XII. No More Goodbyes
It was their third date. Any remaining nervousness had left them. They just finished dinner at a local restaurant and were now kissing under a large tree; one of the very few that existed in Suna at the time.
In the midst of the excitement and fuzzy feelings, Harley started feeling sad. She had to go back to the States in a few days, leaving him behind yet again.
"What's wrong?" Gaara asked, sensing her shifting mood.
"I wish everyday could be like this…" she said after a moment.
"As do I. But it'll be okay. We'll keep in touch like we always have."
"The thing is… I don't want to have to say goodbye to you anymore. So, I was thinking... what if… I didn't have to?"
Gaara's eyes widened. "You mean…"
"Yeah. I've… been thinking about it for a while, actually."
"But… you wanted to go to college."
"No, that's the thing. I really don't. It always just felt obligatory. I really don't know what I want to do… I just know I want to spend life with people I love."
"Please, please don't just tell yourself that if you don't mean it. It would devastate me if you gave up such an opportunity on my account."
"It's true though. I've been thinking about this a lot, and finally talked with Hayley about it this summer. Going to college was always something I wanted to do because it's what others expected of me. I felt like I'd be a letdown and a disappointment if I didn't. But over the years, I've met so many people; some who went to college and ended up doing nothing with their degree, and others who didn't go to college and are still leading successful lives. I think both paths are great, and so I just don't want to commit to something so intense and heavy until I'm sure it's what I want to do."
"Are… are you sure moving here is what you want to do? I love my village, but in all honesty there isn't much to offer as it stands now."
"What do you mean? You're here. That's what's most important to me."
She leaned in to kiss him once more.
He already knew she was brilliant. And she had talked many times about wanting to go into politics or journalism someday. If she was going to move to Suna, he would find a way to make that happen for her.