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1.10

"Maybe you should, once in a while." 

"I'm here, aren't I?" She giggled, and looked at him. She had grown gradually more relaxed over the evening and was now comfortable, walking close enough to him that their hands brushed. He grinned and let the silence wash over them. It was cold, but not enough for him to offer his hoodie, or for them to not have ice-cream. 

"Hey, what do you want to be when you're older?" She asked, focused on her ice-cream rather than where they were walking, following him blindly. 

"I'm not sure, to be honest. I've kinda always assumed that I'll either be a lawyer, accountant or join some part of the military." He shrugged and she frowned. 

"Why?" 

"Well." He huffed, running his hand through his hair, "My dad owns an accounting firm, my uncle runs a law firm and military school has been the biggest threat since I was seven." He explained and her frown only deepened. "What about you?" 

She paused, thinking it over, "In the way you're talking, I could go into the insurance business, or I could marry someone my mom likes. I'll probably go to Yale and then join the D.A.R. That's what my parent's want." 

"What about you? What do you want?" Callum asked. 

"I could say the same. What's your real dream?" 

"I mean, if I'm being completely unrealistic and admitting it's a dream, then I'd like to own a music store." 

"Yeah?" A smile pulled at her lips as she watched him, the expression on his face torn between two realities, the one now, with the over-bearing father and threat of military school and one where he was free.

He chuckled to himself before continuing. "Yeah. I mean a really chill place with a bunch of vinyl and CDs and merch and instruments and a place for bands to play and like just a really nice place. And you know what, someday a kid'll come in, wearing the school uniform from the nearby posh school and he'll walk up to the counter and say, 'where's the AC/DC stuff, a girl told me to come here' and I'll answer with, 'over there kid, knock yourself out' and he'll leave and come back years later with his wife and say, 'she told me to ask about the AC/DC stuff'." He ended, making her laugh, him joining in, lacing their fingers together smoothly as he put his empty ice-cream tub in the bin. 

"Oh really?" 

"Yup. But, seriously, it's just a dream. I don't think it'll happen." He shrugged. 

Gabby retorted, "I get it. But you're not five with some outlandish dream to go to space, you're seventeen with a trust fund and good opportunities. It's not impossible just because it's unlikely. Why not go for it?" She said, silencing herself afterwards with her dessert. 

"What about you? What are you gonna go for?" He asked, pulling her closer to him as he held her hand. 

"I'm not sure. There's too many things I could go for. Too many things I like." She told him, not minding at all how small her hand felt in his, how pale she looked against his honey skin, how soft his skin was. 

"Like what?" 

"I like English, I like music, I like clothes, I like cooking, I like art, I like History, I like languages, I like sport, I like learning, I like helping, I like taking photos. But I don't love those things, I can't picture myself doing them when I'm older." Gabby explained. "The future is just a big blank for me, one I'm both terrified and excited for." 

"I'll find something you love." He murmured, pulling her to a stop, close to him, one of her hands in his, the other clutching her ice cream. He leaned in close, her breath hitching as he moved closer. She was almost prepared for his lips to touch hers when he swerved, taking a bite out of her ice cream before pulling away, starting off down the pavement again. 

"How dare you?" She scoffed, eyes alight with amusement as she began to follow him, "And who bites ice-cream, you psycho?" 

He dropped her off at home, driving through the silent, sleepy streets of Star's Hollow, hand still holding hers as it lay on her lap. She was tired, yawning frequently and head lolled to the side as she looked out of the window. An old Eagles song was playing quietly on the radio and he would occasionally hum along to the chorus, stopping when he pulled up outside Lorelai's house. 

"Aren't you gonna kiss me goodnight?" She teased and he chuckled in response, shaking his head. 

"I would, but your sister is sat on the porch giving me the stink eye. So, maybe next time." He explained and she laughed, catching sight of Lorelai on the porch seat, with a cup of coffee. 

"Next time?" She asked, getting out of the car at the same time as him as he went round to the trunk to get her bags. "How well did you think you did?" 

"Call me." He smiled, amused. "And I mean it, this time. Don't wait until you're in a different state." 

"Okay. I promise." She laughed, taking her suitcase from him, "Night Cal. Thank you for tonight, I had a really great time." 

"Night Gabs. So did I." He smiled softly back and waited until she had made it up the porch steps before driving away. 

"Hey stranger." Lorelai welcomed as Gabby plonked down on the porch seat, exhausted, "I missed you." 

"I missed you too." Gabby mumbled, curling up into her sister's side, "What'd I miss?" 

"A lot. Babette's cat died and I think I'm dating your English teacher and Rory has a boy." Lorelai told her, wrapping an arm around her. 

"I went on a date with my best friend's brother who my other best friends think is a dick and now I like him and that's unfair." 

"Who wins?" Lorelai chuckled. 

"Why is my life so complicated?" 

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