I key in the code to my locker, and let out a shriek when a balloon floats out and into my face. Something starts crowing, or singing … I can’t tell because I’m too flustered by the thing floating above my head.

“What the hell?”

“Happy Day of the Turkey!” Asher stands on the other side of my locker door, his arms spread wide and a genuine smile on his face.

Looking at the balloon floating on the ceiling, and finally being able to place the song, Arlo Guthrie’s “Alice’s Restaurant.” Laughter bubbles up from my throat until I’m hunched over in amusement.

“Do you mean Happy Thanksgiving?” I say between breaths.

His green eyes falter, but the spark is there. “Well, whatever … you knew what I meant. But yes, we don’t celebrate here, and I know how much you like your locker decorated.”

Suspicion pulls at my insides, back to the first day when Miley Cyrus had sang from my American-flag decorated locker.

“Was it you who put that stuff in my locker on the first day of school?” I eye him cautiously.

He laughs. “I may have charmed the ladies in the front office to give me your combination. Although being me, it’s never hard to get what I want.”

“Yeah, we’ll see about that.” I rolled my eyes, and he tickled my ribs. “You know, that really humiliated me.”

Asher looks repentant. “And I’ve been trying to make up for how big of an arse I was.” Bending down, he wraps his hands around my waist and whispers in my ear. “I hope I’ve been doing a good job.”

My body flushes, because I know he has been working diligently, with his hands and mouth, to make it up to me. My mind flashes to the other night in the recreation room of his house, where he’d undressed me on the couch and made those noises come out of my mouth again.

“You have. But I’m not letting you off the hook just yet.” We may have gained a lot of ground back in Switzerland, but my self-preserving nature still sat firmly locked in place.

One of the girls who had approached me in the hallway when Asher and I had first started seeing each other stares at us, jealousy burning her through her eyes. I wasn’t usually the kind to search for attention or gratification, but her comments had pissed me off. The way she felt she should know my personal business, as if I was open fully for all of Winston to gossip about.

And Jesus Christ, I’d just realized it. For months it hadn’t sunk in, because being attached to Bennett was one thing. But back home, in school, I could have been invisible for how much the other students noticed or talked about me.

And I realized … I was popular.

It was such a trivial, narcissistic thing to be proud of, but when you’ve never had it before, the adrenaline it shot your blood up with was addicting. I’d loathed the popular crowd, especially those here at Winston because money was everything and technically none of the money I had now was mine. But when you were actually on the inside … the view from the top was heady.

I leaned into Asher and kissed him gently, the song still playing behind us. I heard the girl’s quick footsteps away from us as she caught up with a friend down the hall, their side eyes directed right at me.

“You know, we Brits aren’t huge into PDA.” He doesn’t let me go.

“Well, too bad you’re dating an American then. So, did you get me some cranberry sauce?” We start to walk down the hall, the day over.

“I’m going to be honest, I have no idea what that is.”

The winter air is chilly, but not terrible as we push open the front doors. I wrap my fleece cape, a gift from Bennett, around my shoulders, and Asher just buttons his blazer. He told me once that from being on the frigid water so much for rowing, he is never truly cold.

“It’s this kind of jelly that comes in a can, and you slice it up.”

“Yuck.” He makes a face as he latches his fingers in mine.

My heart speeds up, the gesture so touching and intimate. I never thought I’d be one of those girls, the ones who turned to mush when a boy talked or looked at them. But Asher is apparently my kryptonite.

“Says the guy who eats Yorkshire pudding and mince pie.” I shudder at the thought of eating either.

He rubs his stomach as he hails a taxi. “God, I can’t wait for Christmas feast. Or Boxing Day for that matter.”

Opening the door, he ushers me in. “Where are we going?”

“You’ll see. I may be able to find you some cranberry sauce after all.”

His spontaneous nature is one of the things I admire most about Asher. One would think that someone with as rigid an upbringing as he had would tend to follow rules and act in accordance. But I’ve found, in the time we’ve spent together, that he is actually very go-with-the-flow. An adventurer with a calm nature about him, Asher is the perfect balance against my anxious personality. I never worry when I’m going anywhere with him, because I know that if things don’t go as planned, he’ll still make it fun for the both of us.

“I didn’t even realize it was Thanksgiving.” Strange, since it was one of my favorite holidays back home.

“It’s because no one was talking about it.” His profile is like a historic statue.

“Back home, Mom and I would bake all kinds of pies for just the two of us. We’d buy deli slices of turkey and make sandwiches, and leave all the room in our stomachs for pie. Apple, pumpkin, chocolate, pecan … any kind we could fit in the oven.”

Thinking about those memories makes me sad. This year, we’d be in a new place for the holidays. Already we’d forgot one, and we’d also have Bennett. We’d have to make new memories.

“That sounds nice.” Asher squeezes my hand, and I know he’s trying to lift me out of my funk.

The car comes to a stop and a mischievous glint comes into his eye.

“Who even said I had time to go gallivanting with you today?”

“I love it when you use big words. Come on, princess.” He takes my hand and leads me up to an official looking building.

It’s the same make and model as almost every building here; imposing and beautiful in its craftsmanship. The columns of white stone reach high up into the sky, and ornate windows and gargoyle statues are carved into the sides. Asher ducks us into what I think is a doorway, but on second glance, is actually an archway.

I can’t help but gasp.

“What is this place?”

Staring up, I take in the high ceiling made of glass, the arches formed by columns at every store front. The alley that looks like something out of a Harry Potter novel, with its Victorian architecture so beautiful and prominent.

“Welcome to Leadenhall Market, one of my favorite places to come and hide out for an afternoon.” Asher takes my hand and leads me under the giant archway and into a maze of shops, outdoor seating, and people milling about.

“This place is amazing. See, I thought we had big flea markets back home, but nothing near as gorgeous as this.”

“A ‘flea’ market?” Asher swishes the words around in his mouth, not sure if they’re good or bad.

I laugh at his sour expression. “Pretty much the same as this … lots of vendors selling their own foods or goods. But nowhere near as upscale. Typically, it’s held in a big field, with stalls separating the sellers.”

Asher still looks confused, so I pat him on the back. “You know what, never mind. So, where do we go first?”

He smiles, a little mischievously, and pulls me toward a door. “I love this place, come on.”

It’s not turkey and mashed potatoes, but we start off with a cheese tasting that makes me want to groan. I’ve never had cheeses so creamy or delicious. Brie and cheddar with relish jelly and things I can’t even pronounce, but they’re so good that I never want to leave.

Eventually we do, venturing into a store kitty-corner from the cheese shop.

“They have some of the most amazing Korean pork you’ll ever eat in your life.”

I cock my head to the side. “I didn’t realize your food tastes ranged so far outside the box.”

“What, you think just because I attend all those stuffy steak dinners that I don’t have a palette?” He fakes looking wounded.

“Well … yeah.” I can’t help but chuckle. “It’s nice to know you have some street sense in you. I love any kind of Asian food, but haven’t been able to venture out much for it while I’ve been here.”

“Then allow me, princess.”

The store clerk prepares us a mini-sandwich each, loaded with Korean pork and red onion and purple cabbage. He squirts on a dash of spicy looking sauce and my mouth starts to water. We take our sandwiches outside, sitting at the tables under the glass dome and people watching.

“Oh my God.” I can’t help but exclaim.

“Good, right?” Asher says with a mouthful.

I nod, and a piece of the sandwich falls right out of my mouth and onto my chin. I blush horribly, embarrassed that I look like an animal devouring the fantastic creation in my hand. Asher just chuckles, leaning over and licking the bite off my chin. Then his lips travel higher, until they land on my mouth, giving me a spicy kiss.

“That’s even better than my sandwich. Here, give me yours.” He smiles with his eyes closed as he pulls away.

My heart dips and flops over, defeated from his charm and mouth.

After our sandwiches are finished, we hit a couple more stores, looking at vintage T-shirts with old band logos on them, and others with things like artisanal soaps and wines from all over Europe. Hand in hand, we walk the entire market, not bustling about or in a hurry to get anywhere. It’s one of the best days I’ve had since we moved to London, and it’s spent doing virtually nothing but eating and chatting with Asher.

By the end of the afternoon, and a cranberry pudding later, I’m leaning my head against Asher’s shoulder in a taxi back to the palace. Neither of us talks, because the silence is companionable and there are no words necessary in this moment. I’m more comfortable here, with his arm around my shoulder, protecting me as the car weaves through end of day London traffic, than I have been almost anywhere in my life.

I’ve said it before, but I never knew much about what I wanted. Sure, I’ve always been smart, but I’ve never had a clear path of where I’ve wanted that to take me. I’ve never had a close group of friends, more have I really sought one out. There’s never been a real need for me to be a fighter or a peacemaker, or make much of a decision about anything.

But being with Asher, it’s the first thing that I’ve actively wanted. The thing I’ve felt a need for, yearned for, craved. And while it scared me immensely, it also emboldened me. Lit a fire in my belly and made me want to try my hardest at this … harder than I’d ever tried at anything before.

There was also a calming sense that came over my body, in times of peace like right now. Everything at this moment was right in the universe, and I wasn’t going to fight it one bit.