Page 26 of Meet Me at the Metro

She’s finally back in my line of view, progressing toward one of the train platforms. I break into a sprint after her, but unfortunately, just as I reach the train doors, they slam shut.

Nora’s on the inside, and I’m on the outside, looking like a damn fool. She shoots one last look behind her and flips me off the second she spots me.

The train speeds off down the tracks—out of my sight—and I’m overwhelmed with worry.

E L L I E

I’m stupid.I’m so damn stupid.

I should’ve done the smart thing and not left Theo behind because I sure as hell don’t know this city enough to be trying to navigate it on my own. It’s a divine miracle that I managed to figure out which direction to travel in, especially considering my phone had died and I wasGoogle Maps-lessfor the entire last half of my journey. Thankfully, with a couple of risky guesses, I somehow found myself back on a busy street that was familiar enough to lead me back to the apartment.

My eyes catch sight of its entrance in the distance, and I almost breathe a sigh of relief to have finally made it home until I notice the body lingering in front of the doors.

Theo spots me coming and quickly gathers himself up off the pavement.

“Are you mental?!”His brows are furrowed in frustration. “You don’t just run off on your own in a city like this, Nora. You had no damn clue where you were even going.”

“Well, I made it, didn’t I?”

He shakes his head at me in disbelief. “Anything could’ve happened to you, and it would’ve been on my fucking hands.”

“Well, it didn’t,” I argue, feeling embarrassed of the scene we’re causing as passing city-goers glance our way. “You can go home now.”

The door to the flat’s entrance jerks open, and Harvey’s head peeks out.

“Oh, Ellie.Thank God. You had us worried sick,” he sighs, leading me inside.

“I’m so sorry,” I apologize. “I wasn’t trying to make you guys worry.”

I glance back at Theo one last time. As I briefly inspect him, I feel conflicted between guilt and anger because the look on his face tells me just how genuine his worry was, but I also recall the bitter conversation we had just about an hour and a half ago.

“Thanks for waiting and making sure she made it back okay,” Harvey says.

Theo just nods, words failing both him and me at the moment.

“Text Evie when you make it back to your place, will you?”

“Yeah, mate.” He turns on his heel and begins to walk away, and I hate how my chest aches at his sudden indifference—I hate that he doesn’t look back.

“You ready to go up?” Harvey asks gently.

I force my eyes to finally look away from his friend’s fading silhouette and make my way inside with him. The door to the flat is already hung wide open as we reach the top of our floor’s landing.

Evie runs up to me as soon as my feet reach the doormat.“Where in the hell were you?! You had us worried sick. You shouldn’t have walked off by yourself like that!”

“I know. I just—I’ve had a really awful night, and I couldn’t handle him snapping at me like that.”

My roommates look at me, confused.

“What do you mean?” Evie asks. “What happened?”

“He didn’t tell you?” In unison, they shake their heads, and I sigh, “It’s a long story.”

“We’ve got all the time in the world,” Harvey assures, ushering me inside to the living room couch with a sympathetic smile. “Tell us everything.”

The three of us are sprawled out against the bright-colored sofa for the next hour, poppingM’n’Msand popcorn into our mouths as I run down the events that took place earlier tonight. They both are listening so intently the whole time.

When I’m finally finished sharing it all, Evie shares her opinion. “Your boyfriend is a fucking pillock.”

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