As the sun slowly rises and the sky glows purple and pink, I am still sitting on the bench on my bridge.
We have the whole day to do something again today.
I'll go back to the cemetery, as I decided yesterday, to beautify the grave a bit again.
Who knows when I'll come to London next time.
I get up from the bench and make my way back to the hotel.
If it were a bit warmer, I wouldn't go back, but I'm frozen through and I really need a hot shower.
When I get back, I'm lucky because Kiara is still fast asleep and doesn't even notice that I'm there.
I quickly take a shower and then take all the money I have with me.
I also manage to get out of the room unnoticed and go back out onto the cold streets. I need a flower shop.
"Excuse me, but do you know where the next flower shop is?" I ask a slightly older woman who comes towards me.
"Yes. You have to go around the corner over there and then you'll see one," she says, pointing her finger in that direction.
"Okay. Thank you very much," I say and smile at her.
So I walk along the path described by the woman.
The shop is really small and cosy, but the bouquets look really beautiful.
"Have a nice day. What can I do for you?"
"Hello, I need some flowers," I say, looking around.
Where did people get all these flowers?
"Sure, what kind do you want?" she asks me, with a friendly smile.
"Maybe some that stay longer. You have to know, they are for a grave and unfortunately I don't live here anymore. I want to plant the flowers so that a part of me will always be here with them," I say and the florist just nods.
"I think I have exactly what you are looking for. One moment please," she says and disappears to the back.
A few minutes later she comes back with 6 bulbs in her hand.
"These are tulips. They always bloom in spring. Just put the bulbs here in the ground and water them a little and they should be flowering even now in spring. As you can see, they have already started to grow, so it should happen relatively quickly now," she says and puts the six bulbs on the counter.
"Okay. I'll take them," I say and pay.
At the cemetery, I do exactly as the saleswoman said and put them in the ground one by one.
Then I water them a little and remove the weeds that have grown on the grave.
Suddenly I hear a small stick crack behind me.
I turn around and there is Tom.
"What the fuck are you doing here?" I ask him, stunned.
He doesn't answer, but just looks at me strangely.
"Did you follow me?" I ask him and cross my arms in front of my chest.
"Yes," he admits.
"Why?"
"I wanted to talk to you," he says and sits down on a bench.
"But I don't want to talk to you," I say and turn my back on him again.
"Please sit down for a moment. It's really important to me," he says again.
So I sit down next to him for a moment and wait until he starts talking.
"So... I don't know where to start. Namely, I've been noticing for a while that I'm quite attracted to you," he says as he looks at the floor.
Great, that's all I need.
"I think I've fallen in love with you," he adds.
That's not fair. He knows I have a boyfriend. And besides, he was or still is a big asshole.
"I'm sorry Tom, but you know I have a boyfriend and I don't really like you," I say and start kneading my hands nervously.
"I know, but I'm sure I can give you just as much as this would like footballer," he says, looking at me seriously.
"Yes that may be, but I love him and not you. He is the only person who makes me happy right now and..."
I am about to finish my sentence when he suddenly interrupts me by pressing his lips to mine.
I jump back immediately and look at him, stunned.
"You fucking asshole. Why did you do that?", I scream at him.
At that moment I feel really sick.
I quickly look for a rubbish bin, which luckily is only a few metres away from me, and burst in.
When I'm done, Tom has disappeared off the face of the earth.
Where did he go so quickly?
And why did he kiss me?
Oh. Now I know why.
He did all this to get me in trouble with Jude.
But it's not gonna work.
I sit back down on the bench and close my eyes for a moment.
I hate him.
And the worst thing is that he did this in a cemetery, in front of my family's grave.
I spent the rest of the day eating everything in sight, which is a very, very busy time in London.
When it's finally 11pm and I've just eaten my last meal, I go back to the hotel.
I am dead tired. All the running, all the stress, no sleep.
When I get back to my room, Kiara is not sitting alone on her bed, but Tom is sitting next to me and they are watching TV together and talking.
I look at Tom and then at Kiara.
"Tom.Get out of this room now," I say and point my finger at the door.
He looks first at me and then at Kiara, who just shakes her head.
"Leya, he didn't do anything to you. Leave him alone."
"He didn't do anything to me? Oh yeah? He followed me to the cemetery this morning, told me there that he was in love with me, then kissed me in front of my family's grave after I told him I was happy with Jude. And he did all this just to get me in trouble."
She looks first at me and then at Tom, who just shakes his head.
"Ah right. I'd already forgotten that you're on his side now," I say as I take off my shoes and jacket."
"Tom, get out.", Kiara then says unexpectedly.
We both look at her questioningly.
Is she serious?
"What? But she's lying," he then finally says.
"Didn't you understand? Get the fuck out," I repeat.
He gets up without saying anything and walks out of the room.
"Leya. I'm so, so sorry. Please forgive me.", she says as she looks at me with a pushy look.
"No.", I say firmly.
An apology won't undo the things that have happened and a friend who stabbed you in the back once will probably do it again and again.