“Xander? The only thing I want from him is an excellent job recommendation, if not a job itself, by the end of the year. Other than that, he’s all yours.”

Ilani studied me. “Are you sure about that?”

I frowned and shifted uncomfortably in my seat. “What do you mean?”

My new friend shrugged. “It means I saw you guys in the hall earlier. It looked like he might kiss you or something.”

I blinked. “No. He was not going to kiss me. He was busy imparting some knowledge about how I’ll need to be more vulnerable. Besides, I’m not interested. I’m staying far away from guys right now. He’s all yours.”

“If you say so. But from where I was standing, he looked plenty interested in you.”

The look of seriousness on Ilani’s face was the only thing keeping me from laughing out loud. “I promise you he’s not. I’m just a student to him. Besides, with that skirt on, you’re sure to catch his attention.”

Ilani looked temporarily mollified, but then she added, “Look, all kidding aside, you seem like the kind of girl who could get hurt. I like you, and I don’t want to see that happen. Just be careful.”

9

Abbie…

After my chat with Ilani, I decided to take my time and explore the city a little bit more. I'd taken the bus into town, but instead of the familiar spots I'd explored, this time I went toward Notting Hill. I figured if it was good enough for Hugh Grant and Julia Richards, it was good enough for me. What always fascinated me was how friendly people were. Every time I passed someone, I'd get a cheery, "All right?"

I didn't think I was responding correctly though. I would smile and say ‘yes, thank you,’ but I didn't think that was the right answer because everyone always furrowed their brows and looked at me like I didn't understand what I was doing. I probably didn't. I’d have to ask Sophie or Faith what to say in response. The sun had started to set, and when I looked at my watch, it was already six. Which meant it would be dark soon, and I needed to get back.

On some of the row homes, there had been lanterns strung across the street. My hands weren't steady enough to make that kind of shot work. So I swung the backpack off my shoulder and pulled out my tripod. With a quick setup and a little lighting assist, I captured the kind of shot that I wanted. They were beautiful and whimsical and everything I sort of thought about when I thought about London streets. Cobblestones and lanterns were what I was looking for. That vibe of fun and frivolity. Not exactly what I wanted for a masters, but God, it was what I wanted for life.