They stopped at a sunflower field that opened wide beneath the summer sky, filled with rows of tall green stalks crowned with large golden blooms. Each sunflower faced the sunlight, its bright petals glowing warmly in the day's embrace. A gentle breeze drifted through the field, causing leaves to rustle and heavy flower heads to sway slowly. The air felt fresh and calm, carrying the light scent of soil and greenery. Bees moved from flower to flower, and distant birdsong added quiet life to the scene.
As they got out of the car, Lara exclaimed excitedly, "Wow! I love this place. It's beautiful. How did you know about it?"
"I used to come here with a special someone," he said, his hands in his pockets.
"So… what happened to your special someone?"
"She died a long time ago."
"Oh, I'm so sorry, Xavier. I never knew that was the case."
"It's fine. It was a long time ago," he said as he opened the car door and took out his backpack. He pulled out his sketchbook, then zipped the bag shut.
"Was the person a girl? And what was her name?"
Looking straight into her eyes, he replied, "Yes. Her name is Celeste."
When Lara heard the name, she furrowed her brows, lost in thought for a moment. "Why does that name sound familiar?" she asked.
"Does it sound familiar to you?" he asked expectantly.
"I don't really know… maybe not."
She turned her attention to the flowers around them and noticed a few narrow paths winding through the field. She ran down one of them, plucked a few flowers, and smelled them.
"They smell nice, Xavier — and they're bigger than some of the ones I've seen before," she said, handing them to him.
"Yes, they are."
"So, what are we going to do today?" she asked.
"You don't have to take pictures today," he told her.
"Why? The view is amazing."
"I know, but today I'll draw the flowers, and you'll write a short piece about them." He handed her a notebook. "You'll use this for writing."
"But we should still take some pictures of this place. It would make our project more unique," Lara suggested.
"There are still many unique places we haven't been to. Let's save the camera for those," he said lazily.
"Alright, let's start," she said, rolling her eyes.
Xavier sat on the grass and began sketching, while Lara brought out her phone, did a little research on sunflowers, and wrote everything down in her notebook. When she finished, she looked at Xavier and saw that he was already applying paint to his sketch.
She watched him for a while before standing up and running through the flowers happily, her arms spread wide. The summer breeze lifted her hair and dress as she laughed freely.
When Xavier noticed her, a soft light flickered in his eyes, and a small smile curved his lips. He set down his sketchbook, took out his phone, and quietly snapped a few pictures of her without her noticing.
She ran back to him, her face glowing with smiles, and sat beside him.
"Xavier, you're done already? Wait — how do you know how to draw this well? Your drawing is top-notch."
He smirked at the compliment.
"Yes, I'm done. Why are you so happy about this place?" he asked.
"I just feel like I've been here before. And why shouldn't I be happy? This place is out of this world." She stretched her arms wide and closed her eyes, enjoying the breeze against her skin — until her stomach growled.
She opened her eyes and looked at him, her face flushing red.
He stood up, carried the sketchbook and notebook to the car, then returned with the bag of snacks they had bought earlier.
She opened the bag, took out some cookies, and started eating. He handed her a few donuts as well.
"Aren't you going to eat?" she asked, offering him a cookie.
"I don't eat much," he said, taking it from her.
They ate in silence. Afterwards, they stood and prepared to leave.
"I'd love to come here again, but I don't think I'd ever remember the direction to this place. It's so far," she said.
"I'll always bring you here whenever you want," he replied.
"It's hot, Xavier. Aren't you going to remove your hoodie?"
"Do you want to see my face that badly?" he teased.
"I'm just worried about you. Aren't you burning inside?" She placed a hand on her jaw thoughtfully. "Oh, I know — is it because you think your looks aren't appealing?"
He chuckled softly, a small smile playing at the corner of his lips. "Don't worry. I'll show you my face when the time is right."
He opened the car door for her, then got into the driver's seat and drove off at a slow pace. Lara turned to look back at the sunflower field as they left, silently promising herself that she would return someday.