London struggles to stand up, making my upper body slightly fall before I control myself, at the loss of her shoulder to rely on.
She forms a funnel with her hands cupped over her mouth.
"THANK YOU, ALEC!" she shouts, making me immediately smash my hands to my ears.
But then, I stand up, joining her where she stands looking out over the city. And I form a funnel in front of my own mouth, shouting:
"THANK YOU, PANIC ATTACKS!"
London raises her eyebrows, smiling.
"Because without them, you would never have approached me" I explain, feeling my cheeks slightly burn.
Our fingers touch lingeringly, and I don't drag my hand back. London smiles, like she knows something I don't.
"Are you sure about that?" she says, and I take a step closer to her.
"I'm no one, London" I say.
"Not for me."
I smile again. This close, I can see the height difference. She's actually a good couple of centimeters taller than me.
"You fucking giraffe" I grin.
"You little gnome" she returns, patting me softly on the head.
We sit down again, and she puts her arm over my shoulder, starting to play with my hair.
Atlas used to do that.
I would never have let anyone else caress my hair like that, but with London's lingering fingers dragging swirls through it, I just wish it would never stop. Is it really wrong to feel some comfort even though she's dead? Is it really wrong to feel happy? The things that she did, are they forbidden now, even though I enjoyed them?
There's so many questions swirling around in my head like angry hurricanes, and suddenly I get the urge to just tell London all about it.
"London..." I whisper hesitantly.
"M-hm?" Her fingers are creating a braid in my hair, just like Atlas used to.
"I have to tell you something."
"I'll always listen" she says, at it sounds far more serious than I'd imagined.
I take a deep breath. "Promise not to be mad."
"Asp, I've never been and I'll never be mad at you, no matter what you do. I'll always know you do the things you think are right, and that's all that matters."
"But it's not about that, London" I whisper. "You'll have to promise to not get mad at yourself. Not at me."
London tilts her head. "What?"
I sigh, looking up at her and slightly raising my head. Her fingers leave my hair. "I won't tell you if you can't promise."
"Idiot" says London. "I promise."
"Promise?" I persist.
London sighs, but she's still smiling. "I promise, Asp."
"Well..." I take a deep breath, lying down onto her shoulder again. "Do that thing with your fingers again, please?"
London chuckles and soon, I'm feeling her fingers return, stroking my hair carefully. I relax.
"That book..." I begin. "It's very special to me. Like, really special."
"What book?" London interrupts.
She puts her hand over her mouth, and I can figure her ashamed face even though it's dark. "I'm sorry! Continue!"
YOU ARE READING
library hearts
Teen Fiction'sometimes i think about my life as a book.' • • • • aspen's world is thrown into chaos when her twin sister atlas passes away, leaving her to face the upcoming fall holiday alone. little does she know that that one mysterious earphone girl...
