Josephine
The following day I woke up feeling a little dazed. Was it all just a very vivid dream? I mean, it's not entirely impossible because it isn't the first dream I've had of him. Reality hits me when I realise this can't be a dream. After all, for once, the man behind the emails and calls had an identity, something he never had in any dream I ever had of him because he was always just a mystery to me.
As I get out of bed, I run my hand through my hair and take a deep breath. I went to the kitchen and decided to make something to eat before starting to work on the paperwork I didn't want to deal with on Monday. I grabbed three eggs from the fridge, some cherry tomatoes, and two champignon mushrooms. I put oil in the pan, added mushrooms and tomatoes, seasoned them a little with salt and pepper, cut some fresh chives on the cutting board, then moved around the kitchen and put a slice of bread in the toaster. As my tomatoes and mushrooms are cooking, I take another pot, crack in the eggs and put a small cube of butter in it and put it on the stove, and stir it "like a risotto," as Gordon Ramsay said when I first learned this recipe and how to make the best-scrambled eggs I ever had. I take the eggs off the stove and put the pot on the cutting board as I quickly walk to the fridge to take out some creme fraiche and add a tablespoon to my eggs with the fresh chives I chopped earlier—the toaster dings announcing to me that my toast is done. I put the toast on the plate with my tomatoes and mushrooms, then the scrambled eggs on top of the toast. I place the plate on the kitchen island and go to the kettle to boil some water for my tea. At first, I thought living alone would be a little bit difficult living in a new country. But it seems I got the hang of it quickly. I put the boiling water in my tea cup with a tea bag of twinings English breakfast tea and let it brew for a few minutes.
I sit down at the island and snap a photo of my breakfast with my new camera that I got last year from my mom as a gift. I'll send her this picture with many more that I'll take today. I want to explore Oxford Street for some reason and then maybe head to Hyde Park or Regent Park. I'm not sure which one yet. Hyde Park is where all romantic stories happened in the historical romance books, but Regent Park has the Zoo that Harry went to with the Dursleys, so that's the Potterhead in me wishing to go there and talk to a snake. Hopefully, the snake doesn't escape this time. I walk to my closet to find an outfit for the day. Living here in England, I have learned that the weather is almost always gloomy and rain can be a constant, which I don't mind. I pick a pair of jeans and a top, lightly curl my hair, decide to leave it down, and apply light makeup. I just can't believe last night's events. London had a bigger population than Seattle, but of all people, Hero was the last person I thought I'd ever run into, which makes me wonder if he had moved on since we last spoke. The thought upsets me enough to make me anxious, but the alarm on my phone goes off, snapping me out of my thoughts and telling me it's time to head out to catch the bus.
I take in the scenery as I walk to the Brixton underground station and take the tube on the Victoria line to Warren Street Station. England has always had a special place in my heart. When I was about 13 years old, I watched Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone for the first time. Everything from the accents to the architecture and even the history always had me so intrigued, and I never wanted anything more than to be able to live in such a historically rich country. I cross the street and enter the Starbucks as I get out of the underground station. I wait in line for the two girls in front of me to order. I look down at my phone and notice I have one unread message on my phone. I open the app, and I see it's an unknown number. As I open it, my heart flutters. "I can't believe you still haven't changed your number. I'm sorry I had to leave you like that. I'll get Mia sorted and then probably head home. Sweet dreams, Josephine." Hero. He texted me! I quickly save the number on my contacts as "Mr Grumpy", his old nickname he had from me, and I am brought back to reality when the barista clears her throat.
"Would you like something?" She kindly asks and smiles at me. I blush, walk closer to the counter, nod my head, and look at the extensive menu on the wall behind her.
"I'd like a caramel macchiato with an extra shot of espresso and extra caramel, iced, please. Oh! And two chocolate chunk cookies and a bag of roasted and salted nuts mix. Thank you." I wait a few minutes until my order is ready, pay the barista, and walk out of the shop, heading down Euston Road and making my way to Regent Park. I can't wait to see the Zoo, specifically the Reptile House. I walk past a couple making out on a bench in the middle of the park. Don't they have anything better to do than to make out in a park? Enjoy nature, not each other's saliva. You can do that at home. I make my way through the zoo, snapping pictures at everything I find interesting, and then I'm in front of Reptile House, and I feel so excited to go inside to watch all the reptiles. I know it's weird to fangirl over a place full of snakes just because you saw it in a movie. But maybe I'm a weirdo. Some girls faint from watching a hot celebrity on the street, but not me. I get excited about places mentioned in films and books. I have to visit Hyde Park; next, then maybe go to Jane Austen's house. Perhaps I can go and see one of the world's seven wonders – Stonehenge. There's so much history here, excitement, and all the love stories I've read about happening here in the United Kingdom. I stop in front of a window and look at a black and green snake that looks directly at me. As the snake lifts his head and hisses at me softly, I move closer. Being the weirdo I am, I hiss back at him and take a picture without flash to not scare or hurt the snake. The guy next to me looks at me and chuckles. I turn my head towards him and raise my eyebrow. "What?" I ask, half laughing.
"Nothing. I just never saw a person hissing back at a snake." He looks at the snake and then gives me a side-eye look, smiling.
"Maybe I was speaking Parseltongue to him." I walk to another window, smile at the Axolotl, and take a picture of him when he's "smiling" at me.
"I'd be impressed." He stands next to me and looks at the Axolotls swimming. "I'm Ethan. What's your name?"
"Josephine. Nice to meet you." I smile and snap more photos. I can't wait to transfer the pictures to my laptop and email them to my mum.
"Based on your accent, I suppose you're not from here." He looks at me, and I shake my head and put the camera back in my bag.
"Nope. I'm Australian." I say proudly.
"I'm glad you travelled from Australia to photograph our reptiles. But I'm sure you can see them free in the wild in Australia."
"Oh, um, no. I moved here, well, I mean my job offered me the opportunity to work here, and I accepted. So here I am." We walk out of the reptile house and head to the Gorilla Kingdom.
"Josephine!" He walks to me, and I stop in my tracks and look at him. "I think the butterfly paradise is more interesting than Gorillas.
"Butterflies?" I ask, and he nods at me. "Yeah, I'd like to watch them. I came here only for the snakes anyway." He laughs and points his head in the direction we should take.
"May I ask why snakes?" He walks beside me and looks around.
"You may find it weird because you're British and used to it, but – I love Harry Potter," He chuckles, and I scoff, rolling my eyes.
"No! I mean, It's good! I love Harry Potter, too. Go on, ask me something." I walk in front of him, facing him and backward, looking from time to time to ensure I don't bump into someone.
"Are you sure? I've seen the movies and read the books four times. Including The Cursed Child." He looks at me, horrified, and I start laughing.
"You've read the cursed child four times!"
"No, god, no! Only one time, just out of curiosity. But then they said Voldemort and Bellatrix–I had to take a week off reading to recover."
"I mean, can you imagine? Dumbledore dying during the half-blood prince and Voldemort decided to celebrate having sex with Bellatrix and got her pregnant?" He laughs, and I turn around and walk beside him, laughing.
"The worst book ever! And it's canon-like, that happened. It's not some stupid fiction written on AO3 or something like that." I look around at people who give us weird looks. Maybe our Harry Potter excitement bothers them.
"You read Harry Potter fanfictions?" He looks at me, raising an eyebrow.
"I– I mean. Ron is funny, and he's my favourite foodie but Draco and Hermione...." I don't read many fanfics. Well, I do. Some people write better love stories than authors that are published. I've read this book that was over-recommended on Booktok, went bought the book, and when I started reading it, it was the most boring book, and no development happened. That's when I decided to stop buying books based on edits I find on tik tok. I've seen cool edits from movies, and if you watch the film, it's so cringy and secondhand embarrassing.
"What house are you? I'm a Hufflepuff." I gasp and look at him, smiling.
"I'm a Slytherin. Well, No. I am a Slytherin." I laugh, and he looks at me, confused.
"You're not sure what house you're in?" He chuckles, and I sigh.
"I have this friend who didn't read the books but saw the movies once. So, I converted him into a Potterhead," I laugh, and Ethan looks at me amused. "Anyways, I told him I'm going to do this house test because I was so sure he was a Slytherin. Trust me; he's maybe worse than Draco. In the best way possible. So I did the test based on his answer, and he turned out to be a Ravenclaw."
"A Slytherin that's a Ravenclaw?" Ethan asks.
"Yes! And I was a Ravenclaw too, but he said, "I have to do yours too now that you did mine." And I turned out to be a Slytherin." After finishing my rant, I take a deep breath, and Ethan starts laughing. "I'm glad you find me funny."
"At least we know Hufflepuff and Slytherins get along."
"Yes!" I clap my hands as we enter the Butterfly Paradise.
The butterfly paradise is fantastic. Everything it's so beautiful, from the flowers to the butterflies themselves. I'm thrilled that I came here, I think we spent around an hour talking about different subjects and taking photos and videos of the butterflies, and I even took a selfie with Ethan to show mum I got a friend. I can't believe around two hours ago; I met a stranger who now turns out to be my ideal best friend.
"Jo, look! This sign says "Feet on the table.'" He points to a sign next to a coloured table with two butterflies on it, and I snap a photo giggling at the pun, then read the text on the sign.
"Ew, they drink urine." I wrinkle my nose, and he chuckles.
We walk out of the butterfly paradise and head to the park exit. Ethan told me about this tv show he started on Netflix called "Salvation" when something caught my eye. I see a couple on a bench a few yards away, and the guy looks oddly like Hero. The guy speaks to the girl, and she laughs at him and gives him a small present, and he takes it, kisses her cheek, and smiles. Ethan and I walk past them and realise it isn't Hero, just a random guy who looks a lot like him. But again, I saw Hero only once in my life, and the conversation happened in the dark. So what the hell do I know about his features?
"Look," Ethan says, and I look at him smiling. "I enjoyed the chocolate cookie and the salted nuts you shared with me. But I'm famished. Do you want to go and grab lunch?" Food sounds like a good idea right now. I'm famished too.
"I'd love to. Where should we go?" He looks at his phone and then at me.
"There's this Italian restaurant around 20 minutes from here. It's the best. It's called "Albertini's."
Twenty-five minutes later, we walk inside the restaurant and sit at a table outside, and a waitress comes to us, hands us the menus and asks us if we'd like something to drink. Ethan asks for an espresso. Meanwhile, I ask for an English Breakfast tea. The woman smiles at us and goes inside the restaurant.
"So, Josephine. Besides your job, what else brings you here to England? I'm sure the salary isn't much different, is it?" He asks, resting his chin in his palm.
"No," I laugh. "Maybe with a couple hundred higher than before. But it wasn't the paycheck that interested me. It was the travelling part–" The waitress comes and brings us our drinks, and I smile at her and nod. "Thank you. – I have lived in Seattle ever since I can remember. I think we left Australia when I was around three or four years old, and I only remember small bits of that period of my life. Then as I grew up, I haven't travelled much. I went to university in Seattle. My parents divorced, and my dad and older sister moved back to Australia, and a few years ago, my mother got sick, so she was my one main priority. She's all I have to be honest." I feel Ethan's hand squeezing tight in my left hand. And smiles at me; I didn't even realise I started crying. "I didn't want to take the job, honestly. I'm losing money being here because I didn't have to pay for rent back home. But she insisted that I should go and live life and experience whatever it is to experience and make mistakes and have something to look back to when I'm older." He smiles at me and hands me a tissue, and I dry my tears as an Old man comes approaching us dressed like he could be the chef.
"Don't worry, Francesca! I'll take care of tis table. Welcome to Albertini! What would you like to order-a?" The old man asks us.
"Right," Ethan looks at the menu and asks the chef about some type of pasta I haven't heard of, and I look at the menu. Pricey for sure. "Jo? What would you like?"
"Oh, I'll go for pizza. If the pizza isn't good, then nothing else is." Ethan chokes on his water, and the old man starts laughing.
"Sì. De lady is-a right-a, Ragazzo. If de pizza isn't good-a, den, you're not Italiano-a." He explains, and I smile proudly at Ethan as he scratches the back of his head and sighs.
"Fine, then. I'll get a pizza too. I'll take the prosciutto one."
"Yes! I want the pizza capricciosa." I smile at the man.
"Oi! Matteo! I want one pizza capricciosa and one prosciutto! You'll see tat tis is-a de best pizza in de town-a! Trust me; I made de dough recipe."
"I'm sure it's goo–"
"Dad, go inside! You're probably interrupting their date." A waiter approaches us and talks to the man that introduces himself as Albert.
"How am-a I interrupting deir date? I'm-a asking dem if dey want to eat-a! Are you two dating-a?" Albert turns to us, and we shake our heads and say "No" in unison. "See, dey aren't dating-a, vaffanculo!" The waiter rolls his eyes and leaves inside with Albert, and we start laughing.
"Well, it does feel like Italy." We laugh and wait for our pizzas.
I open my phone, scroll through Instagram, and see a Harry Potter meme on my explore page. "If a wizard gets robbed by a Muggle, has he been Muggled?" Ethan starts laughing, and I join him. "Oh god, I'm turning into him."
"That's funny."
***
The pizza was wonderful. Albert was so proud when we finished our plates – crust included, which I don't do when I usually order pizza from Dominos. He gave me a tower of Pisa magnet that says "I heart Pisa!" and after he heard my name was Josephine, he kept calling me "Giuseppina" and brought his son Matteo to our table, saying he's single but knows how to make good pizza. He was cute, to be honest. But I'm not interested in dating anyone British or Italian.
On the other hand, Ethan blasted laughing whenever I was in the hot spot. He offered to walk me home when he heard I live in Brixton. Everyone I meet has something to the area.
"Sorry, my mother is calling." He takes his phone out of his pocket and answers the phone walking a way to talk on the phone. I take out my camera and look at the photos I took today. Ethan comes back and smiles at me. "My mother called asking if I'm going to their bonfire."
"And are you going?" I look at my watch to check the time; it's 6:23 pm.
"I don't know. Do you want to come? It will be fun." He smiles.
"Yeah, it would be fun. Where do your parents live?"
"Southwark."
"Oh! And how do we get there?" I look at him, confused. It's also late, so the tube should be very crowded now.
"We go to kings cross and take the train from there. I will take around 45 minutes to get to Cricklewood, but I understand if you don't want to go." He looks at his watch and then at me.
"Are you kidding?! We go to King's cross. Let's go!" I grab his hand and drag him to the train station.
"Oh, okay!" I've heard so much about Bonfire night. I became interested in it after I saw the movie V for Vendetta with Natalie Portman. And the line Remember, Remember the fifth of November. It also reminds me that tomorrow it's Hero's birthday. I haven't even replied to his text yet. To be honest, I don't know how to respond.
When we got to Ethan's parents' house, it was packed with his family. His mother, Lisa, is the sweetest woman I met. His cousin Aniyah asked me five minutes in if I was Ethan's girlfriend, and I told her I had just met the guy. His father, Kevin, started the BBQ after we arrived and asked Ethan's brother Aaron to help him with the steaks. I tried my best to help his mother and cousin as much as possible because I felt weird standing in one place doing nothing and waiting for stuff to be put in front of me. I sat down and looked around as Aniyah sat next to me and looked at me.
"You're lost in deep thought. What's going on?" She asks, and I look at her shaking my head.
"I'm fine. It's nothing." I say, and she scoffs.
"Girl, I've been in this mood before. I know when something it's going on. So, what's his name?" She asks, and I blush and look down. "See! I knew it. Come on, spill."
"Fine. I guess I have to get it out of my system one way or another." I take a sip of my drink, trying to drag as much time as possible.
"Exactly. Stressing over men gives you headaches and dark circles." She lights up a cigarette and looks at me. "You want one?"
"No, thank you." I shake my head and take a deep breath. "His name is Hero. I 'met' the guy around four years ago over an email. I spoke for two years, and it felt like a long distance with phone calls, texting, watching movies and stuff. But I didn't know what he looked like. But he knew everything about me like you can ask me about a certain birthmark on my body, and he knows it." I hear her gasp, and I look down. I'm not proud of myself. I never felt comfortable doing it. But the way he spoke to me on the phone and the teasing. It just turned me on. When we ended things, I was somehow grateful he had disappeared, and no one knew the shit that happened between us. But now that insecurity has returned since I saw him in front of me, I also saw his friends based on the expressions they knew about me. I just don't know in what way they know about me.
"It's okay." She tries to comfort me, and I smile at her.
"So around two years ago, a co-worker asked me on a date, I told him about the date, and he got so mad at me he blocked me, and I haven't heard from him since. Now, remember, I didn't know how he looked. So around two months ago, my company offered me to transfer here from our Seattle office, and I met this co-worker Mia who's sweet. I think that's why I feel this way."
"Is she his girlfriend or something?" She finishes her cigarette and looks at the sky.
"Yeah, ex-girlfriend. Yesterday morning at work she invited me to her friend's birthday party, and when I got there, her friend was the best friend of this guy I've told you about, And I saw him for the first time in my life. He knew it was me the moment we made eye contact."
"What did he say?"
"Nothing much. We spoke for like 30 minutes after Hero drove me home, and then the best friend called because my co-worker, his ex, got drunk and just left to rescue her. He texted me last night, but I haven't replied yet. I don't know what to reply." I sigh.
"Can I see the text?" I nod and give her my phone showing her the text. "Well, it's pretty basic. There's nothing else to reply to. It's mostly like a foot in the door."
"What's that supposed to mean?" I look at her, and she starts giggling.
"He didn't want to start the conversation. Now it depends on who texts first to make conversation."
"Well, he didn't text, so he's busy fucking Amelia probably. Oh, and tomorrow is his birthday, so. He's probably getting that birthday sex." I scoff and drink the rest of the wine.
"Let's call him. See what he's doing." She smiles at me. Does she want to call Hero now? What am I going to say? Hi, I met those strangers today, and I told them about you being grumpy and about our past, and well, I'm jealous because you're fucking probably Amelia. Also, Happy Birthday! "It's ringing." I am brought back to reality by Aniyah's words. She puts the phone on speaker, rings three times, and then someone answers the phone.
"Hello? Hero's phone. Who's this?" Aniyah and I quickly grab the phone together with our hands and end the call. A woman. A woman answered his phone.
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AN: I don't know when I'll update the next part. I hope everyone has a good weekend. 💕
Also, those are the songs that inspired this chapter. Enjoy.
↳ today's chapter playlist;
Cold Heart - Dua Lipa & Elton John
Numb - Marshmello, Khalid
Woman - Doja Cat
Love Tonight (Edit) - Shouse
Head & Heart - Joel Corry, MNEK
Cheerleader - OMI, Felix Jaehn
BED - Joel Corry, RAYE
Kiss My (Uh Oh) - Little Mix, Anne-Marie