Page 49 of London, Love, & A Little Something Irish

“Okay,” I say, slipping the helmeton. “I’ll text you.”

I pull her in for a quick hug, but neither of us moves right away.

Just one more second.

Then she pulls away. “See you,” she calls, walking backward toward her dorm.

I swing back onto my bike, hands tightening around the handlebars as I watch her disappear inside. As the engine purrs beneath me and I roll forward onto the street, excitement pulses through my veins.

I can’t wait to see her again.

And I can’t shake this feeling.

I’m ready to see if this girl is going to be the rest of my life.

22

Nataly

All week, I’ve been overthinking everything—what to wear, what to say, how to actnormalaround Nathan. And now, suddenly, it’s here. I grab my bag, hop on the tube, and settle in for the ride to South Kensington. Just two quick changes, Canning Town and Green Park, and then I’ll be there.

Joel’s texts are still sitting unread on my phone. Well, not unread exactly, just… unanswered.

Joel: Maybe I can prove to you we could still be good together.

What was I supposed to say to that?

It hasn’t even been that long since the breakup, but the emotional distance between us feels like a canyon. And standing on the other side of that canyon? Nathan. Even if this thing between us is just beginning, even if it’s undefined and fragile, I know where my heart is leaning.

I exhale, tapping my fingers on my bag. It’snot like it’s adate-date… but it’s also notnota date. Whatever it is, I’m way too jittery for a casual hangout.

The train hums along the tracks, and I stare out the window, trying to distract myself.

At least I’m meeting Nathan in such a lovely area.

South Kensington is beautiful. All elegant architecture, quiet streets lined with trees, and cute little cafés tucked between grand white townhouses.

London’s a city that begs to be explored—the mix of history and modernity, the endless food options, the sheer variety of cultures. I still haven’t done afternoon tea, but it’s on the list. And oh, my lists have lists.

I like being organized. My mom would probably argue otherwise based on my teenage bedroom, but in my defense, weallhadthe chair.The one where semi-clean clothes get tossed instead of properly folded? Yeah. That chair. I sigh. I want to change my old ways.

I think that’s something I’m coming to learn throughout life. Lately, I’ve been realizing that life isn’t always black and white. Ilikeblack-and-white thinking. It makes things simple. Clear. Like principles. And manners. But people? People aren’t that simple. Their choices, their struggles… they’re messy. Complicated. There are so many reasons why people do things, why they make the decisions they make. And sometimes, they’re swimming in a sea of bad decisions, but their bad decisions don’t make them who they are. I think empathy and humility is where the wisdom lies. No quick labelling. Because every person has gone through something or is going through something. And they all need kindness. Especially the people who are hurting. They advertise their pain the most.

I shake my head, smiling to myself. Nathan’s been challenging a lot of my old ways of thinking lately, even if he doesn’t realize it.

The train slows, and I pull myself out of my thoughts, grabbing my bag.

And this is where everything goesterribly wrong.

Because of course, I can’t just be a normal human being on the tube. No. I have to have embarrassing moments happen to me constantly to humble my existence while on earth.

I don’t have the world’s best balance. I don’t know what happened.

Honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised if I somehow got to meet the Queen of England and I accidentally curtsy wrong and fall on her or the person next to me, creating some sort of domino effect. I just really am that clumsy.

I step off the train, cheeks still flaming. As I make my way down the street to the café, I spot Nathan already waiting outside. Great. Now I get to walk into ourdefinitely-not-a-datedate withthisenergy.

“Hey, Nat,” he says as he wraps his arms around me in a hug.

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