Lucky - Said The Whale 

ISABELLA

The bright light of the mid-morning sun cut through the curtain like a razor blade. It pierced through the dark room hitting my face. I struggled to keep my eyes closed, hoping that the sun would get a hint and shine elsewhere. 

My body ached. Every fibre of me felt like it was dead weight. I struggled to move around the oversized bed, but the weight of the heavy duvet kept me down. I felt like I was suffocating in a sea of white pillows and quilted blankets. Using my feet, I began to push the blankets away. It was a struggle, but after a few thrusts of my right leg, the blankets fell to the side. 

I continued to look around the room, observing every detail, memorizing the walls and furniture. After a few moments of complete silence, it all began to click. The memories of the past twenty-four hours flooded back. I was not in Manhattan. I was here, in my new "flat" situated in London. I no longer lived with my parents and sister, but had a roommate. A roommate. 

Speaking of which, a light knock came from my bedroom door. "Izzy?" Jaz's soft accent filtered through the cracks of the wooden door. "Are you awake?" 

I sat up all the way and shifted my body off of the bed. My knees gave way, making my body stumble as I walked towards the door. "Oomph." Somehow I managed to make my way towards the door and opened it up slowly. "Good morning," My voice was scratchy. A complete one-eighty from my usual clear voice. I coughed the sleep and jet leg away and cleared my throat. "I mean, good morning." I laughed slightly as I spoke once more, this time a lot clearer than my previous efforts. 

"Good morning to you too, roommate!" Jaz smiled as I opened the door wider. She was already freshened up and ready for the day. Her platinum blonde hair was braided to the side, with a black beanie situated on top. 

"You're already ready." I pointed out. She giggled and rolled her eyes, but nodded in response. 

"Well, it's already quarter to noon. I thought I'd let you sleep in a bit more. But, it's time to get some breakfast. I don't want you completely jet legged. I'd be a terrible flat mate if I did." 

I gave her a quick nod and turned back towards my bright yellow suitcases. "What's the weather like?" I poked my head up and squinted my eyes as I tried to look outside the bedroom window. 

"It's pretty warm out. London has surprisingly warmed up a lot the past week. It's usually raining around here, so it's nice when it's actually not. It finally feels like July out there!" 

I hummed in response and continued to sort through the piles of clothes that I brought. Everything seemed uncomfortable and constricting. All that I wanted to do was to live in my sweatpants and hoodies, but I knew that would not be an option. If I did so, I know for a fact that I would only fall back to sleep. Settling on a pair of lace shorts and a black camisole, I walked over to the bathroom (well, what I assumed was the bathroom). 

The bathroom was small. It had a tub, sink, toilet and mirror, all squished into the rather tiny space. I turned the taps of the porcelain sink and let the cool water flow. I cupped my hands, allowing the wanter to pool inside of it. The water felt cool against my warm skin sending a refreshing wave, awaking all of my senses. My hair was a curly, matted mess on top of my head. It resembled a birds nest; not cute at all. I gathered all of my hair into a messy bun on top of my head. I quickly undressed from last nights clothes and changed. 

There was something absolutely glorious about a fresh pair of panties and bra. Even more so when they match. 

"Ready?" Jaz was standing at the front entrance. Her mint bag was slung across her body. I couldn't help but envy her style. It was laid back but fashionable. I couldn't help but wonder if everyone in London looked like they stepped out of a Vogue magazine. 

"Yeah. Let's go." 

-

The streets of London were full of the hustle and bustle of it's occupants. Everyone seemed like they had a place to go and people that needed to be seen. All sorts of women and men invaded the sidewalks, making it seem almost impossible to walk by. I couldn't help but feel a sense of familiarity and home while walking outside. Everyone was busy and in a hurry. If I didn't know better, I would have thought that I was still in New York. 

"It's not usually this busy," Jaz pointed out. "But it's the lunchtime rush and we're close to the center of London." 

I nodded my head in understanding as I kept close to her. We continued to walk. As we did, I breathed in deeply, taking in every scent and sound. There was something different about London. Almost regal. Perhaps it was that everyone around me had an accent, or maybe it was because I felt like I was walking in my own version of Spice World. Please tell me that Sporty spice is going to pop up behind me. That would make my life. 

But regardless of it the sounds, the people, and the accents, I couldn't help but feel like I was already home. That this adventure wasn't going to be a waste of time. It was scary. It was scary not feeling even an ounce of homesickness. Shouldn't I have already felt at least a tiny bit of it? Sure, I've only been in the country for less than twenty-four hours, but I still couldn't help but feel like I should miss my parents or my bed. Yet, here I am, walking inside an English diner, not feeling any bit of regret or homesickness. 

"Are you alright?" I look over at Jaz, who has a slight worried expression on her face. 

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just taking it all in."

She gives me a warm smile and nods. We follow are waitress towards a small table. "This place is cute," I look around at the small diner. It wasn't your cliche restaurant. It wasn't fifties themed or anything like that. It felt like I was at a homestyle restaurant. The tables and chairs were mix-matched. A man with a goofy grin on his face was standing at the counter filling up a young couple's coffee mugs. He had a rolling stones t-shirt on and a beanie. "That's Brad. He's the owner of this diner. Him and his wife opened this place up about five years ago. Everyone that lives in this area always comes here. He has the best pancakes on the block." I nod slightly, humming in response. 

I grab the menu that is placed on the table and begin to look over the items. Everything looked delicious. My stomach began to grumble causing Jaz to laugh lightly. "Hungry?"

"Just a bit." I giggle. 

"Hello!" A middle aged woman with a plaid shirt on stands in front of our table. She has a pad of paper in her hand and a pen in the other. "My name is Erin. Oh, hello Jaz!" Her accent is heavy. I struggle to understand the peppy words that flow from her red stained lips. I look over at Jaz. She gives Erin, our overly friendly waitress, a warm smile. It is clear to me that she visits this diner often. 

"Hi Erin. This is Izzy, my new roommate. She just moved here from New York." 

I sit awkwardly and wave my hand at her. She giggles lightly at my awkward gesture but doesn't speak anything of it. Thankfully. 

"Well, welcome to London love. I am sure we will be seeing you here often." She winks at me. I nod and smile, unsure of what else to say. I suddenly feel awkward. Like everyone in the room is watching my every move. I decide then and there to put myself out of this foreign awkwardness and order my breakfast. The grumbling in my stomach hasn't ceased since we sat down. I know that if I don't put anything in there pronto, I will fall into a food-deprivation coma. 

"I'll have a coffee and your infamous pancakes please!" I show her a half smile as I put the menu back into it's rightful place. Erin quickly writes down my order. She then turns around to grab our coffees after confirming with Jaz if she was getting "the usual". 

"This place is nice." I compliment once again. She giggles at me and rolls her eyes but doesn't say anything else. 

-

"You were not kidding about those pancakes! And the chocolate chips in the middle? Geez. That was culinary genius." We stumble out of the diner. I wrap my arms around my stomach and giggle in contentment. That was the best breakfast I have possibly ever had. 

"I told you it was good!" 

The sun has peaked out from behind the clouds casting it's heat all over the city. I grab my sunglasses from my purse and quickly shield my eyes from it's burning rays. I sneak a peak at Jaz who has now shielded her own eyes with a pair of ray bans. We quietly, but not awkwardly, continue our walk through the streets. We pass different shops, ranging from clothing boutiques, stores that sold scented soaps, to a small bookstore. 

I quickly stopped walking. Jaz hadn't even realized abrupt stop and continued to walk down the road. I didn't even bother to tell her what was going on and that I was no longer following her. Instead, I found myself peering inside the old used bookstore, completely enthralled by the different works of literature. 

It wasn't new, my love of books. Anyone that has known me for a good amount of time would be aware of my love of literature. From what I could tell from the dusty window, was that they were selling a wide range of books. I could see a stack of, what seemed to be, the whole library of Jane Austen novels. I internally squealed at the sight! 

Without giving it a second thought, I quickly opened the store's door and walked inside. The moment my body entered, I was hit by the burning scent that drove my insides crazy. A scent that made my heart flutter and nerves awaken. There was something  about the smell of old books. I couldn't quite explain it. 

I roamed the small store, taking in every inch of it. The walls were lined with bookshelves. Each shelf full to the rim with novels. The layout of the store was unique. It wasn't organized and the ambiguous list of stories were stacked on top of one another  , finding home on each shelf. I ran my fingers over each spine. The rough covers of each novel kissing my soft skin. A chill ran through my body as I took everything in. 

I continued to walk through the store. It seemed like I was the only one in here. It was pretty odd that the store clerk was no where to be scene. Perhaps he was in the back. I shook it off and continued to look around. I eventually found myself in the classical literature aisle. Ah, this feels right, I thought to myself. 

I scanned the authors of the novels that the carried. Jane Austen, Charlotte Bronte, Earnest Hemmingway, Harper Lee, and Charles Dickens; each story bringing a big grin to my face. 

"I would recommend The Hobbit. Much better than that nonsense those Hollywood  blokes try to pass off as a movie. Real ol' twats, I tell you." I jumped at the sudden voice that spoke behind me. Turning around quickly, I come face to face with a tiny old man. His hair was white, a few pieces missing at the top. He had a sweater vest on and a pair of khaki slacks. His glasses were sitting in front of his chest, being hung carefully by a piece of red rope. "Sorry love. I didn't mean to startle you." The older man gave me a warm smile. A smile that I quickly returned. 

"That's fine. Don't worry about it!" 

"An American accent!" His eyes lit up. "You don't hear those too often." 

I softly laughed and nodded my head. "I just moved to London, actually."

"Oh really?" His eyes continued to shine as he spoke. "Welcome to the country love." 

"Thank you." I smile once again. 

"Well, continue to look around then. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask. I'm this here shop owner, don't you know. The name is Robert. Nice to meet you...?" His voice trailed off. His eyebrows rose slightly, evidence that he wanted to know my name.  

"Isabella. But I go by Izzy." 

"What a beautiful name, Isabella is! But Izzy you say? Alright! Well, it was great to meet you dear Izzy. Continue looking around! I'll be at the front if you need me." His genuine smile stretched across his frail face. I return the smile and nod. 

-

The minutes continue on and quickly turn into an hour. I have been sitting on the floor for the past hour reading Animal Farm, by George Orwell. The world around me seemed to had grown increasingly silent. Each word jumping out of it's page, hooking me in with each syllable, and not letting me go with every sentence that I read. I had been so lost in the world that Orwell had created that I hadn't even noticed the fuming blonde that was now hovering over me. 

"Do you have absolutely any idea how scared I was!" 

I jumped up at the sudden noise. I look up and am met with a pair of fuming blue-green eyes. My heart drops as I take in Jaz's frazzled expression. "Oh shit. Jaz! I am so sorry. I didn't even realize that I didn't tell you I was going in here. And then I started to read and god, I'm so sorry!" I quickly put the book down, grabbing my bag, and standing up from my seat. Her face quickly softens as she realizes that everything was in fact okay. 

"Don't scare me like that, girl. I thought I lost you. It's fine, I'm just happy you're alright."

"I'm fine, don't worry."

"Good." 

I wrap my arms around her smaller body and pull her close to me. I give her a big squeeze, enlisting a fit of giggles to erupt from Jaz. "No need to kill me with your affection. A simple I'm sorry sufficed." She jokes. 

I quickly release my hands from it's tight grip and blush. "Sorry! I sometimes don't realize my own strength." I joke. 

"Let's just get going. It smells weird in here." She comments as she scrunches her nose in distaste. 

"Not at all! This is my absolute favourite scent." I reply. She looks at me like I'm an absolute nut.

"Really? It's so potent and smells like old people."

"That's just the smell of a good, well read book. There's nothing better!" 

She only laughs. We then proceed to walk towards the door. But before we leave, I turn around and look for Robert. He was a sweet old man. He was quick to let me stay and read, saying that "It's not everyday that I cute bird like yourself comes into my here old store." I wasn't too sure if bird was a compliment or not, but I took it as one anyway. It was just another indication that I was in fact no longer in New York and was now surrounded by people with their weird slang.

Robert is sitting in the back at a small wooden desk. He is hidden by stacks upon stacks of books. His eyebrows are furrowed as he tries to type something into the small Macbook at his desk. His pointer fingers poke the letters, his lips mumbling as he reads to himself the words as he types. I can't help but giggle at the sight. 

The noise startles him slightly and looks up from his computer. "Izzy. Hello dear. Are you alright?" 

"I am! I was actually going to head out. Thank you again for letting me idle and read."

"Of course. You are welcome to stay and read anytime."

I nod and say my thank you's once again. I turn and make my way back to my now calm roommate. We leave the quaint bookstore and enter back into the humid sunny outdoors. 

There was something special about that bookstore. One thing was for certain. I knew for a fact that I would be frequenting it more often than I'd want. But that, that was something I was absolutely okay with.