Free How I Got Here by Hannah Harvey Page B

you.’
    ‘Well I wanted to get here on time because I had an idea.’
    ‘If it’s scrabble again then I’m seriously worried about you, because no guy should like getting beaten that much.’ She smiles, it’s easy and relaxed, and her tone is light and teasing. He can tell how much more comfortable she is today than she’d been all week, and he wonders what it is that’s made the shift in her. Perhaps he was right he thinks, and she had written a new letter, taking another piece of her story and passing it to him.
    ‘It’s not scrabble, my pride is still recovering from our last match, and this is more along the lines of an outing – well an outing of sorts.’ He grins.
    ‘An outing of sorts, you’ve intrigued me.’ She speaks easily but he notices her tighten her grip on the notebook. He can see the anxiety about going out into the public again.
    ‘I thought we could go up to the roof.’ He watches her relax again, the roof was safe, it was quiet, she could handle the roof, because she could sit and relax in the sun, not having to worry about crowds of people.
    ‘Is that allowed?’ She can’t help but smile, even though she knows it might be against hospital policy, she’s excited by the idea of going up to the roof, being in the open air.
    ‘Staff members are allowed on the roof, not many people take advantage of it and go up there. Actually I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone up there, not in a while at least.’ He leans back in his chair, ‘It’s entirely up to you.’
    ‘I think I’d like to go.’ She swings her legs over the side of the bed, pointing her toes as she does.
    ‘Good, come on then.’ He offers her his hand to help her up; she doesn’t have a drip in today, so it’s easier to get out. Again though Oliver is aware that he shouldn’t be getting so close to her, and she picks up on his slight hesitation.
    ‘Lead the way and I’ll follow behind.’ She drops his hand a nd smiles at him steadily, her hands shaking the smallest bit as they drop to her side, one hand empty now, and the other still holding the notebook.
    ‘Ok.’ He nods, clears his throat then steps into the hall, they walk through the halls easily, keeping enough distance that nobody would think they were together, most people don’t seem to notice either one of them, the young man with scruffy dark hair, walking along dressed in jeans and a hoody, not his typical shirt and smart trousers he’d wear when on duty; and following behind him at a safe distance on the opposite side of the hall, a young skinny girl with dark brown hair falling to her tiny waist, dressed in a calf length beige dress, and walking the halls barefoot. In any other place she would have probably been noticed, but here there were always patients walking around barefooted, or in slippers, so she didn’t look out of place at all, and he could easily pass for a visitor.
    Once they make it to the roof he turns to face her, making sure she’s not starting to panic, he is pleased to see that she looks fine, in fact though her face looks a little paler, she is smiling softly, taking in the view of the city, she’s looking he althier than she has in a while, especially with the sunlight catching her hair as it blows in the gentle breeze.
    ‘What do you think?’ He takes her hand again, leading her further onto the roof, helping her navigate the metal pipes that run across the floor, until they reach a clear spot near the fenced off edge. On the clear spot he’d placed a blanket and some cushions, when he had come up here the day before to get things ready. She smiles and squeezes his hand for a brief second.
    ‘It’s amazing.’ She lets go of his hand and walks over to the blanket, sitting down with her legs curled beneath her. From her position she can look through the metal railings, out across the large and busy city. He sits down beside her, his knees bent to keep him balanced upright.
    ‘I’m glad you like it.’ He smiles