Greyhound [Marcus Rashford]

18

"So what now?" I can't help but ask Marcus. I can only stay in Manchester for so long before I have to return for fall semester. I've been working insanely hard towards my biochemistry degree, and I need to go back to continue my coursework.

"Stay," he answers simply.

"It's not that easy Marcus. I have full tuition at IU, and I need to return this fall to keep my scholarship. You know important it is to me to get my degree. I can't just be one of 'those' girls that dump their schoolwork for a guy. I love you, but I can't do that to myself."

"I never said that you should drop out of school! Since you sort of cut off your brother after the incident at your house, you don't really need to stay in Indianapolis. You already have made some great friends with my team and their girlfriends. You could transfer your credits to University of Manchester or somewhere else closer, anywhere in England, just to be more than a flight away. You're amazingly smart, so you'll get some scholarship, and you won't have to worry about the rest. I'll take care of it. I'll take care of you, Peyton. I want you, need you, here."

"I don't know. It's really generous, and of course I want to be here with you, but I don't want to be so dependent on you so soon. We've not been together for too long, and I want to still be the strong willed, independent Peyton that I've always been. Please understand where I'm coming from"

"Could you at least see? Maybe apply?" he asks me with his puppy dog eyes. I hate those puppy dog eyes because they can coerce me to do anything.

"For you, yes," I tell him. Marcus suddenly grabs my wrist, and pulls me towards the gates of the stadium.

"Where are we going?" I ask him frantically.

"Well, fall semester begins soon. We've got no time to spare! We need to see if the campus suits you. Don't worry though, it's beautiful"

With that, he speeds us down to the University of Manchester. My legs shake up and down the whole way, and my feet tap an incredibly annoying beat on his car floor. I'm nervous. I'm nervous that I'll hate it. I'm nervous that they won't have my major. Most of all, I'm nervous that I'll love it, move here, and Marcus won't love me anymore. I'm nervous of switching up my whole life, and not knowing how steady my relationship is. I'm nervous that I'll end up across the world from everything familiar to me, and be alone. Plus, they don't have Chick Fil A in England.

I'm distracted from my thoughts, as Marcus presses my knees down to stop them from tapping and shaking.

"I know this is quick, Peyton, but don't be nervous. You're not committing to anything. I want you to be happy. If that means going back to Indianapolis, I will support you, but I feel like you might like it here. Plus, I hear that the local team has a dashingly handsome, young forward," he tries to calm me.

"I guess Gabriel Jesus is pretty cute," I joke with him, referring to his local rival.

"No way you just took it there," he presses his hand to his heart, pretending to be hurt.

"What can I say, a little Brazilian spice never hurt nobody," I joke back.

While I'm not certain about this whole moving for Marcus thing, it's moments like these that I would desperately miss if I were to go back.