- Chapter 2 - The Bookstore -
Warnings: Flirts and blushing
Modern AU
Third Person POV

Albert personally liked reading.

He usually only read fiction/adventure though.

He had liked Harry Potter when he was younger.

It wasn't very often that he stepped into a Book Store, but he did sometimes, and when he did, he usually went with Specs, and possibly Romeo, since Specs usually dragged him places.

This time, however, was different.

Today, Albert decided to go to a bookstore alone.

He opened the door, and a bell rang.

There was no one in there, but he knew he would probably see someone later.

He walked to the section of the store where the books he usually liked are and started looking around.

He looked around for a few minutes before finding a book he liked based on the back.

(I forgot what the back of a book is called.
The back?
The description?
A sneak peak?
I forgot.)

The Outsiders, by SE Hinton.

He had heard it was a good book, he had just never read it before.

He probably should've in school, like his friends, but for some unknown reason, he hadn't.

Albert looks for a few more minutes, before deciding that he was gonna just go with Outsiders, so he grabs it and heads to check it out.

At the front desk is a boy, one who Albert had thought he'd seen before.

The boy had curly, blonde hair, and bright blue eyes that out butterflies in Albert's stomach.

The boy was looking at his arm, clearly bored.

When Albert got closer to him, he saw that the boy was doodling on his arm.

Albert chuckles to himself, before setting the book down in front of the boy.

The boy looks up at him and smirks.

"What can I do for you pretty boy?" The boy asks Albert.

Albert blushes a little, and looks at the boys name tag.

Antonio.

"Well, Antonio, I would like to please check out this book." Albert tells him.

Antonio cringes at his name. "Please don't call me Antonio." He requests, staring to check out Albert's book. "My friends call me Race. Technically the name is Racetrack, but they call me Race or Racer for short. I've been trying to get this damn thing changed for a while now." He tells Albert, poking at his name tag.

Albert chuckles. "I could call you Cutie if you preferred." He responds with a smirk.

Race blushes, looking at his feet.

"I- I- uh-" Race stammers, his face slowly heating up the more he tried to respond.

Albert snickers. "Cat got your tongue?" He asks.

Race rolls his eyes, pretending he's not internally freaking out.

Race scans the book, before handing it back to Albert. "What's your name?" He asks, winking.

Albert turns red, looking away from Race.

Race laughs, amused at the flustered mess of a boy in from of him.

He was also ignoring the fact that he had just been the, quote, 'flustered mess of a boy'.

"A-Albert." Albert stammers, his face slowly heating up more, putting the book in his backpack.

"Cat got your tongue?" Race asks, mocking Albert's voice from earlier.

Albert rolls his eyes, playfully.

"Your voice is too high to sound anything like mine." Albert tells Race.

Race puts his hands over his heart, his mouth open slightly as he looks at Albert, mocking hurt. "Mean." Race responds, mock offense clear in his voice.

Albert smirks. "If I'm mean, then you're a puppy." He responds.

Race shoots him a face offended look again. "I am not!" He exclaims defensively. "I'm tough as can be. Besides, you haven't known me long enough to know that about me." Race responds.

Albert scoffs. "Yeah, tough enough to defeat a spider and that's it." He retorts.

Race playfully smacks him. "Aww, shut it, ya bum."

Albert laughs at Race.

Race just glares at him, though they both knew it was all fun and games.

"Aww, you two are so cute." Someone behind Albert states.

Albert whips around.

Race leans over to look behind Albert.

Albert's friends, JoJo, Elmer, and Henry were there, and so were three other boys. Two of the boys were holding hands and the other had a crutch.

Albert stares at his three friends. "JoJo, Elmer, Henry, why are you here?" He asks them.

The three boys smirk.

"Same to you, Jack, Davey, Crutchie." Race adds, a little confused.

Jack, Davey, and Crutchie smirk.

Though Crutchie's smirk didn't really look like a smirk, more like a knowing smile.

"We were checking to see if you were free, cause I know your shift ends in a few." Jack informs Race.

"We went looking for you." JoJo answers, shrugging a bit as he fidgeted with the fidget cube in his pocket.

"Why?" Albert asks, an eyebrow raised.

Henry shrugs.

"If you two are busy, we can go." Crutchie suggests, genuinely trying to be nice.

Jack smirks at Race.

Race glares at him, knowing what Jack was thinking.

"We're not busy." Race and Albert respond in unison.

The other boys laugh.

"Sure, lovebirds." Jack scoffs, rolling his eyes.

Race takes the hat off of his head, reaching across the counter and smacking Jack upside the head with it.

Albert chuckles softly, high-fiving him under the counter.

Henry, who noticed this, shoots Albert another smirk.

Albert ignores it.

"Let's go then." Elmer exclaims, grabbing Albert's hand

"Calm down, El." Henry turns his smirk to face Albert. "Al found a boy." He comments.

Albert let's himself get dragged out of the shop by his friends. "See ya later, Race!" He calls to his new friend.

Race waves back, a large smile on his face.

As Albert got dragged away from Race by his friends, he secretly was hoping he'd see Race again.

Race was as well, though he knew something Albert didn't.

Later
In Albert's apartment

Albert sat down, putting his book bag next to him on the ground.

He had had a long day and wanted to read the book he had gotten, cause he was genuinely curious.

Thinking of the book, Race was back on Albert's mind.

He didn't even notice his roommates had come in, until one of them, Romeo, spoke up.

"Why are you blushing?" Romeo asks, with a smirk.

Albert's head shoots up. He finds his roommates sitting on the couch with each other, across from him.

Specs was sitting, sipping what Albert knew was probably tea and Romeo was leaning on Specs' shoulder.

Albert's face flushes. "Nothing." He mutters in response, looking away from them.

Romeo shoots him a look. "Dude, I'm named after being romantic/partially a flirt, I know when someone has a crush." He reminds him.

Albert blushes. "I met a boy." He admits softly. "He's really cute, and his name is Race." He explains, staring dreamily off into the air.

Romeo nods, smirking. "Albie has a crush." He teases.

Albert groans. "This is why I don't tell you anything." He mutters, pulling his book out of his bag.

Romeo rolls his eyes as he lays down, his head in Specs' lap.

Specs starts playing with Romeo's hair, still sipping his tea as Albert opens the book.

A note falls out of the book.

Dear Albert,

Call me sometime, pretty boy. 000-000-0000.

- Race ;)

Albert drops the book and the note, his face immediately turning bright red.

Specs and Romeo look over at him in concern.

Romeo figured out what happened quickly, smirking, but Specs didn't.

"You good Albert?" Specs asks him, shooting him a wary look.

Albert hides his face in his shirt. "He- he gave me his- his number." He explains quietly, his voice a bit muffled by his shirt.

Romeo and Specs burst out laughing.

Albert's face turns an even darker shake of red, but something in him couldn't help but feel excited that Race was interested.

He'd seen him again soon.

1328 Words
Hope you enjoyed this chapter lol.