidence. I huff, throwing a rock of my own into the water.