Page 24 of Meet Me at the Metro

“I-I don’t know,” I shudder with my eyes clenched tight. The force of the wind rushing against us is getting stronger, and as the ride jolts higher again, my heartbeat thunders inside my chest. “This was a bad idea.”

“Breathe,” his deep voice advises as if he knows what my sudden panic feels like. “We’re safe. We’re okay. Just breathe.”

And because I don’t know what else to do, I breathe just like he tells me to.

“Good, now open your eyes and look.”

I shake my head adamantly. “I can’t.”

“You can,” he encourages. “Just breathe and open your eyes. If not, you’re going to miss it all.”

Just like that, I force a long, steady breath from my lungs and open my eyes. They sting against the rushing wind, but I keep them open, gasping at the view in front of me as we glide through the air.

City buildings sprawl out for miles in the darkened landscape around us, the golden glow of their lighted windows twinkling in the night. As we turn round and round, I catch glimpses of those same lights sparkling against theRiver Thamesthat sways to life beneath us. Its waters are like nothing I’ve ever seen before: a beautiful, black oasis that mirrors the settling city surrounding it. I let the breathtaking scenery wash away every ounce of fright and worry inside me and fall in love with the adrenaline rush coursing through my veins instead.

I dart my head between Theo and the stars in the sky, smiling so broadly that my cheeks hurt. “Oh my God! This is incredible!”

Theo’s grinning just as big as me, but his eyes aren’t looking at the spectacular view all around us—they’re looking at me.

“I knew you’d like it if you just allowed yourself to. It’s not so bad, huh?”

“It’s not bad at all!”I holler into the breeze, feeling invincible as I throw my arms into the air and let everything but this moment slip from my mind.

I notice how Theo’s gaze turns thoughtful as he looks me over. His eyes pass languidly over the features of my face, and their influence has goosebumps surging against my skin, but he pulls them away as the ride begins to descend to the ground, and my body grows quiet again. I’m frozen in a state of awe for the rest of our journey down, and it isn’t until we make our way off of the ride and push out of the exit gate that I find my ability to speak again.

“Holy shit! That was so amazing! I want to go again.”

“What did I tell you? Was that a good enough distraction for you?”

“Yes,” I reply softly, finding myself smiling. “Thank you.”

Suddenly, it dawns on me how enjoyable tonight has been with Theo. He’s a sarcastic asshole, but I have to confess that this evening—with him—has been the most fun I’ve had in a long time.

I wonder why our previous interactions couldn’t have gone this well.

“Can I ask you something?” I blurt as we begin to walk back down the pavement from where we came earlier tonight. He nods, so I no longer fight the urge to ask, “Do you hate me?”

“Do I hate you?”The light that was in his face just moments ago fades. “That’s a ridiculous question. I barely know you.”

“I mean, it’s just that you haven’t seemed so keen toward me all the previous times I’ve been around you. So, I just figured that you did—you know—hate me or something.” I don’t know why it feels so vulnerable to say all this out loud, but it does. “I feel like I’m seeing another side of you tonight.”

“I don’t know what you want me to say to that,” he mutters, a veil of shame sweeping over his face.

“Nothing. I’m just—I’m just trying to figure you out.”

“Figure me out?”

“Yeah, I mean—just figure out your deal.”

“My deal?” he scoffs, and I immediately regret the turn in conversation.

“I don’t mean it like that,” I insist, shaking my head fervently. “I just—I hoped that you would tell me what I did that first night to make you so upset. I don’t think it was all over some spilled paper, was it?”

His jaw tightens. “Are you fucking kidding me?”

“What?What did I say this time?”

“It wasn’t justsome spilled paper.”

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