Wildflowers | S.Jy

| 27 |

The birds chirped somewhere nearby, probably in the trees that lined in the long fields of Ailea. It was completely quiet between Jake and I as we walked towards the horizon, in the direction we could see the sea in. My hands were folded behind my back as Jake had found the comfort to let his hands rest in his pant pockets.

"Why is it that you have to go back so early? I thought the universities had summer holidays throughout all three months," I eventually dared remark and he sent me a small glance out of the corner of his eye.

"Dad wrote a letter," Jake sighed and used a thumb to scratch the corner of his mouth, "trust me... if I could I would be staying here for as long as I possibly could."

"Hm," I hummed quietly and looked down towards the grass that was tickling my ankles once it was underneath the skirt of my dress.

"Something about the bank and so," Jake waved his hand to get the topic to go away, "I don't even understand what it is he thinks I can do for him."

"I could just go with you, could I not?" I questioned with a small smile, "I would see a larger city... for once."

"No... I don't think that would be a good idea," Jake excused with a small chuckle, finally looking over at me, "you wouldn't want to leave your grandparents, not yet."

"How would you know?" I snickered satisfactorally at him, only getting a smirk of the same caliber in return.

"Come on, Millie..." he trailed off in amusement, "you belong to these fields. It's clear. You belong here, with the trees, the views... the wildflowers."

"And the endlessly cold and isolated winter," I finished only earning a small laugh from him.

"It would feel wrong for me to take you with me. As if I've stolen a flower from the fields or a pear from the pear trees in the valley. It would not feel right, not yet," Jake shook his head, "perhaps once spring comes I could pick you up and plant you somewhere near Cambridge. But I don't think you could handle the city."

"You have no idea of what I can handle and what I can't," I gasped in amusement, "and I surely won't let a man tell me that."

"Of course not," Jake chuckled and shook his head, halting his steps by the edge of the hill we had been walking updwards, "the flowers here are not ready to be picked yet. That's how I see it."

"And so I should obey that?" I questioned.

"Of course not," he let a small frown grow on his face, "no one forces you to obey anything. I'm just saying I could not bring you back with me while still bearing a good conscience."

To that I had nothing to say. I could only nod and give him a small smile in return once he had sent me a glance. In silence I turned and looked out over the view. Below us the green fields with an edge of forest ran on out a few more miles before it was cut off by the dark blue sea waving at us. Sending us its greetings from a place far away. 

"Be honest... do you really want to take over the bank?" I questioned and Jake sucked in a sharp breath, trying to find the right thing to say as he pulled his hands out of his pockets and started wringing them around.

"No," he shook his head before looking over at me, checking my reaction while I only nodded, "I'd rather be a doctor... but I don't have that choice."

"So you're just obeying your father?" I questioned and he nodded quietly, "ironic, isn't it?"

"Yeah..." he nodded quietly.

I sent him a small glance before nodding and looking back out over the horizon. Beside me Jake started fiddling with his hands and overall just seemed unable to rest in his body.

"Millie?" Jake questioned and I hummed quietly, turning my head to look at him, "you know how much of a liking I have taken towards you, right? Even though it's been a short time."

"I might have a feeling, yeah," I hummed quietly with a small nod. Sending him a smile to calm him down.

"Good... good," he nodded quietly, looking back out over the horizon while I continued to stare at him, "because... well, I hope you like me at least as much as you think I like you... but I think I might be in love with you."

"That's good," I nodded, his head snapping to look back over at me, "then I might also be in love with you."

"Really?" in the snap of fingers his face lit up right in front of me. Had the sun not been shining brightly in the sky I might've thought it to be Jake's face.

"If it was appropriate I might just have kissed you," he murmured in disbelief.

"And who's gonna see it?" I questioned in amusement.

"Fair point, come here," he muttered and reached out to grab my hand.

Lightly he tugged on my hand, pulling me closer to him. His empty hand wrapped around my waist and the one in my hand cupped my cheek. Gently he leaned over and pressed his soft lips against mine. They were so soft, like clouds in the sky or the tickle from a blade of glass.

"We should get back, shouldn't we?" his lips tickled against mine and I only let out a small laugh at him before humming in agreement, "alright... I'd have to wait till you come to visit me then."

"Wait for what?" I let out a small laugh as he grabbed my hand and tugged me down the hill in the direction from which we came.

"To kiss you again," he matter-of-factly replied, as if that was simply the most obvious thing to ever come out of his mouth.