CHAPTER TWO

❝ Apparently, British boys think that just because they are handsome, they get to be rude, too. ❞

Elle's journal: The Europe Trip, day 9, entry nº3

Elle didn't think twice before stepping out of the line and running after him.

"Hey!" she yelled at his back, but the boy didn't turn around. "Stop," she said once she had reached him, her hand pulling back at his shoulder.

"Oi," he exclaimed and then turned to look at her.

Elle had never been the type of girl who sat in bed reading glossy gossip magazines. She wasn't the kind that was constantly daydreaming about dating that actor or this model or her school's quarterback, either. And the thing was that, in that moment, she couldn't have been more thankful for that. Because that meant that the fact that the boy she had in front of her was quite attractive didn't affect her at all.

"That," she said confidently as she pointed down towards the phone in his hand, "is mine."

"No," the boy replied, seemingly trying to hold back a chuckle. "This," he continued, as if he were talking to a little child, "is mine."

"No its–"

Before Elle could finish, the boy flashed the phone's screen on and she saw the wallpaper of some rock band that certainly wasn't on hers.

"Yeah," the boy slurred as a wordless Elle stared blankly at him. "A lot of people happen to own iPhones, you know?"

"I–"

"Look," he said, his teasing smirk and distracting British accent beginning to irritate Elle. "Next time you decide to blame someone for something they undoubtedly didn't do, try and remember you happen to have a spot on a line to guard." He finished and then, just like that, he was gone again.

❄ 

Apparently, the only hotel in the little town of Strand could only host forty people, and the one in the nearest town only sixty. The plane had brought with it a hundred and fifty passengers, so that meant that the fifty remaining people –people who were not business class passengers, or families traveling with small kids, or just lucky enough– were left to wander by themselves around town and hopefully find a place to stay the night.

After the rain had reduced to just a few droplets, Elle and the other remaining passengers were able to leave the airport. Because there were no cars or buses, the unlucky few had to walk all the way from there to the town of Strand. It was a twenty minute walk under the rain they had to do since they just couldn't stay at the airport according to the captain and his crew. Not that anyone would have known if they had stayed there. And not that any of the travelers would have wanted to anyways. Between the lack of food and blankets, freezing temperature and occasional dripping of water through the roof, the airport was not ideal for anyone. Still, as soon as the rain subsided, they were kicked out and wished good luck and none of them were too happy about it.

Indeed, as the group made their long walk under the freezing Scottish weather, Elle was forced to hear the many complaints of her fellow passengers.

"How can they just throw us away to the streets in the middle of a storm?"

"We should do something."

"What about suing them?"

"No. That's too much."

"But they are leaving us on the streets!"

"It isn't like they asked for the storm."

"But they still have to do something about it; we paid for a service!"

Yes. No! Yes. No. Yes! Shut up! No, you shut up!

Elle stopped listening. She didn't care anymore. She stopped and sat on top of her suitcase as angry people walked by her. No one seemed to have enough time to ask if she felt all right, if she was too tired, if she needed help. Soon, they were all too far ahead for her to even listen to their lousy complaints.

Elle was tired and hungry and wanted to go home. She closed her eyes tightly, hoping that when she opened them, she'd still be in her room, waking up for her last day of school. That her aunt would still be there to smile at her as she run down the stairs.

Elle felt a few drops of water running down her cheeks, but she never got to know if they were tears or raindrops. Maybe they just were both.

When she opened her eyes, she saw darkness and the thin silhouettes of the others far away. They hadn't noticed she wasn't there with them. But, of course, why would they? The less, the better. It would be easier for them to find a place to stay if a bear came out of the woods and ate her.

"Resting?" a voice whispered very close to Elle's ear, startling her. "Or waiting for a thunderbolt to fry you?"

Elle felt the urge to roll her eyes as soon as she realised whose voice it was. British guy.

He moved from behind to stand in front of her. When he did, she was able to see he had a large duffel bag slung over his shoulder and only a thin leather jacket to protect him from the cold weather.

"I didn't mean to startle you," he apologised, but the smirk on his lips made his words lack any meaning.

"Well, you didn't," Elle snapped at him. "And I'm thinking. Not resting nor waiting."

"Penny for your thoughts, then?"

Elle felt the urge to yell at him to just leave her alone, but the others where already too far ahead and she feared she wouldn't be able to find her way into Strand by herself.

"Nah," she said as she stood up and began walking again.

British guy walked next to her, and Elle couldn't really decide if that relieved her or worried her.

"Well, I'm not being a proper gentleman," he said and Elle raised her eyebrows at him. He rolled his eyes, and before she could say anything, he added, "I'm Connor."

Elle nodded lightly and kept walking. She didn't feel like talking, but it wasn't long before it seemed like Connor couldn't stand the silence any longer.

"And who might you be?" he asked.

Elle smirked. "And why exactly should I tell you?"

Connor shrugged, smiling back at her. "Out of the kindness of your heart, maybe?"

"I think you are overestimating my heart."

He chuckled. "Really? Okay, then. You can tell me... because you think I'm attractive."

Elle huffed and stared at him unbelievingly. "Are you seriously that arrogant?"

Connor shrugged again, the hint of a smile on his lips. "Only if you like that."

"Well, I don't," Elle replied as she rolled her eyes at the boy walking next to her. She was freezing and talking didn't make the situation any better.

Even if Connor was a little bit too full of himself, Elle decided she was glad she didn't have to be alone. That didn't stop her from being cold though. Her feet were hurting and her legs were tired because of the heels. The pain, however, was being numbed by the cold feeling of the rain against her bare face and legs. She draped her free arm on her chest trying to stop herself from shivering and braced herself for a long, talk-less walk. Or that was what she thought.

"Cold, isn't it?"

Because of the way Connor had just thrown a sideways glance in her direction, and because of his wide smirk, Elle could tell he had realised she didn't want to talk. He was messing with her, and she didn't like to be messed with. So she glared at him. In response, he laughed, but didn't say anything else.

They kept walking in silence for a while. After a few minutes, it stopped raining, but soon small snowflakes began falling from the clouded skies. It was very dark, and now that the rain had stopped providing its soothing sound, Elle could hear every crack and smack that came from the woods that surrounded them. She couldn't stop the hammering of her heart inside her chest, not even as she tried to distract herself by thinking of other weathers and far away places.

Apparently, some of her fear could be seen on her face, because it wasn't long before Elle's companion decided to comment on this.

"Are you scared?" he asked, and when there was no response, he added, "And here I thought you were the tough kind of girl."

"Oh. I am," she said with a light smirk. Even if she would never admit it, a part of her was thankful for the distraction.

"Really? I better watch out, then," he said and Elle frowned. "Lord knows what you would do to me if you thought I stole something else from you."

Elle shook her head and rolled her eyes, but she was trying really hard to hold back a smile.

"And," he kept saying. "I think I still don't know your name, love."

"Elizabeth," she answered. "And don't dare calling me 'love' ever again."

Connor chuckled, and there was something so childish about it that Elle couldn't stop the smile that took hold of her lips.

"May I ask then where exactly are you planning on staying the night, Elizabeth?" he said.

"Do you know where you are staying?" she asked instead.

"No. I guess we'll just have to figure it out together," he said slowly, eyeing her carefully to study her reaction.

"Okay," she replied with a shrug.

The truth was that "together" seemed to be the best thing Elle had heard all week. She wasn't alone anymore. And even though she really didn't know the guy, there was something about his confidence and his careless attitude that made her feel safe.

"Okay, then," he repeated with a small nod, a shrug of his own, and an imperceptible smile on his lips.

"But don't try anything, or I swear–"

"I wouldn't dare, tough girl."