• Chapter 3

    IT WASN’T ANY FACE I’D EVER SEEN IN PERSON BEFORE. IN fact, I hadn’t seen it anywhere before, except in my head. This face was interesting. When I looked at the guy staring back at me, I saw knowledge. He seemed to know who I was. Great, I’m crazy, I thought to myself. I could’ve sworn he shook his head. He blinked his bright blue eyes… His eyes… They were brighter than mine, they seemed to peer into your soul. He had straight ink black hair that was down to the top of his neck. He had side-swept bangs. His face was slightly pale, but it had a tan under-tone. Who are you? His eyebrows pulled together and, just like that, he was gone.
    “Hey Lydia!” Anthony called.
    I shook my head and looked up. “Huh? What’d you say?”
    He lifted an eyebrow. “I said, we’re at the Wharf… Are you okay?”
    “Uhh, yeah.” I blinked and shook my head again. “I was spacing out, sorry.”
    He laughed. “Well you’d better not do that anymore. If I get bored, I’ll blame you.” He poked me in the side.
    I growled. “Yeah, ‘cause we both know I’m the spacer.” I poked him. “Mr. ‘Wuhh?’” I don’t like to toot my own horn but, I did a great impression of him! “Wait. You’re gonna hang out with me?”
    He pushed me. “Shut up! And yes. You shouldn‘t be left alone,” he chuckled.
    “How rude!” I giggled, pushing back, then quickly running across the street and into Ashlynn’s store. “Hi Ms. Davidson!” I called.
    “Hey, sweetie!” she replied, poking her head out from the storage area. “Wanna help me with something?”
    “Sure. What do you need?” I queried, heading over to her.
    “Can you put these new jackets on display?” she asked, handing me a box of plain black and white jackets.
    “Ooh! You’re gonna make jackets now?” I squeaked, happy dancing.
    “We’re gonna try,” she replied.
    I walked out to the front and set up a display. I put the black jackets on the left side and the white jackets on the right. Anthony walked in with two Dr. Peppers. “Wow. Did you get lost?” I laughed.
    “Fine. You don’t get this!” he chuckled, walking out of the store. I reached for it and he pulled it away. I pouted. He ended up handing it to me. “So what’s this for?” he asked, gesturing toward the jackets.
    “They’re gonna decal these!” I said ecstatically.
    He smiled. “Cool!”
    “I’m getting one after I get a bunch of cash!” I declared.
    “Oh! Me too. I’m gonna get a World Of Warcraft decal!” he exclaimed.
    I laughed quietly. What a geek! “Hah, nerd.” I took a gulp of my soda.
    “Says the girl who read the Twilight series.”
    “Hey! Twilight is a good book!” In the same breath I cracked up and said, “No it’s not!” I shrugged. “Plus, I only read it because there was nothing else in my house to read.”
    “That’s no excuse!”
    Ms. Davidson walked out then. “Hey! Take the fist fight outside!” she laughed.
    “Bye!”, we called, running out of the store. I turned to Anthony, leprechaun jumping. “So. What shall we do?” I giggled.
    “Wanna see a movie?” Anthony asked.
    I sighed. “I have no money…”
    “I could pay for you?” he asked, air bassing to a song on his iPod.
    “Nope!” I replied. “I won‘t let you do that!”
    He shrugged. “Then I’ll force you to take the cash for the movie.”
    “Uh… Okay. Just a second.” I pulled out my phone and texted my mom, asking her if I could see a movie with Anthony. She replied yes, with a bunch of exclamation marks. “Okay. Let’s go.”