Belle gazed at her house for the last time and then started to walk away. She didn't lift her eyes from the road to face anything. She was feeling too guilty to meet anyone's eyes.

And then, she stopped at a familiar spot. She lifted her eyes and saw the busy streets. It was Sunday and it meant, the busiest day in the local bookshop.

'The Bluebell Bookshop', was a familiar name for Belle. She sighed and went inside. She might end up breaking a bone or two due to work.

"Hi, Belle." A fellow worker greeted her as she entered the shop.

"Ya, hi!" Belle greeted back.

"Hurry up or Dreck is seriously going to cut your salary now. Go and change into your uniform," said her fellow mate as Belle quickly nodded and hurried inside to get changed.

She folded up the sleeves of her uniform up to her elbows and wrapped the apron around her waist as she straightened down her skirt.

Yes, she lied to her mother. She wasn't working in a big firm, instead, she worked in a bookshop. Yes, she promised to stay away from these stupid so-called storybooks but she couldn't. They were her life. In her boring life if anything could brighten up her day, then it was a book. Those so-called trash books.

How long had she been lying to her mother? Half a year. Half a year ago she had joined to work in this bookshop. And from then, that guilt had started to eat her out. She had also lied about her salary when her mother questioned her about it. She just stated that it would start with less.

How much time did she have to continue with the same? Half a year to go? But she wasn't sure she would be able to tell her mother about this any sooner or later. Yet, she wouldn't be able to take that stress till the time she could bring herself to that.

She opened her door and walked out. The day in the bookshop had just begun.

She gave a hi-fi to her co-worker who was sitting at the reception. Belle had attended people as a receptionist a lot of times but today, she was to assist herself with some new arrivals.

"Belle, these are the new arrivals. And here's the list." The receptionist handed her the list as Belle attached her name tag to her crisp white shirt.

"Ah! Thanks, Jones," she said and lifted the carton of the new arrivals and head out to the different sections to keep the books.

She made sure that she had hidden 'The Dreamcatcher' at a place that normally people didn't venture into. Because 'The Dreamcatcher' was quite an expensive book for her to buy while keeping a check of her savings, she didn't want to let it sell off before she even completed reading it. And then, the book was quite interesting to hook you on its plot.

But after a few hours when she finally had the chance to get to her favourite book, she found a boy standing her the bookshelf and in his hands was 'The Dreamcatcher'.

Belle seemed to have been fixed at her spot on the appearance of the boy. He had dirty blonde hair with a pair of hazelnut brown eyes. He was even a little fairer than her.

The boy seemed to have noticed her presence too and turned his gaze towards her making her a little uncomfortable.

"Is this your book?" He asked.

"No," Belle answered.

"Are you sure you're going to buy it?" she asked.

"No, it's a little too expensive," he answered, "And the way it was kept here, I can say someone wanted to monopolize it. Right?"

Belle was suddenly at a loss for words. He nailed every point correctly.

"You can't afford this book, right?" He gave off another statement.

"So what..." Belle said trying to look away.

The boy smiled and burst into laughter.

"Sorry, I know what hooked you to this book. It's kind of amazing," he said.

"So, you like this book too?" Belle asked.

"Curiosity killed the cat? Yeah, I do. It kind of made my worries disappear for some time. It happens with you too if I am right."

"Yes, it does so," Belle answered.

"By the way, you don't look like you belong from here. Are you a tourist?" she asked.

"Yes, I am on a tour and tomorrow I'm gonna return to my city," he said.

"How does it feel like touring? Is it fun?" Belle asked out of the blue.

"Fun? Of course, it is! Have you never gone for a holiday?" he asked amused.

"No, from birth till now, I have only known this city. I never had that opportunity to step out. But I am looking forward to it if I ever get a chance to go," she answered.

"Oh, look! I forgot the track of time. Sorry, I have to go now," Belle said and waved hurriedly as she ran towards the reception.

The blonde-haired boy ran his hand through the tresses of his hair and smiled.

"Interesting girl," he muttered.

_Time skip to Belle_

"Ah! Belle, your work shift is over. Here's your salary," said Jones as Belle detached her name tag and took her salary.

"Thanks, Jones!" Belle waved at her and hurriedly went into the changing room to change her clothes.

She took her handbag and straightened her clothes and checked her hair twice before she exited the shop.

"It's raining," she said to herself as she extended her hand a little to feel those water droplets on her hand.

The weather by now was the opposite of what it was in the morning.

"Weather sure is unpredictable." A voice spoke out her thoughts from behind.

Belle turned to see the same young boy she had met in the bookstore leaning on the wall, smiling at her sincerely.

"I'm not gonna thank you for speaking out my thoughts," Belle said.

"I wasn't expecting you to thank me," he answered back frankly.

"So, what are you doing here now?" she asked.

"Same as you, waiting for the rain to stop," he said," Furthermore, it's better to be in company than stand alone."

Belle looked at him and he too stared into her deep chestnut-coloured eyes.

"You are not talking about me, are you?" Belle asked.

"Who do you think is standing here with me?" The boy asked making Belle look around. Indeed there wasn't anyone except them.

"Is he, indirectly flirting with me?" Belle thought.

"I don't think the rain will stop any soon. So, can I ask you a few questions?" enquired the young man fidgeting with his fingers.

"Sure."

"Is it always rainy here? I mean in the South, does it always rain?" he asked.

Belle smiled. "It sure is a rainy city. But I wish to see the snow. Pure white, dazzling snow falling from the sky."

"Doesn't it snow in the south? It always does in the north. North is a little too industrialized than here in the south. I like it." The boy said.

"It rarely snows in the south. But I wish I can see the snow falling from the sky." Belle thought dreamily.

"Oh, by the way, why were you asking me about the rain in the south?" she asked.

"That's because I was caught in the rain thrice yesterday." The boy explained blushing in embarrassment.

"Wait! If I remember you were wearing a light blue shirt yesterday. I had seen you fall on the road yesterday," Belle said and started giggling.

"So...so, it was you who was watching me amused holding that umbrella yesterday? Shoot! I couldn't see your face because of the umbrella," he said and gave an awkward laugh while Belle was laughing hard.

"I can't believe, I am talking to the same stranger who I had seen yesterday making a fool out of himself!" Belle exclaimed.

"Yeah, yeah. Now don't disgrace me," he said.

"But you see, until yesterday, we were just strangers who had walked past each other and today we are talking as if we were some old friends from the time before," Belle said.

"Who knows! By the way, every stranger has his own story," said the blonde-haired boy.

"Yeah," Belle agreed.

"By the way, if you are free...can you be my tour guide for today?" the boy asked.

"Tour guide?" Belle questioned.

"Yeah, you have been living in the city for quite some time. So, I think you have better options where I can visit than those travel guides. Moreover, I haven't toured that much in the city because of the rain," explained the boy.

"Ok, let me think."

About after a few minutes, she came up with a place for him to visit.

"I know, we can visit the old mountains near the border of the sea," she said.

"Then the old mountains it is!" The boy agreed enthusiastically.

"But we will have to wait till the rain stops," Belle said.

"No need," said the boy rummaging through his bag.

"Here, we can share this." He said opening the black umbrella he had in his bag.

"Wait, you had that all this time?" Belle asked incredulously.

"Well...you see, I kinda forgot about it," he said scratching his head.

"Well, I forgot to ask. What's your name, miss?" He asked.

"Belle," she said.

"Bella then, it is!" he answered with enthusiasm.

"Belle, not Bella."

"Oh, sorry! I am Nicolas Clark." The boy introduced himself.

"Nice to meet you, Clark," Belle said and then scooted closer till both of them were under the same umbrella.

"Then, let's go," Clark said.