frost had begun to grow over the river, ice crystals hung under lampshades and crunched under peoples weight. 'be careful you don't slip' ethan chuckled, keeping his hand out just incase she slipped, he could catch her. 'i'll be fine, if i fell, it's because i wanted to' hadley sighed, picking up the pace as she walked along the bridge, inches away from the freezing lake. ethan smiled, 'so, did you end up sleeping with jj?' looking up at the brunette, ethan saw how white puffed clouds exited her mouth. 'you'll have to remind me' hadley sighed. standing still in her tracks she faced ethan, she was now, taller than him. 'black, bit..bulky, dreadlocks' ethan described, hoping that she didn't sleep with him.
'oh, i remember him' hadley smiled. 'so, did you?' ethan pushed, he hadn't spoken to jj privately about the night at the club and he wanted to know. carrying on walking, hadley nodded 'yes, he was good' she chuckled awkwardly whilst placing a strand of hair behind her ear. 'do you sleep with many people?' ethan asked, looking up, squinting at the girl. hadley nodded. she was proud, taking control of her body, she didn't care what people had to think about her.
'do you?' she asked, skipping slightly in the midnight black. ethan shook his head 'my dad left when i was a kid, i don't want to fuck someone with the possibility that they could have my child and i wouldn't even know. i don't want any child of mine to miss a parent' ethan sighed. 'you shouldn't use the world fuck, ethan. it's rude and degraded yourself and the person you're sleeping with' hadley mumbled.
ethan chuckled 'sorry, mrs know-it-all'. hadley smiled, enjoying how he made his jokes. the cold breeze swam through hadleys jacket, the wind pinching her skin. 'i think i might head back, it's getting cold' she huffed. 'well, let me walk you back. it's late and probably isn't safe' ethan suggested. jumping down from the bridge, hadley faced ethan. 'i'm alright, but thank you anyway' she smiled. 'are you sure? this part of london isn't safe' ethan furrowed his brows. hadley cocked her head 'and what part of london do you live in then?' hadley scrunched her nose and crossed her arms, winters air swivelled around them. 'ugh, east london' ethan sighed. hadley raised a brow 'the stratford tower, the big long, blocky building?' ethan pushed, shocked at her lack of knowledge. 'oh, yeah' hadley scratched the back of her head.
'what about you, where abouts are you?' ethan smiled, following the direction that hadley was walking. 'uh, anywhere?' hadley shrugged, looking out at the river bank, the water hidden behind a wall of frost as they walked along the sidebank. 'do you not have a house?' ethan asked, a feeling of sympathy rose inside him.
hadley shook her head 'i'm homeless, that's why whenever you come here, i am here' she sighed. 'how do you eat, drink..shower?' ethan questioned. looking at the tall man who was touched by fire, hadley sighed 'when i sleep with those guys, they give me food in the morning, they let me have showers as well, but me drinks when i go clubbing and all i've got to give them is sex?' hadley shrugged. 'how long has it been like this for you?' ethan asked, placing his hands in his coat pockets. 'since i was 17' hadley paused 'but don't worry about me, i can look after myself' hadley smiled, reassuring her new friend.
stopping in his tracks, ethan looked at the girl besides him, she would freeze sleeping next to the frozen lakes. 'why don't you stay at my place? i mean, we'd share a bed but i'd happily let you use whatever' ethan smiled. 'i have gotten far on my own, ethan. it's a lovely offer but i'm not a accepting your sympathy' hadley sighed. 'come on, you'd freeze out here. plus, i could probably get you a job at my company' ethan chuckled.
hadley sighed, she was not one to be taking petty gifts, but a job, money? hadley wouldn't have to sleep trembling under bridges as the cold bit off her toes, fighting over shelter. 'hadley?' ethan pushed. 'fine'.