Summer '18 / H.S.

02

It was well past 6 am. The narrow streets were now filled with cars and people going to reserve their spots on the beach.

Harry had just been walking. Ever since he parted ways with Mallory, he kept on walking around, with no purpose, just wanting to clear his mind. Something was wrong. He didn't like the way he felt. He hadn't felt like that in a long time.

His train was leaving at 8, so he set off to the station. He had left his luggage at a hotel while he was performing, so he picked it up on his way. Next stop: Marseille.

Having arrived on the platform, Harry stopped just before stepping on the train. 'You know what, fuck it.'

Turning around and running in the opposite direction, he smiled. He loved making impulsive decisions like this, doing what he wanted: it made him feel in control.

Before he knew it, the British boy was in front of a building he had visited only 3 hours prior. He pressed the button which called her apartment. No answer. Only then did he remember what she had said that earlier that night. "I have to get up early tomorrow for volunteering at uni."

Harry's mood went back down. He had no idea where her university was. It was already 7.30, the train would be departing in only 30 minutes. He couldn't wait for her.
He sighed and grabbed his luggage.

But just as he slowly started waking away, the building's door opened.

'What the- Harry?'

His eyes widened. It really was her.

'Mal! I have an idea,' the confused girl stared at him, allowing him to continue.

'Come on tour with me.'

_/_

Mallory ignored the fact that he called her Mal. She was too busy trying to comprehend what he was suggesting. Going on his tour with him? She couldn't possibly. It was all too sudden.

'What do you mean?'

'Come with me. We'll go to Spain, then Portugal, then back to England. It'll be perfect!'

He seemed so excited. Mallory hated to wipe that beautiful expression off his face. 'I just can't. My home is here, my job and university are here. I can't just leave.'

'It's summer vacation, Mallory. Three months is plenty. We could even go to Scotland and-'

'Harry,' she cut him off. 'What would I tell my parents? That I'm running off with a guy I've known for a day?'

'Technically, we've known each other for more than a year. But you're an adult, you shouldn't have to ask them for permission.'

Mallory wished it were that easy. She didn't know how Harry's parents were so permissive, but hers were way overprotective, thus only letting her out of the country once, on a school trip with two trustworthy teachers. And even for that trip, she had to plead them for months.

She explained all that to Harry. 'Then tell them you're going on a trip with your uni teacher. Or an internship, I don't know,' he suggested.

That wasn't such a bad idea, she thought. But it was all so sudden, all so... impulsive. She wasn't an impulsive person. She needed time to analyse all the possible outcomes. But Harry reminded her she really didn't have time at all, considering the train was leaving soon.

While Harry was talking about something, the girl was too deep in her thoughts to listen. Something like this would be so unlike her. But maybe that was a good thing. She had always wanted to find her passion. Maybe this trip would allow her to do so. Maybe she would finally find something she could do for a lifetime.

'Wait here, I'll go pack my bags.'

Leaving Harry downstairs, Mallory ran to her room, grabbed the closest suitcase and threw all the clothes she could find into it. She grabbed her essentials, chargers, headphones, a book and her passport. And the wallet, of course.

In around 7 minutes, she was back down. She and Harry immediately started running to the train station, which was, thankfully, pretty close by.

Right before getting on the train after Harry, she stopped.

'Cold feet?' he asked. She didn't know what that meant.

'Is this okay? I don't even know you that well, I'd be lying to my parents, my job-'

'Mal,' he stopped her. 'A year ago you told me to follow my dream, despite being alone. I did just that, and look where it brought me. Right back to you. I think that's a good sign.'

Mallory took a deep breath before stepping on the train, Harry helping her up. She still didn't know if it was the right thing to do, but she didn't care. For once in her life, she wouldn't do what she was supposed to do, what she was expected to do. For the first time in forever, she was making her own decisions. It would only take a little time for her to get used to the feeling.

_/_

During the train ride, Mallory used the free time to make all the needed phone calls: first, to her job, saying she was quitting because "something came up", then to her teacher, saying she wouldn't make it that day for volunteering, or any other day. Lastly, came the call to her parents. She thought for a long time about what she would say on that phone call and, with Harry's help, decided what would be best. She told her parents that she was chosen to go on a 6-week long exchange program with her professor and classmates to an university in Barcelona, where they would live on campus and attend some of their classes. It took a lot of convincing, but, in the end, the parents agreed.

'Didn't know you were such a good liar,' Harry teased.

'I feel so bad.'

'Don't. It's your life, and it's summer. You don't have any responsabilities. Just hope you won't get bored of me,' he winked.

Mallory smiled for the first time that morning. She was starting to finally see a bright side to all this. Before she knew it, they were already at their first stop: Marseille.