If Only (GxG)

Chapter 15 Settling In

A/N
🎶 Norwegian Wood by The Beatles🎶

『 °*• ❀ •*°』
Alison's POV

Monday stretches over London in soft, pale light, hesitant and slow, as though even the city itself isn't quite ready to shake off the weekend.

I linger under the covers longer than usual, reluctant to break the spell of the last two days. My mind is a haze of warmth and stolen glances, of Blake's low laughter and the way her hands felt against my skin. Every memory glows in my chest, a little overwhelming but impossibly sweet.

Eventually, I force myself out of bed, though my body moves like it's still caught somewhere between dreaming and reality.

Getting dressed is a thoughtless routine, my hands choosing clothes without much input from my mind.

I realise too late that my choices are softer, a subconscious echo of Blake's touch—familiar fabrics that remind me of comfort, of safety.

The city is already shaking itself awake as I swing a leg over my motorbike and kick off, the engine purring beneath me. The morning air is crisp, threading its way beneath my jacket as I weave through the streets.

London moves at its usual frenetic pace—taxis honking, buses lumbering down narrow roads, pedestrians rushing across zebra crossings, their breath visible in the cool air.

But for me, everything feels quieter.

Distant.

Like I'm wrapped in something softer, still tangled in the emotions I haven't quite put a name to yet.

The closer I get to school, the more my stomach twists—not with nerves, but something more complicated.

A deep anticipation that tightens in my chest, that makes me want to see her, just to confirm that this weekend wasn't some fever dream.

I park my bike and take a breath, forcing myself to recalibrate. The weekend is over.

Now, I have to step back into reality—the fluorescent-lit classrooms, the nosy friends, the weight of expectations. I pull off my helmet, shaking my hair loose, and step onto the pavement, my heart fluttering like a caged bird in my ribs.

Almost immediately, Amy spots me from across the courtyard, her enthusiastic wave slicing through the morning fog. Her grin is as bright as ever, anchoring me amidst the blur of chattering students and shifting bodies.

"Oi, you!" she calls, her voice ringing over the morning hum. "How was the rest of your weekend? And don't even try to be vague."

I smirk, my lips betraying me before I can school my expression. "It was... interesting."

Amy narrows her eyes suspiciously. "Interesting like 'I found a new book,' or interesting like 'I am definitely hiding a secret lover'?"

I huff a laugh, dodging her sharp gaze as we start walking toward our first class. "Let's just say it definitely wasn't a quiet weekend curled up with a book."

Amy gasps, her hand flying to her chest in mock offense. "Alison Greystone, stepping away from books? This must be serious!"

"It is serious," I say solemnly, leaning in conspiratorially. "I watched a film instead."

She groans. "You're impossible."

Grinning, I nudge her. "But enough about me—what about you and Jayson? That photo you posted looked downright cosy."

Amy immediately turns a shade of red that rivals the buses outside. "Oh, shut up."

"You brought up romance first!"