The Soul Catcher (Harry Styles)

28 - Ready To Run

"Let us always meet each other with smile, for the smile is the beginning of love."

- Mother Teresa

______________________

warning: mild smut

"Venice?" Elaine breathed questioningly, enthusiasm written all over her face.

I fell behind, content with simply watching her check out our surroundings. This was the most cliché place to take her, but I knew it was perfect.

The excitement in her eyes told me I was right, and I felt a warmth deep in my chest where there had been only a deadly frostiness before when she ran up to me and threw her arms around my neck, nearly tumbling us over.

I could never get enough of her.

The following days flew by in a haze while we visited different cities that had always been of great interest to us, but the memories that stood out the most were the nights we spent next to a river or in a park.

One night was burned into my mind, my mind unconsciously replaying it whenever it started to wander to different places.

We were in Milan, enjoying the warm evening after walking around aimlessly for hours on end.

"My feet hurt," Elaine complained, but laughed right afterwards, reflecting her good mood.

"I have absolutely no idea if there is a park or a river nearby," I told her honestly, considering to start looking for a map.

"There is a hostel," she said, pointing to a white building with blue windows over the road.

"Good idea," I replied with a grin, quickly catching up. "We can check the keys at the reception and then just take a room that isn't occupied."

"Maybe we can even get the shower running," Elaine joked, carefully tracing her hair.

Although we went back to Shimmerland every now and then to get something to eat, take a shower and change clothes, we enjoyed spending most time on earth, our days off having been incredible so far.

We were both wondering when the Council would call out for us again, it had been eight days already. But there was an unspoken deal not to raise the matter in fear of drawing unwanted attention on us.

"It's so weird to think that we can walk through walls and people but can use some things on earth as if we were in Shimmerland," I commented, trying to remember when I told her I would either start searching for answer or simply accept things as they were.

"You know what that means?" There was a twinkle in her eyes that I couldn't quite place somewhere.

"What?" I asked, completely interested.

"Jump on the bed as if it were a trampoline!" Elaine yelled in excitement and twirled around right in front of me.

Her laugh was contagious and before long, we were both doing silly dance moves in the middle of the street where nobody could see us.

"Sometimes I feel like we're 5," I laughed, trying to catch my breath.

We had finally crossed the street and reached the lobby of the hostel where a few younger kids were playing board games.

"I think I spent too much time thinking about boys that were not worth it and studying for exams that will never matter in life again. If I had one more chance, I would fully live my life and not waste it," Elaine confessed in a serious moment.

"I know what you mean," I told her, caressing her cheeks.

"It's so unfair," she whined, stomping her feet on the ground. "Why couldn't we have met while we were alive?"