Wonderkind

She gave him a small smile, looking up at him.

“You were really brave...”

 

“Yes,” she said smoothly, nudging him gently with her head. “You were brave and handsome. You gave me butterflies.”

 

“Yes,” she replied, sheepishly defiant. “You just... you were very clever. That’s all. You were... I don’t know what the word is, exactly...”

 

She burst into laughter, pulling his arms down as she leaned against the side of his chest.

“Stop that. No.”

 

“No, Z,” she said affectionately. “You were cute. Unrelenting. Incredibly attractive. Not dashing.”

 

“No one says dashing anymore,” she continued lightheartedly. “You’re showing your age.”

 

“You’re twice my age,” she replied playfully before faltering a little. “Then again, my lifespan is much shorter than yours...”

 

Her face had closed off completely and she looked stricken, shaking her head a little.

“Let’s just go, okay?”

 

She seemed like she might’ve been on the brink of tears, her shoulders hunched as she held his arm.

 

She looked up at him, her brow furrowed.

“What do you mean?”