Page 19 of Meet Me at the Metro

“Come with you?”she scoffs. “I don’t think so.”

“Just come on,” I roll my eyes, getting fed up with arguing back and forth.“You have no clue where you’re going in the first place. Do you want an escape? I can give you one. You can think of it as an opportunity to get your mind off of whatever it is making you so upset tonight.”

“I’m not upset,” she mumbles, clearly upset.

“Just come.”

Silence lingers for a few short breaths before she finally sighs, “Fine.”

“Good,” I say, crossing my arms against my chest as I bite back the smile threatening my lips. “Now get your arse back on that train because there’s no way in hell we’re gonna be walking the whole way there.”

“Not until you ask me nicely.”

“Nora, for the sake of my sanity tonight—”

“Mmm-mmm.” She shakes her head disapprovingly. “I saidnicely.”

“Nora,” I start over, clearing my throat. “Can youpleaseget back on the damn train?”

“Now, was that so hard?”

“Oh, bite my arse.” I wave her off, but I can’t ignore how much lighter my chest feels than it did moments ago.

As we settle back down in our seats on the train, I try to ignore how fucking relieved I feel to have her accepting my company tonight.

7

SOARING HIGH

E L L I E

Idon’t know what in my right mind convinced me to come with Theo tonight. We don’t get along; that much between us has become glaringly obvious. But maybe he really can give me what he bribed me to stay with…

An escape.

After all, it would be a relief to have an escape from the chaotic thoughts in my head and the mental image ingrained in my mind of a half-naked Lucy in John’s shirt. The thought makes me nauseous for what I think must be the hundredth time tonight, but I swallow back my rising queasiness and hope that I haven’t made a big mistake in agreeing to join Theo tonight.

“Are you just going to sit your arse on the train all night?” Theo snaps his fingers in front of my face and breaks me from the trance of my thoughts, making me aware that the train has pulled to its next stop.

My eyes read the platform’s name waiting for me outside:London Bridge.

“I could,” I retort. I snatch my bookbag up from the seat and hurry off the train before he has a chance to mutter some other smart-ass remark.

“Follow me,” he instructs.

I’m practically walking on the tips of my toes just to maintain an eye on him as he quickly weaves us through the sea of bodies crowding the train station. For a split second, I’m sure that I’ve lost him, but I breakthrough the mob of unfamiliar faces and find him waiting for me at the bottom of the stairs leading out.

As I reach him, Theo nods his cocky little head for me to continue ahead of him.

Subtlety is certainly not his forte.

“You’re so bossy,” I groan, stomping past him and ascending the staircase.

“Yeah, yeah. Keep it moving,shorty.”

My calves are burning by the time we reach the top of the steps, but the cool night breeze of the city feels amazing as it rushes against my skin. I close my eyes for a moment, soaking in the humming of passing cars and the constant chatter of London as I regain some of my breath.

When I open my eyes to the bustling city around me, I ask, “Where are you taking me anyway?”

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