How To Love A Dead Boy

Chapter 33 | Hold My Hand

HOLD MY HAND

Gusty icy wind whips around me as I stand out on the street, the scent of coffee giving me a warm feeling all over. I stare longingly into the coffee shop, hanging out for a hot drink. I could have just ducked in and gotten myself a drink of something sweet and warm, but I was waiting for a taxi, and I knew that as soon as I went inside to order something the taxi would show up. 

Ryden and I had only been out for an hour or so, and we had walked around and slowly made our way through the snow covered streets. We both didn't know where we were going; somehow we would just end up at the London Eye. 

I couldn't bring myself to tell Ryden about my visit this morning. As much as it kept nagging me from the back of my mind, I forced myself to push it further back. Today is meant to just be a fun, carefree date with Ryden; I really didn't need the Keeper's words to keep reminding me of how everything would end up going terribly wrong. 

Once again, I shake all thoughts away and whip around to see Ryden standing against a light post. Making sure that there's no one around to hear me, I kick some snow his way to get his attention.

"So where are we going when the taxi arrives?" I ask when Ryden looks up. 

"Well, we could go the Tower Bridge... or St. Pauls. Whatever really, I mean you're the one paying for the taxi ride," he says his hands in the pockets of his jeans and a smirk on his face. I roll my eyes and pull my scarf up to my chin. 

"Thanks. I think this is the first date where I've had to buy everything for myself," I say into my scarf. 

"Ha! Well seeing that our relationship isn't all that ethical, why not change some more rules while we're at it?" Ryden laughs. I give a snort just as the taxi pulls up on curb. 

As I get into the taxi, I catch a glance of the time on the dashboard; 10.35. 

"We are we off to today Miss?" the driver asks, raising his eyebrows in the rear view mirror. I look to Ryden who sits next to me. 

"Tower Bridge."

Twenty minutes later the taxi driver pulls up on the curve a couple of blocks before Tower Bridge. I pay him and force myself back out into the cold. Shutting the door, I bury my hands in my pockets. Even though I'm wearing a pair of gloves, my fingertips are still going numb. Ryden appears next to me and we both look up at the Tower Bridge. 

"Well," he sighs, "I hope you have something good planned because I'm not sure if I can make myself stand here all day looking at a bridge." 

I crane my neck to look at Ryden and I raise an eyebrow. 

"Well darn it, there goes my idea," I mumble into my scarf.

I turn away from Ryden and start walking to the North West tower. Ryden eventually decides to follow and he catches up to me soon after. He walks next to me for little while, before, to my surprise, he takes my hand from out of my pocket. I go to pull back but stop myself when he intertwines his fingers with mine, holding my hand as we walk. 

Although I'm freezing cold, I feel my cheeks burn red.

In the corner of my eye, I see Ryden smile when I hold his hand back. 

At the North Wester tower of the bridge, we enter an exhibition which costs me £8. I guess I consider myself lucky that I don't have to pay for Ryden as well. The two of us spend about an hour at Tower Bridge. We stroll along the walkways, looking at the views for a fair while. The exhibition itself is interesting enough, the two of us learning about history of the bridge.