The Missing Gem

07 | Date...?

Nicole

Turns out, you can never see the Queen looking out the window at Buckingham Palace.

I knew it was a long shot but I had to try the hypothesis for myself anyway.

Lucas and I met up for breakfast at Magic Beans today, so he and I could go to the centre of the city and see all the touristic spots, monuments and all, but one day just didn't seem to be enough.

Well, it's  good thing I'm gonna be here for another month and a half. Or maybe more, I'm not sure. All I know is that the change of scenery caused the words to flow through my brain effortlessly and put my book on a good track.

And whatever place in the world worked out for my book, was whatever place in the world I should be.

"So, where should we go tomorrow?" I asked Lucas as he sat down on two seats next to each other on the tube train, on our way to Hampstead.

"Oh, I'm sorry I didn't let you know." His blue eyes starred at me with serious apology look. "I have Lexi tomorrow, my sister is going on a date."

"No problem. We'll go some other time, or I'll... go by myself. You don't need to come with me every time I go see if the Queen's home." I added with a light chuckle, hoping that would be enough to ease my disappointment and to hide it too.

"Or, you could come over." 

The suggestion caught me off guard. Come over? As in... go to his house? Like... a date?! 

"That is if you don't have anything better to do, which I'm sure you-"

"I'll go."

"Really?"

"Yes! I'd love to."

"You can come over for lunch. Lexi's coming around four, but you're welcome to stay as long as you want to."

"Thank you."

He pulled his hand out of pocket and with his fingers he gestured for my phone and I gave it to him. He typed in his name and phone number, saving it on my contact list.

As weird as it seems, I haven't even realized we hadn't exchanged phone numbers.

"Just in case you ever get lost again." He winked at me and gave me the device back, holding my gaze the entire time.

And so, after arriving at Hampstead a few minutes later, we shared a pepperoni pizza at the pizza place next to my apartment and with a kiss on the cheek and a smile straight from heaven, he said goodbye before turning in his heels and making his way to his apartment.

I stood frozen in the pavement, watching the cold air of the night turning my deep sighs into what looked like smoke, right in front of my eyes, blurring the image of Lucas walking with his hands in his pockets on his way home, still thinking about the kiss.

I brought my hand up to my face, letting my fingers caress the place where his lips met my skin and thinking about the whole thing again, reliving it, yearning to feel that electricity charged lightning bolt hit me again. Because it felt fucking amazing.

Eventually the image of him walking home got smaller and smaller until I couldn't see him anymore, which led me to protect from the cold and take the first steps in a while, walking up the stairs to my apartment.

I changed from my fancy clothes - full disclosure: not that fancy, but still fancier than what I mostly owned - to my comfortable, soft pink pajamas after showering, and I spent my Saturday night  face-timing Diane while we both binge watched Friends together and drank margaritas, even while being 5,362 miles apart. Talk about friendship goals.