Curious Connections

With a hand held out Mallory looked at Stella with a smirk. With a deep breath Stella relinquished her keys over to Mallory. With shoulders slumped Stella secured herself nice and tight into the passenger seat.

"So where are we going Mallory?"

"Honestly I don't really want to deal with the hassle of wandering eyes anymore. Mind if we go somewhere more secluded?"

"I guess but can we at least grab food on the way?"

"I know the perfect place!"

For the first time since their meeting Mallory was actually in control and she wasn't gonna let this opportunity slip through her hands. The ride was slower and smoother than the morning race to the academy which slowly allowed the high strung Sella to take a deep breath.

Mallory was weirdly quiet throughout the journey which caused those sparkling ruby eyes to never lose track of her. Eventually the car stopped in front of a small family owned pub just off the main road.

Mallory without skipping a beat made her way in with Stella following a few steps behind. The pub was decently well lit with simple seating scattered throughout the floor and some extending onto a porch that overlooked the gray skies that overcast the beach.

A grizzled man dressed in a simple white long sleeve shirt waved the pair over as they entered. His shirt was rolled up to his elbow revealing tattooed and scared forearms. His smile was slightly crooked but his stormy gray eyes were filled with life. His physique was rather impressive for the man in his late fifties.

"Hey Uncle! Mind getting me two fish and chips?"

"Anything for you Mal! Been awhile since I saw you up here. How's life?"

"You know the same old stories. Academy has been keeping me busy but this weather gave me a hankering for the best fish and chips on the west coast."

"Your two sweet Mal. So Mal, are you gonna introduce me to your fancy friend over there?"

"My apologies. My name is Stella. Sorry, I just wasn't sure what to expect when Mallory told me she wanted to take me somewhere special."

"Awe Mal, your love is appreciated. Anyway this old geezer is gonna get your order ready. Take a seat and I will be out in a bit."

The pair settled at one of the porch seats. Mallory was practically bouncing as she made her way over. When the steaming hot food came out she nearly jumped out of her seat as it was placed in front of them. With an exaggerated bow the old man took his leave back towards the bar.

The food was surprisingly good. The crunch was satisfying especially when coupled with the lemon, sea salt and spices that battered the fish. Not much conversation happened as the two went thoroughly partook of the meal.

"So Mallory not to be nosy but what is your relationship with what I presumed to be the owner?"

"Well me and my dad used to come fishing out this way whenever he needed a break from city life. I came to love the food here because it reminds me of those times. As for uncle, well he's been around for as long as I've been coming. He even let me work here over summer break when I needed the extra cash."

"I can see why this place is so special. Is he actually your uncle?"

"Nope but he is practically family at this point."

"Ah a bond of endearment over blood?"

"Nothing so formal I think but definitely someone I would help out in a heartbeat if I could."

"Well thank you for sharing this moment with me. I appreciate the thought."

"Hey Stella don't get mushy, we are still in a business relationship and as such we should make exchanges of equal value."

"Oh. What do you have in mind?"

"Well I told you a little about me but I wanna know a bit about you."

"What would Lory like to know about little ole me?" said Stella leaning forward with a slight eyebrow raise.

"What is your relationship with Cinder?"

That single question caused Stella's mood to pivot as she blinked in rapid succession at Mallory as her brain struggled to formulate a response. Luckily for Mallory Stella had not been sipping her water at the time or Mallory would have been drenched.

"We used to be childhood friends but we grew apart. High societal life could be a bit taxing on relationships."

Mallory's sapphire iris fell on the gentle tapping of Stella's clenched hand against the table. Without a second thought Mallory's hands gently enclosed Stella's shaking hand with a smile.

"Alrighty! On to something else. So what do you like doing other than stalking random girls at the academy and paying them to date you?"

"Hey that is a lot worse than it actually was!" Stella playfully screamed as she punched Mallory gently in the shoulder.

"Sorry Sorry!" Mallory said while giggling.

"Okay let me rephrase that. So Stella, what do you do when you aren't browsing Honeyed Hearts?"

"Oh I'm about to bite you!" screamed Stella through her giggles as she softly pinched Mallory's cheek.

With smiles and giggles the pair spent the rest of their afternoon in casual conversation trying to piece together their respective hobbies.

Mallory generally likes to go swimming, hiking or just seclude herself into nature. If it was scenic and quiet Mallory would happily visit it. The ability to detach herself from the hustle and bustle of the world and get lost in something was always a welcomed situation for Mallory.

Stella on the other hand didn't have much time for herself but when she did she spent it among the realms of fiction. She happily indulged in everything from fantasy to sci-fi. Stella was surprisingly geeky. However the majority of their talking points were spent on their love for certain MMORPGs.

Eventually the darkness began to sink in and the pair took their leave. Mallory however took a moment to pay for the meal and sink away from the teasing of the owner. With sparking embers of a connection in their hearts the pair returned home until their next little venture.