Dreamers- Book 1

Chapter Seventeen- Pippa

"I mean, she seemed nice enough. I just don't trust anyone. Never have." Bellamy said, finishing his rant.

She had met him at the small park on the other side of town, saddened by the scowl that seemed stuck onto his face for the past few hours.

They had walked through town in relative silence, only talking once Pippa had laid out the picnic blanket for them to lay down on.

"I'm sorry it's like that for you." Pippa said, not really knowing what to say to him, knowing she wouldn't be able to bring him much comfort.

Resting her hand over his she turned over to face him. He was staring up at the sky, his eyes tracing the tree line that loomed above them.

"Do you think you will buy that bigger unit? The one your mother sent you." She asked.

He sighed, defeated. "I suppose."

"From the sounds of it, it would make much more comfortable living on your part. You could have a bedroom that doesn't retract into the wall." She teased.

"Perhaps."

His evasive answers annoyed her. It was bad enough he had spent the last hour explaining that his mother expected him to marry someone in the next few months, and had seemingly set him up with this... Melody. 

"I'm sorry, I have spent ages moaning about my evening- how did your family dinner go?" Bellamy asked, his fingers curling around her hand resting on his.

Pippa laughed, her evening had been nothing compared to his. At least her dad and grandparents supported her completely.

"My aunt ended up walking up out half way through dinner when I told her I was a lesbian... I'm not by the way. I mean, I am open to falling in love with whoever I do. You know." She gabbled, her words rushing together as she tried to explain what had happened without sounding like a completely insane person.

"Why would she walk out over that?" Bellamy asked, turning his head to look at her, confused.

"Well, she is pretty old fashioned in her values. Women in the kitchen at home looking after the children while the man goes out to work and all that. My best friend is a guy as well, which she definitely attests to. I said it to push her over the edge, she was annoying me." Pippa shrugged, looking over to Bellamy to see whether he understood what she was saying.

"You mean that people in your time think men should work and women should stay home. That men and women can't be friends, and that women can't love other women?" He asked, his confusion apparently deepening as his eye brows creased, frown lines appearing across his face.

"Well. Some people do. That was what most people thought a hundred years ago, I guess though society has evolved the thinking for many people hasn't. People like my aunt. The rest of my family is great, really open minded about nearly everything I think." She replied.

"I'm sorry. That sounds awful!" He exclaimed.

"Well, what is peoples thinking like in your time?" She could only hold her breath as she waited to hear for a future she could only hope for.

"Men and women are treated completely equal. I don't understand why they wouldn't be. Same with love as well. You are free to be with whoever you wish- well, so long as you don't have my mother for a mother." He replied.

"That's amazing." Pippa replied, unable to stop herself from grinning from ear to ear.

"Yeah, compared to this time I guess it is." Bellamy's forlorn mood returning at the reminder that he had to marry someone, and soon.