"You should have taken more time!" John exclaimed when Bobby was done, because if he knew anything, it was that Bobby probably cut his skating short because he thought John was getting bored or something. "I had my book," he said, picking it up to wave about.

"...But I guess we could come back next week," John remarked, after a moment or two to reflect. Advantages of living in London. "Or maybe next month we could do the rest of France..."

Finishing off his coffee with a gulp, John tucked the book into a backpack and hefted it on his shoulder. "You ready to go up top?" He didn't think his sensitivity to motion would be triggered by heights, exactly, but, he was still a little apprehensive on top of all the other reasons to be apprehensive.

"If I barf in the lift, you can tell people you don't know me," he teased, leading the way.