My ears burn with embarrassment. “I didn’t mean to. I stepped out of the bathroom and—”
“It’s all right. My mates are well used to our rows. You might as well be too.”
“Is everything okay?”
“It is now that I’m alone with you.”
I laugh shakily. “Has anyone ever told you that you’re very charming?”
“On a daily basis.” He pulls me tight to his side.
“So, where are you taking me now? I didn’t think we had more plans tonight.”
He smiles mischievously. “No spoilers.”
We take the Tube since parking in central London is a nightmare, and I’m surprised when we get off and I recognize the stop.
“Isn’t this—”
“Shhh! Don’t ruin the surprise. Come on!”
The station is packed and it takes us a long time to make it back out. I swivel around and there it is—the London Eye—looming in the distance, as massive and alluring as it was this morning. I gape at Will with a mixture of confusion and delight.
“I was hoping to show you Big Ben for the first time, but since I apparently missed my chance, this will have to do.”
“I love it,” I whisper, taking in the Ferris wheel and all the hustle and bustle again.
“There’s a lot of touristy stuff about London that’s rubbish. ButthisI like.”
My stomach sinks at the line for the London Eye. I don’t know why I’m surprised since it’s a Saturday night in London. Obviously it’s going to be insane. I pull out my phone to check the time and see a new text and photo from Dev. He, Huan, and Sage have already made it back to King’s Cross station and they’re standing in front of Platform 9 ¾ without me. Huan is holding on to the luggage trolley and Dev is holding on to Huan like a strong wind is about to blow him away. Sage poses normally next to them. My throat tightens. I can’t believe I missed this. I read his text.
We decided to get a photo while there was a lull. We’ll get one with all of us when you get here. On your way?
“All right?”
I jump. For a moment, I’d forgotten where I was. “Yeah. Sorry.” I shove my phone into my pocket before he can see the picture. I don’t want to know what he must think of that touristy “rubbish.”
I nod at the line. “This is such a sweet idea, but I don’t think we’ll have time.”
He grins triumphantly and holds out his phone, showing me two tickets. “Timed, fast-track tickets. I don’t wait in lines.” He grabs my hand and we scurry to the entrance. His laughter helps me forget about King’s Cross. In no time, a worker scans our tickets and ushers us into an oval, glass-encased capsule. A handful of other people get on with us but I barely register them. The view is all I see.
The Thames is below me and the Parliament building stretches out across from us. Big Ben, which looked so impossibly tall this morning, shrinks inch by inch as our capsule rises. All of London surrounds me and I feel small and towering at the same time. I take a deep breath and revel in this moment.
Hands wrap around me from behind. Will kisses me gently on the cheek.
“Welcome to London, Elle.”
Chapter
24
I’ve got less than ten minutes before my train leaves bythe time we get to King’s Cross. Will kisses me goodbye and I race through the underground Tube station, up the stairs, and into the train station, my bag banging against my leg. I find my train on the display screen—Platform Two—and push through the turnstile. I hurl myself through the first open door I can find. A few people jump at my sudden appearance. After taking a deep breath, I check my ticket again for my seat number.
Carriage E, seat forty-one. And I’m in carriage A. Awesome.
People glance up at me as I walk through each of the carriages. I’m only to the second one when the train jerks to a start and pulls slowly out of the station. I fall backward at the unexpected movement, but manage to grab on to a seat before I land on my butt. I’m reminded of how Dev caught me on the Tube earlier and a tinge of heat rolls down my spine. What a weird few seconds between us. I just hope Sage didn’t see anything and misread the moment. I know how observant she can be. And even if she’s notinterested in dating someone right now, I’d hate to ruin the opportunity between her and Dev because she thought something was going on between us.
When I make it to carriage E, I’m surprised to find all my friends on their feet. Sage is typing something into her phone, Huan is craning his neck to look out the window, and Dev is faced away from me in the back of the car.
