fourteen

                                    

                                          
             
                          
It was two days after Graduation Day that James and Lily got on their plane to New York.  When Lily met up with James at the airport, his hair was messed up like usual, his jeans tight like always, and he was drawing, as he did every day.  As Lily walked up behind him, she could see it was a picture of a sky line of the city, more precisely New York City; he was copying off a picture on his phone.  She put her suitcase down near his bench seat and sat down on it to wait for her mother to arrive to see them off. 
                          
''That's good, you know.'' She said to James, pointing at his drawing.  He glanced up at her to smile before looking down again and continuing.  
                          
''Thanks.  You're not too bad yourself,'' He said, and she laughed, which made him smile, even though he wasn't looking up.  
                          
''I hope I can sleep on the plane.  It's a shame that we got a day flight instead of a night one.'' Lily said, and James shrugged.  
                          
''It's not too bad.  We have good company, don't we?''  She nodded at his words before he added, ''Well, you do, anyway.''  She hit his arm and laughed.  
                          
''Yeah, yeah.  Hey, there's mum.  I'm going to say hi, alright?''  Lily said, and James nodded, distracted by his drawing.  
                          
''Lily!''  Lily's mum said when she saw her, her arms outstretched and her hair around her shoulders.  Lily knew her mother looked young for her age, but it was only when she smiled that Lily realized how beautiful she was.    
                          
''Hey, mum!''  Lily said, and gave Linda Evans a hug.  She smelled like apples and new car scent.  
                          
''Oh, my baby!  I'm going to miss you so much!  I can't believe how grown up you are!  First Tuney, now you! It's too much for my heart!''  Linda exclaimed, and Lily rolled her eyes.  
                          
''Honestly, mum.  You're such a drama queen.  It's just New York.''  She said, and Linda looked shocked.  
                          
''Just New York?  We live in bloody England!  I have all the right to be upset!''  Linda said, and Lily rolled her eyes.  
                          
''Whatever, I'll miss you too, you know.  It's not one-sided.''  Lily said, and now it was her mother who rolled her eyes.  
                          
''Some days it seems like it.'' Linda said, and Lily laughed.  ''Seriously though, be safe, okay?"  Her mother added, and Lily nodded, giving her a hug.  
                          
''I promise, mum.  You make sure you are, too.''  She said, and Linda nodded, pulling from her embrace to see her daughter before she left the country.  Then Linda's eyes softened as she looked over Lily's shoulder.  Lily glanced back, too, to see where she was looking.  She saw James, his sketch book under his arm as he walked towards them.  He his pencil behind his ear, and Lily knew it was to show off and not because it was entirely comfortable.
                          
''James!  How lovely to see you!''  Linda said, rushing towards James as if he were her son, not her daughter's boyfriend.  James grinned and gave her a hug, winking at Lily over her shoulder. Lily scoffed.  
                          
''Hello, Mrs Evans!  How are you?" He asked, as polite as ever. Mrs Evans smiled at him as she pulled from the hug.  
                          
''I told you, call me Linda!  How sweet you are, I'm fine, thanks.  How about you, holding up okay?"  She asked, and James ran a hand through his hair, which Lily was 100% sure made her mother and half the other females and males in the airport swoon.  
                          
''I'm fine, thanks!''  He said, and Linda smiled her cheery smile.  
                          
''That's great! Is your mother coming to see you off?  I've been wanting to meet her,'' Linda asked, and James pointed to a place above Linda's shoulder, behind where Lily stood.  
                          
''Yeah, there she is.  Let's go say hello,'' James said, and Linda agreed, walking past Lily with James.  Lily scowled and rushed to meet up with them, their luggage left behind them at the entry way.    Euphemia Potter, James' mother, stood in the carpark, the Marauders and Alice and Frank beside her.  Lily felt cherished then, because although they had all said goodbye the day before, her friends had still come to wish her and James a safe trip.  
                          
''Hey, Prongs!" Sirius shouted, and James waved back.  They gave each other a hug before James moved on to his other friends, and Sirius came up to Lily.  
                          
''Hey, mate.  Hope you guys have a safe trip.  Me and Remus will be thinking of you every day.''  Sirius said, and Lily grinned at him.  
                          
''Thank you, Sirius.  I hope you guys have a good one, too.''  She said, and he smiled.  
                          
''Thanks.''  Then he stood back near Remus, who was talking to James about the car they were taking on their road trip.  Lily looked at Alice and went over to her.  
                          
''Hey, Al.  How's the wedding planning going?" Lily asked, and Alice grinned at her.  
                          
''Oh, it's going great! I have dates and guest lists done, so hopefully it'll be ready by next year!''  She said, and Lily grinned at her.  They continued their easy conversation until it was 11.30 am and time to get on their plane.  Lily hugged Alice goodbye, then Frank, then Sirius, then Peter, then Remus, who grinned at her.  
                          
''Stay safe, Lils.''  He said, and she smiled.  
                          
''I will, and I hope you will too.''  She replied, and he nodded.  
                          
''Of course.''  
                          
Euphemia and Linda walked James and Lily to the terminal, Sirius holding James' hand and Alice holding Lily's.  The only difference between them was that Sirius and James were crying and Alice and Lily were grinning and taking photos of the others.   The entry to the runway was busy and packed with people.  Lily gave her mother one last hug – 'Be safe, Lily!' – and one to Alice, - 'Don't forget me, okay?' – and one to Sirius – 'I love you, Lily, oh my God I can't stop crying!'- before watching James give a hug to the rest, and Lily waved at James' mother, and then the two carried their on-board bags with them across the runway.  When they finally sat in their seats, James turned to look at Lily, his headphones around his neck and his sketch pad on his lap.  He grinned at her.  
                          
''Our next adventure begins now, you know.''  He said, and Lily smiled at him, at his eyes and hair and smile and chin and jawline and about his mind and heart and spirit and soul and all the things she loved about him.  
                          
''I know.  I love you.''  She replied, and he smiled at her, the warmth of it heating up her bones and making her melt onto the floor.  
                          
''I know.  I love you, too.''  He replied, and kissed her once, long and slow, and it was perfect, and they were perfect, and so was everything else.  
                          
-.-.-