And Then (Part 1)

Chapter 5

The car comes to a stop and the driver comes around to the door, we unlock it and get out. The London Eye is so big! "Do you want to go on it?" Harrison looks at me waiting for an answer. "Yes." I nod enthusiastically. Harrison buys us tickets and we wait in line. He doesn't hold my hand this time and it feels weird between us, like there's a distance that wasn't there before. He keeps his hands in his pockets. I lean into him and whisper in his ear "What's wrong?" He refuses to look at me. "Nothing."  I know that's not true. I wish he would tell me what's wrong. I pull his hand to me and look up into his beautiful hazel eyes. "Why are you being distant and why do you look so sad?" He closes his eyes and I touch his cheek hoping he'll open them again. He does, and a tear falls from his eye. It falls onto my face and down my cheek but he pushes it away.

"Talk to me!" I beg.

"I want you to stay with me."

"I'm here."

"You know that's not what I mean."

"I do know. But this is all so crazy, isn't it? We only just met today and yet it feels like we've been together forever. I'm not sure what to do with that feeling." He lowers his eyes from mine, and I know that I need to say more. "I'm not saying that I want to leave you, not at all. I already told you that I don't want this day to end but it's more than that." He looks at me again. The feelings I have for this man are the only thing I can think about. I can't believe that just this morning I was feeling lonely.

It's our turn to get on the Eye next. There aren't a lot of people here tonight and they let us get into a car all alone. Did I just see a twinkle in those hazel eyes? Maybe he paid extra so we could ride alone. We get on and the doors close. It's not like we can do anything, this thing is all windows and everyone can see right in here. The city lights are beautiful from up here. I feel him come up behind me and he wraps his arms around my waist and leans me back against him. I close my eyes. "No, don't close your eyes, look over there." He points straight ahead of us and the view is stunning. I turn around so my face is buried in his chest and he hugs me tightly.

"How can I feel this strongly for you when we only just met hours ago?" I ask. "I don't know, but I also don't care because I have strong feelings for you too. I've never felt as happy as I have with you today, I don't want it to end either." He confesses.

"Me neither" I sigh into his chest, my voice muffled. "What?" he asks. I look up at him, not moving away from his body, "Me neither." He just smiles down at me with those beautiful hazel eyes and nods in agreement. There's a sadness in his eyes that makes me worry and I want to push that sadness off of him.

When we get off the Eye it's late and I'm a little hungry again. "Do you know of anywhere good to eat around here?"

"Are you hungry again?" he smiles while raising one eyebrow. "Just a little." I blush. "Yeah, there's a little place just over here. It's just a stand really, but they have a pretty good curry." I rub my stomach. "Mmm, I love curry!"

We get chicken curry and sit at the little tables they have set up nearby. The curry is absolutely delicious. When we finish Harrison clears off our table and reaches for my hand. He pulls me up from my seat and leads me back to the car. "Is there anywhere else you'd like to go?" I stop to think about it. "Do you like to dance?" I ask. "Yeah, I do actually. Do you?"

"Yup, I just don't know where."

"Ok, there's this club I know that we can go to. We know the owner."

I look at him "We?"

"Yeah, Robert owns the club."

"Of course he does. Does Emily own an ice cream shop too?" I ask jokingly. "How did you know? Did she tell you?" I just stare at him with my mouth hanging open and my eyebrows raised. "Just kidding, just kidding! You should have seen your face!" he laughs, and I playfully push at his shoulder. We get in the car and drive to the club, as we pull up, I can feel the music in my bones already. I love to dance, I don't like to dance on my own, but I still love it.