Before December

Chapter 14: Lydia

Theo walked a few steps ahead of me, faster than I would have liked. It was obvious he'd been here a million times and knew exactly where he was going, but I wanted to take everything in. The shops. The people. The streets. England still felt unfamiliar enough that even ordinary things caught my attention. Theo, on the other hand, seemed different the second we'd arrived, more focused somehow, as though he was on a mission.

"Hey, slow down, will you?" I called after him.

He glanced back. "I need to pick up my school uniform. If you want to look around the shops, I can meet you afterwards."

"Oh. Um, sure." I looked around at the unfamiliar streets. "But I don't mind coming with you. I have absolutely no idea where I am, and it would be nice if you'd actually show me around."

Theo stopped and turned to face me. “Fine. Stay with me, then. But I’m not spending all day wandering around.”

"Pretty sure showing a woman around town is the gentlemanly thing to do."

One eyebrow lifted. "And you think I'm a gentleman?"

I considered him for a second. "Yeah. Okay. Point taken."

Theo shook his head and started walking again.

I hurried after him. "At least tell me where I can get a decent iced coffee."

The town was nothing like LA. The streets were narrower, lined with old stone buildings squeezed together as though they'd been there forever. Some had little hanging signs above the doors, while others had flower baskets spilling over with color beneath the windows. There were cafés everywhere. Tiny ones with tables outside, bigger chains I actually recognized, and little bakeries with cakes and pastries displayed in the windows. People seemed to walk everywhere. Back home, getting anywhere usually meant jumping in a car, but here the sidewalks were busy with people carrying shopping bags, pushing strollers or stopping to talk as though nobody was in much of a hurry. I slowed when we passed a small bookstore tucked between a clothing boutique and what looked like an old-fashioned candy shop.

"This place is kind of cute," I admitted.

Theo glanced over his shoulder. "Kind of?"

"Don't let it go to your head. I said the town was cute, not you."

Theo gave me a look that was far more amused than annoyed. "You really can't say anything nice, can you?"

"I can. Just not to you."

He laughed under his breath and kept walking.

A church tower rose above the rooftops farther down the street, its stone darkened with age, while newer stores sat awkwardly between buildings that looked hundreds of years old. It shouldn't have worked, but somehow it did. I hated to admit it, but I liked it. Not enough to stay in England forever or anything dramatic like that. But maybe enough to stop complaining for five minutes.

"Coffee," I reminded Theo. "Preferably iced, preferably large, and preferably sometime before I die."

"You Americans are so dramatic."

"And yet you're still walking around with me."

"Against my will."

"Sure, Henderson."

Theo glanced further down the street. “Uniform first. Coffee after.”

I sighed dramatically. “Fine. But if I collapse from caffeine deprivation, that’s on you.”

“I’ll take the risk.”

Theo eventually stopped outside a smart-looking uniform shop with dark green lettering across the window.

"This is it?" I asked.

"No, Wild. I just really like staring at mannequins in blazers."

"Wouldn't surprise me."

He rolled his eyes and held the door open. "After you."

I stepped inside and was immediately surrounded by racks of blazers, shirts, trousers and striped ties. Different school crests were embroidered onto practically everything, and suddenly I was very aware that I had absolutely no idea how schools worked over here.

"So you actually have to wear this every day?" I asked, lifting one of the blazers from a rack.

Theo took it from me and hung it back up. "Yes."

"Like... willingly?"

"It's a uniform. Willing doesn't really come into it."

I followed him towards the counter. "This is so weird."

"You had school uniforms in America."

"Some schools do. Mine didn't." I picked up a striped tie and held it against his chest. "Oh, this is going to be good."

Theo looked down at me. “Play nice, Wild, or you’re not getting that coffee.”

I stared at him. “You wouldn’t.”

“Whatever works.”

“That’s low.”

“Then behave.”

A woman behind the counter greeted Theo like she'd seen him plenty of times before and disappeared into the back after checking his name and measurements. A few minutes later, she returned with a stack of clothes and pointed him towards the changing rooms.

Theo took the pile with a sigh.

"This feels like a really big moment for me," I told him.

He stopped outside the curtain. "Why?"

"I've never seen an actual British schoolboy in his natural habitat before."

"You're hilarious."

"I know."

He disappeared before I could say anything else. A few minutes later, the curtain opened and I had to press my lips together. Theo stood there in black trousers, a crisp white shirt, striped tie and dark blazer with the school crest embroidered across the pocket. He looked completely different.

"Don't," he warned immediately.

I walked around him slowly, pretending to inspect the uniform with great seriousness. “I don’t know. Something’s wrong.”

“The size?”

“No.” I tilted my head. “You look... responsible.”

Theo gave me a flat look.

“I’m sorry. It’s unsettling.”

“Are you finished?”

“Not even close.”

He sighed and turned towards the mirror, adjusting his tie.

I leaned against the wall. "You look like you're about to remind someone that homework is due on Friday."

"Shut up."

"Maybe volunteer to show a new student around."

He caught my gaze through the mirror. "Definitely not that."

"Obviously. That would require basic kindness."

Theo shook his head, but I could see the corner of his mouth twitching.

I stepped closer and looked at the crest on his blazer. "So what's your school actually like?"

"School."

"Very informative."

"It's boring and full of people I've known since I was about five."

"Sounds delightful."

"It isn't."

I looked at the tie again. "Do you have to wear that too?"

"Unfortunately."

"Every day?"

"Yes, Lydia."

I grinned. "Wow. England really committed to the whole Harry Potter thing."

Theo turned slowly towards me. "You did not just say that."

"I absolutely did."

"We don't all go to Hogwarts."

"I don't know. You've got the giant old house, ridiculous school uniform, dramatic family."

"Careful."

"...all you're missing is an owl."

Theo laughed despite himself.

The woman behind the counter glanced towards us, probably wondering why Theo's uniform fitting had turned into a comedy show.

He pulled at his tie and frowned at his reflection.

"It looks fine," I admitted.

Theo looked over. "Fine?"

"Don't push it."

"You just spent ten minutes making fun of me."

"That doesn't mean it looks bad."

A faintly smug look settled over his face.

I immediately regretted saying it.

“Don’t get excited.”

“I wasn’t.”

“Good.”

Theo adjusted the tie again. “Still hate it.”

“Very tragic.”

“Shut up, Wild.”