One Journey, the Final

Chapter 36:

"One, two, three, four, I declare a thumb war. Five, six, seven, eight, try to keep your thumb straight!" We said in unison, playing thumb war. We were playing to get to see where we would go today. I was rooting for Big Ben, while Harry wanted to go on the London Eye.

"C'mon Ben!" I screamed playfully.

"Eye!!" Harry cried.

"Aye? What do pirates have to do with a a Ferris wheel?" I asked, pausing the game. Our thumbs both stood in mid air, both confused.

"Not 'aye' as in pirate, you silly goose. 'Eye' as in this is my eyeball," Harry said, pointing to his eye with his other hand.

So that's when I took the moment to slam his thumb down and dominate the game.

"Ha-ha I win!" I cried playfully.

"Not fair," Harry said, slumping in his chair with his arms folded and a frown plastered across his face.

"Awe it's okay Harry. We can still go ride the 'Wondon" Eye if you want," I said, crawling towards him, using my best motherly voice.

"Fine. Are you ready to go?" He asked, getting up and walking towards the door. I nodded, and easily slid up next to him, his arm wrapping around my waist.

"Well let's go then. We don't have much time," he said, clearly using the situation as a pun. I laughed a little too hard.

Getting a tour of Big Ben wasn't as exciting as I thought it would be, but it was still a pretty cool clock. I was a bit disappointed that we couldn't get inside the infrastructure, but I guess I was still getting a pretty good idea of the architectural build of it. Sorry. Architect problems. Going to the London Eye was exciting. It was a bit like reliving our first date. Ferris wheels and all things pertaining to that. It was extremely crowded though, and it didn't help when a group of screaming girls came up and demanded for Harry's autograph. But of course I love the fans, without them, Harry wouldn't get to do what he loves.  

Getting back to the hotel, we took a detour, and discovered that the hotel actually had a pool. As soon as we found out that there was one, Harry ran me to a concealed corner and pinned me against the wall.

                “How about you say we take a nice refreshing dip? Sun’s out, it’s nice and warm. Get your swimsuit on.” However I was hoping he didn’t mean a gross public pool. The lake would do. As soon as we got to the room we put on our swimsuits, I swung my hair up in a bun, and we ran to the lake hand in hand. As soon as we reached the edge of the lake our toes barely brushed against the water. It was cold.

There was ironically a rope swing tied to a tree that allowed for a person to jump into the lake. Without a warning Harry ran to it, and jumped in like Tarzan. He did a somersault in the air, landing perfectly in the middle of the lake, causing a great splash. I screamed as a few splashes hit me, causing goose bumps to immediately appear. Though it might be sunny, it was still incredibly cold. I dipped my toe in, and jumped back, the freezing water sending shocks up my leg. Harry paddled in the water, seemingly unaffected by the ice water.

                “Come on baby! Jump in! Get in the water!” he cried, making references to the movie, the Notebook. Though I never really saw myself like Allie, I probably was more like Jamie from A Walk to Remember. Timid, but behind all of it, she was beautiful. As I was thinking all of this, Harry was screaming cries of assurance that I would be okay. He was practically begging now. I made my way to the rope, my grip as tight as my white knuckles. Tendons were practically beating out of my hands. I closed my eyes, took a deep breath, and heard Harry count down.

                “Three….two….one!” I felt my feet slowly glide off the cold dirt floor, and race through the wind. I screamed the entire ride, letting go just in time to let my body crash into the arctic tundra of water. The water rushes over my head, my cheeks big and blown as I hold my breath. My feet touch the bottom of the lake, rocky and muddy. I quickly push off the bed of the lake, gliding back to the surface. I reach it, sucking in more breath. The air is suddenly ripping now, stripping me of the little warmth I had. I shriek, and go underneath the water again, slightly better than the icy air. I swim to where Harry is, tickling his waist when I reach him. He instantly laughs, grabbing my arms and pulling me up to him. He encloses me in his arms, practically trapping me.

                “Harry, let me go!” I giggle. He just throws us into the water, creating more splashes. At the bottom, he lets me go, and together we swim to the top. The lake has to be about eight feet deep, smooth rocks at the bottom covered in squishy moss and other things. It’s a beautiful sight to see, that which I’m able to see of course. We have to paddle in order to sit and talk, which is alright.

“Have you called you parents lately?” he asks. Well that’s a nice conversation to have. I guess.

“Not really. I texted them to let them know that things were all right. They don’t want to bother us I think,” I say quietly.                

                “They miss you Bell,” he whispers.

“I know. How are the guys?” I ask, meaning the band.

“They promised that they wouldn’t call or text me, leaving time to us,” he said. I smiled. That was sweet of them.

“Then I guess no one is going to bother us,” I said gently, swimming to him. I feel my lips slowly turn blue though, as our conversation grows longer.

“Babe, your lips are as blue as a Smurf,” he says quietly. Our noses are touching now, our arms outspread, fingertips touching. Instantly, he grabs us and drops us to the bottom of the lake, where we embrace in an underwater kiss. It doesn’t last long though, lungs burning and reality screaming to us as our heads start to spin. We come up, still embraced, releasing for the biggest gulp of air I’ve ever taken.