Meant To Be
"But Meriadoc, we're obviously supposed to be together." Estella said, making her tone sound superior and all-knowing.
"What are you on about?" Merry responded. The lass had been on about this all afternoon and Merry was starting to get annoyed. He was ten; he wasn't supposed to be with anyone. Besides, lasses were stupid.
"Diamond and I scried. You and I are meant to be together, Merry," Stella stuck her chin out obstinately.
"You scried?" Merry asked, even more skeptical than before. Stella simply nodded in response, refusing to be dissuaded by Merry's obvious disbelief. "And where did you get that insane idea? Scrying is stupid. It doesn't really work; you know that, don't you?"
At this, Estella hesitated. "We… We saw it at the fair…," Her feistiness returning, the lass looked up at Merry again, a blaze in her eye. "And if 'tis just folly, tell me why did I see us gettin' married? When we're grown, I mean."
It was Merry's turn to pause. "Did… Did you really?"
"Are you saying you might believe me?" Stella replied quickly, hope in her eyes.
"No! 'Course not. I just… Scrying never really works. You and Diamond probably just made it up because you fancy me."
Estella blushed furiously and tried to make herself looked surprised by the accusation. "I… I don't fancy you! You're too strange!"
Merry was shocked with himself when her words hurt him. Why should I care what a lass thinks of me? "I… I'm not strange…," was all he could bring himself to say and he looked away from Stella. She automatically felt horrible and moved forward, taking the other hobbit's hand in hers.
"No… I didn't mean that… I mean, you are different but… But that's why… Oh, I guess I do fancy you, Meriadoc!" Stella was never this bold and she flushed red again.
The lad stared in silence, then he looked down at Stella's hand in his. "I… Think I may fancy you, too…," he murmured.
Stella's eyes shot back to Merry's. She gazed at him for a moment before breaking into a grin. "I told you we were meant to be together, Meriadoc Brandybuck. Best if you just believe me next time I tell you something."