Chapter Thirty Four: Ride Or Die

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A/N: Hello fellas!

Yet another massive delay in posting the next chapter, and I really am sorry! These last couple of months have been hard on the world, and it just took me a little while to gather my bearings.

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Special hugs to my lovely readers and followers who have been voting on all the chapters and incessantly requesting for the next update: kitovw / stardom_2912 / CherishAgreste77 / MerwanSFM / esha1710 / SophieJOConnor / Sulaimanmariam / HummaTamma / kenziejohn1111 / TheDarkEvilQueen / girlfromFiji / Isabelletraenkner! You guys are the reason I keep going!

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"No!"

"Yes!"

"Not a chance!"

"Please, Collin!"

"Over my dead body," he deadpanned.

"Don't make me murder you!" I shot back.

He was rolling his eyes, I could tell. I didn't even need to look at him to know.

"But it smells heinous," Collin rebutted in a pleading tone.

I narrowed my eyes into slits at his nose scrunch. "Oh, grow up. It's just horse poo!"

We were currently standing by a line of carriages, debating whether or not we should take a ride around Hyde Park. I was obviously rooting for a fun experience but Collin seemed hesitant.

"Alright, but if it takes a dump mid-ride, we will have to burn these clothes when we get back!" he said in all seriousness.

I couldn't help but laugh.

Looking down at our matching London sweatshirts that we bought a while ago, I mentally consoled myself that burning them might not be the worst idea.

I was surprised when Collin decided to follow through with my stupid suggestion after all, but he suspiciously hadn't even put up a fight. He swiftly grabbed another sweatshirt for himself in the right size and headed to the register.

Then again, maybe he was concerned that I would succumb to hypothermia at any moment.

The rider hopped off and opened the latch to the carriage door. The roof was pulled down so it was an open top and the seats were plush for comfort. I quickly scrambled in and Collin followed suit. Once we were steady in place, the horses slowly started to move and tugged our cart along.

Cold January air bristled past our bodies and we huddled closer for warmth. Our shoulders were brushing, and I was close enough to catch a whiff of Collin. He smelled of sandalwood and smoke, the latter a result of the cigarette he smoked not too long ago. 

          

Somehow, it only added to his magnetism.

Despite the weather, the park was filled with people. Joggers were swiftly covering ground, and families were spreading home-packed picnics on the grass. Little kids were chasing their drones, and the couples looked like they were on a mission to click the most perfect pictures of themselves.

"Kind of vain, don't you think?" Collin asked from beside me.

My eyes cast up to his for context, and saw what looked like a wedding photoshoot happening across the lake. The group of bridesmaids had especially attracted a small crowd, what with their plunging necklines and sheer bodices offering no solace against the London winter.

Just looking at them made me shiver!

"How is that vain?" I countered.

"It's so public," he muttered, lost in his own thoughts.

"So when you model in a construction zone wearing a neon leotard, that isn't public?" I asked cheekily. He smirked and shook his head.

"For the record, I never wear neon," he remarked.

I huffed a laugh, and nudged his shoulder. "You're already a walking glowstick, you don't need to."

His face turned into a scowl in response. His mood shifted a tiny bit, possibly from remembering Jake's Tinkerbell comment at school, so I scrambled for a distraction.

"How are all these people super talented? It's so unfair!" I asked, taking notice of the caricature artists that were lining a sidewalk. I was always impressed by their handiwork.

"What do you mean?" he asked, pulling out his phone to take pictures of the scenery.

I started explaining, "The world is filled with geniuses..." 

"The world is filled with idiots," Collin corrected from behind the lens.

I narrowed my eyes at him.

"I just mean there are so many extraordinary people out there. How does an average girl like me ever stand a chance?" I clarified, secretly admiring the pictures he was clicking.

I know that just about everybody with a camera phone these days calls themselves photographers, but there really was something to his photos. Their composition revealed a hidden talent. A perspective.

So he is great both in front of and behind the camera...

Collin shook his head slightly, showing his disapproval. "What makes you call yourself 'average'?"

"You think I'm better than average?" I asked him in a smug tone. Gosh, was I flirting with him?

Casting a playful grin, Collin replied, "I never said that. I was going to add your reasons as ammunition."

"Ammunition to what?"

"To the exclusive store of insults that I reserve just for you," he bragged.

Pulling a clenched fist to my chest, I acted out in mock despair, "You wound me."

An amused looking Collin remained silent, which I took as a cue. He was waiting for my serious answer. Retreating into myself, I spiralled into contemplation. Why did I consider myself average?

I rocked on my heels, trying to think of a good explanation. I was quite studious, artsy and athletic. But I was all of those things to the same degree, which sometimes made it feel like they cancelled out my personality. Nothing about me stood out. It was all very vanilla.

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⏰ Last updated: Dec 09, 2020 ⏰

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please when are we getting an update😭

1y ago

4mo ago me called it (i still dk who she is tho)

1y ago

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