Our Timely Inclination

II

It was now mid-afternoon.
The close pair walked together in the direction of the sun, now rejoined with the trail having picked up Austen's blanket, packaging and left-over food.
They pass a large square of concrete with small rectangle openings on each side, in the form of an old lookout or pillbox. Covered in vines and moss, the inside, which was inaccessible, was dark and had been untouched for quite some time.

"That's an odd little building" Talia remarked.

Austen did not reply.

"Why don't we go down the left here? It'll take us around the hill and then lead to the top", she asserted.

Keeping hushed, Austen followed, not questioning her ability to navigate the forest. The duad after a period of time set foot on the top of this hill, it reached over the trees ahead of sight to overlook the lake from higher ground. They each took a seat and glanced up, noticing the collection of birds dancing in the sky, from above the tree line, clear as day, you could see several varieties of these avians swooping back and forth swiftly in play.

Talia sits forward.
"This place is so pretty, I've never seen any forest this big either."
Austen thinks about what he wants to say and ultimately replies,
"Yeah. Yeah definitely."

The girl briefly looks with her eyes to one side, without turning her head, to look at Austen. The boy noticed and they locked eyes, but they did not disengage. Instead, their jovial countenances become clearer, grins widen on each of them.
The girl's eyes twinkled, as did his to a lesser degree. Austen rapidly blinks and turns away, he makes a discreet gulping sound. Talia however sensed the perturbation of her boon companion.

Austen flinches again as the girl lays a hand on him, only this time to slide the heavy bag off his shoulders to search for the leftover cake. The boy makes no attempt at moving or deflecting her actions, he is simply compliant. Reaching in, she pulls out the remaining slice, along with a used pastry fork.
Cutting it in to two, she hands Austen a piece.

"Thank you"
"You are very welcome."
"You uh-"
He stops and he stutters.
"You look really pretty, j-just so you know"

Talia runs the tips of her fingers through her curly hair with one hand, balancing her victoria sponge in the other. The clouds had now separated, letting the light through once more to provide her with an ethereal glow, the sun brushed Talia's face. Her seraphic smile returned in acknowledgment of Austen's compliment.

"No, you." she giggled.
They were both now smiling.

The couple took it in turns to lay down next to each other, motionless, they stared off into the heavens. The sun's rays were now spread onto each of them. Austen began to shut his eyes, breathing out with both arms by his side, as he scrunched his face to avert his gaze from the blinding light.
A hint of melancholy crosses Talia's face, seeing that the radiance of the sun has come to irritate the boy. Howbeit, this is quickly extinguished by the glee that traversed her face and the urge to act as she leans down on Austen, putting one side of her head against his torso. The boy does not flinch. She feels his heartbeat thumping past his sternum where her ear lays, this is natural for him she thought. Talia decides to say nothing as she monitors him, paying attention to his rhythm, the strength of the beats, the rising of his chest in relation to his heart. Time felt as though it was standing still, minutes felt like seconds, as they lay there on their backs piled on top of each other watching the clouds persist in motion.

Chemistry is not just made for lovers. 

It is also made for people who would be willing to sacrifice time together, whether they just remain friends or they go on to build something more.

But as for these two, they still had no idea where their future would take them.