"Why are you reading?"

I've seated myself on the floor against one of the many bookshelves in the Lost Treasure, a small local bookshop I discovered with Emily when we were 8. The second we had walked in, I instantly fell in love with the rustic shop, but Emily had wrinkled her nose and complained about the smell of old books.

From that day forward, the Lost Treasure became known as our hang out place whenever we were at what we referred to as the Cove, a local spot where many tourists visited.

Without looking up from my book, I rolled my eyes. "Why do you always ask me that?"

She didn't take long to answer. "Because it's unnatural," she answered simply.

"My love for reading?"

"No." From the staccato sound of her voice, I knew she was getting ready for one of her quips. "The fact that you can breeze though a book in less than a day."

Twisting my head to look at her, I laughed. Her perfectly threaded eyebrows furrowed together in confusion. Her fringe fell into her face and she swiped them back behind her ears.

Emily inhaled and slowly relaxed her facial muscles. Ever since she read an article about facial expressions leading to wrinkles, she's done her best to proactively avoid making faces at all costs. Her attempts are in vain, however, because her contagious smile always shines through. As if on cue, there was a small twitch in the corner of her lip that begged to be turned into a smile. "No, but seriously. Why would anyone put themselves through such torture?"

"Because we're in a bookshop?"

Emily narrows her eyes, but I know her well. A second later, she bursts with laughter. Instead of sounding alarming or sudden, she's got one of those pretty bell laughs, that rings through the air. People passing by the isle and those sitting down in the front and back of the store turn to glare at us, despite the delicate sound.

Any noise in a library, regardless of how beautiful it sounds, is unwanted noise.

I immediately shrink away from their scrutiny and eye Emily. She only gives me a smile before addressing the shoppers. "Excuse me. My friend said something funny and I had to laugh. Carry on."

Everybody turns their attention back to what they were preoccupied with before being interrupted by two teenage girls, but not before glaring ar us for another few seconds. I let out a sigh I didn't realize I was holding in. Emily turns and frowns. "Hun, if you're going to be a therapist one day, you should at least get used to being stared at."

I huff out a breath. This isn't the first time we've had this conversation before. "Working on it," I mumble.

She throws me one of her heartbreaker smiles. "Excellent. Now go buy that book and let's get outta here." She glances at the book in my hand and the four forgotten books at my side on the floor. "On second thought, take your time. I saw a cute ice cream parlor back a block that I wanted to try. I'll grab a bowl for you. The usual."

I nod.

Nothing's changed since we were kids.

"Mint Chocolate Chip it is."

I give her my thanks by smiling and turn back to my books. Her foot steps grow quieter as she walks away, and the chime on the bells above the doors signal shes left.

The book in my hand is a fantasy novel, albeit, my favorite genre, while the other three are romance novels. I had been anticipating their arrival but swords and princes always won in the battle against simple happy endings.

But they're all great. Choose one or get them all? Just get them all. Or choose one and come back next week? Agh why am I so indecisive?

A string of profanity brings me back to reality just as the weight of a hardcover book lands on my head. I yelp and stand up, looking to see where it had fell from.

Taking a step towards the bookshelf, I scan the rows of books from bottom to top, a force of habit. It only takes me a second to locate the missing spot where the book once sat. The gap left was wide because all the books braced against the missing one had all fallen over into one another.

In it's place are a pair of the most piercing blue eyes I've ever seen. I jolt back in surprise and the scenes that played out next happened in what felt like a slow motion edit of a movie, and those never play out well.

The moment I stepped back, my foot caught the corner of the book that had hit my head and sent me sprawling to the floor. I managed to slant to the side in an awkward lunge to avoid slamming my head into the bookshelves opposite from the one I was sitting against. But in doing so, I caused a burst of pain to pulse from my right wrist into my body with every heartbeat.

As a runner, I was no stranger to injuries. In fact, I've dealt with so many over the course of the four years I've been in high school, and it was only a matter of time before my wrists started to hurt too. I just didn't plan on it to be because I was at my favorite shop, doing what I love the most, at my own free will, on a weekend, right after my best friend ditched me for ice cream.

"Ouch," I groan, as I rub my wrist gently.

The sound of feet slapping against the wooded floor makes me pause. I didn't have to look at who came to my aid to realize it would be Blue Eyed Boy. An embarrassed flush begins to work its way against my tan skin, and it makes me grateful I spend so many hours in the boiling sun everyday. If only to avoid his gaze, I busy myself with twisting my body so I'm sitting upright with my back against the case.

By the time I bring my eyes to his, he's already staring. The moment I stare into his eyes, I can't pull away. Something about it's ocean blue color with black specks makes me want to stare all day. Realizing I've been staring too long, I force my gaze to trail anywhere but for his memorizing eyes. Instead, I focus on the way his brown hair sticks up and slightly curls at the ends, leaving his clear cream skin untouched. A light spray of freckles dot over his nose and below his eyes, and if it weren't for how close he is, I wouldn't have noticed them.

I get this tingly sensation that I know his face, but all my thoughts are trailing to his blue eyes.

"Are you okay?" His voice sounds airy and quiet, but surprisingly deep for someone with a baby face. Although he looks to be about 17 or 18, his voice still has the tone of a young boy transitioning to a man.

I decide that answering his question will mean he'll leave and I can prevent further embarrassment. "I'm fine," I mumble quietly.

"Are you sure? That was a hard fall."

My hands instantly trails to my wrist, and the light contact is enough to send small pings of pain. I wince, and bite the inside of my cheek to avoid letting out a yelp. "Just peachy."

"You're clearly not. Here let me help you up." In my peripheral vision, his hand sticks out in offering, and much to my disapproval, I take it.

"Thanks."

Once im standing, I realize just how tall he really is, maybe 5'8, and compared to me at just 5'3, he's a whole head taller. He smiles in response, and doesn't miss a beat. "I'm sorry," he begins, but his voice trails off, and a small blush covers his cheeks. "I'm sorry for the book. I was reaching to grab the one next to it, but it pushed the other over, and-"

I hold a hand to stop his messy apology. "Don't worry, I'm okay." He tried once more, so I throw in a smile if only to ease his conscious.

"Regardless, I still feel bad. Is there something I can do to make it up to you?"

I reel back in shock, and raise a brow.

Why is he still talking to me? And wheres Emily? It must've been 15 minutes since she left. What's stalling her?

"You don't even know me," I say flatly.

He smiles, and I feel my breath catch. His smile isn't a jaw-dropper, but more like one that makes you think he knows all your secrets. But I don't doubt he doesn't have girls falling for it. "I don't have to know you to know that you like books."

My eyes crinkle as I hold in a laugh from bursting out. "That's a bad observation."

He shrugs, a smile dancing in his lips. "It's an accurate observation."

I roll my eyes. "I'm pretty sure anyone in a bookshop lobes books."

"Only those who come willingly." He tosses me a smile gestures to the stack of books I had on the floor, all flipped so I could read their summaries in the flap behind the cover. "Will you take them all? I'll pay for them as a way of apologizing," he offers, his smile now a grin.

My brows furrow together. "No, that won't be necessary. I'm only getting the one." I reach to grab the forgotten novels I had been reading through. At that same moment, he reaches down to start picking up my other books, and our heads both hit each other.

"Ouch," he mumbles, rubbing the spot where our heads smashed into each other. "You have a hard head." I shoot him a glare, and his eyes go wide. "Oh, I didn't mean-"

I cut him off before he can make any more comments about my head. "Okay, it was nice talking to you," I say loudly, so he can't argue back. "But I must get back to my friend now, she's been waiting."

I gather all four books into my hand and quickly rise to my feet. I rather pay for them all now then have to endure more time talking to him. There's no doubt Emily will kill me if I don't get his number, but we'll cross that bridge when we get there.

As I walk past the shelves towards the front of the store where the cash register is, I hear him mutter something like "Why am I so stupid?"

I smirk, but it slowly dissolves when I feel his arm brush mine. "What will it take for you to leave me alone?" I grumble, turning slightly to the side so I can see him.

"And why would you want to do that?" I'm greeted with pearly whites and small dimples at the corners of his mouth.

I arch a brow. "Am I supposed to swoon over that?"

He pauses a little, but quickly recovers. The only indication for any uncertainty would be the small crease in his brows. "I'm not going to say you should, but I'm surprised you didn't."

I stop walking completely, and dont bother to act nice. I roll my eyes. "Are you serious? Are girls supposed to fall at your feet and cry 'marry me?' Who do you think you are?"

He opens his mouth to speak but closes it, this repeats for about three more seconds before I've had enough. I stride over to the counter, but not before he trails after me.

A light melody plays from the stores speakers, and it soothes me. The only noise that manages to breaks through the noise is from outside, but even that sounds like loud chatter.

An elderly woman sits behind it on a stool with a book beside her. Her gray hair is piled neatly into a bun, and her round rimmed glasses make her brown eyes wide. Marla Delerose could pass for 50, but the many wrinkles by her hairline says she's older. She looks up from her book when she sees me coming, and places it to the side. Her grin makes her look younger, her soft features molding into one of a doting grandmother.

Being the shop manager and owner, she's taken it upon herself to learn every person's name who steps foot in the Lost Treasure. Heck, I probably know half the people's names inside the shop because of how many times I used to sit by her and watch her chat. Sometimes I used to think she had grown tired of me, but each time I tried to excuse myself, she gave me a knowing look and smile.

"You're no burden, Ms. Calia." Was always her response when I mumbles some plans with my family or Emily.

During every summer throughout high school, I'd ask for a job, and each time she'd refused my help because she didn't want to see a "growing beautiful woman confined in a little book shop." But my constant persistence eventually bended her whim and she allowed me to at the very least, stock and shelve books if she needed it.

"Hi, Calia," she says with a smile as we approach her.

Seeing her face light up makes me grin. "Hi, Marla."

I pull out my pale cream colored Lost Treasure woven bag and hand it to her. She smiles in gratitude. "How's your family doing?" She asks as she scans the barcodes of the books. She knows the rhythm by heart, so it doesn't take her long to neatly stack them in a bag.

"Great, actually. Lisa wanted me to tell you hi."

She chuckles. "That Lisa. Always got her pretty head stuck in those magazine about that one band, huh? Who is it again?"

I roll my eyes, to keep from groaning. "Star Struck," I bite out.

Beside me, Bue Eyed Boy stiffens, but I brush it off.

Marla clucks her tongue. "That's the one. Has she been begging you to take her to a show?"

Since my parents are working everyday, they bought me a car when I turned 17 so I can take Lisa places she needed to go to. Mom and dad made me take her wherever she needed, but my limits were clear. The only place I wasn't going to was a Star Struck concert.

I bark out a laugh. "Multiple times. Her and Emily are wearing me thin on the line between dealing with their constant chatter about them, and their songs on loop."

I didn't think it were possible, but Blue Eyed Boy stiffens even more. The noise from outside begins to get louder, and I try to ignore it. They're mostly screams, but the majority of the sound is toned down due to the glass doors and windows. I watch as he glances to the windows, and twists his body in a way so his back is to it.

"Alright, Marla. How much?" I ask. I reach around to pull my wallet out of my small white backpack.

"$40."

I open the flap, and ruffle through my bills of one's and five's. Just as I find two 20's, and am about to lay them on the counter, Blue Eyed Boy places a fifty on the counter.

"Keep the change," he says. He grabs my bag filled with my newly purchased books. The other latches onto my arm.

Marla says her thanks and Blue Eyed Boy rushes me out of the shop. I glance down at his hand and slap it with my free one. "Hey? What are you doing."

His eyebrows raise in surprise at my display of minimal violence, but he doesn't let go. Instead, he sticks his head up, and I do the same. Following his eyes, I see the commotion that had him on edge. Across the street, there's a bunch of girls, many younger but some around my age, standing around a black limo with tinted windows. Two large men were holding back the girls squealing and shouting out to whoever was inside.

"Shane, marry me!"

"Jake! You're single right? I'll be your girlfriend!"

"Noah, you can have my babies!"

"Dalon! You should break up with Celine Lorainne and date me!"

The girl who screamed the last part looks up, and screeches so loud I want to cover my ears. I forgot Blue Eyed boy still had his arm on my wrist, and his hold began to tighten.

She points to Blue Eyed boy and all the other girls look our way.

Oh crap.

"OHMYGOD! It's Luke!"

Blue Eyed boy yanks me to the side and we break out into a run. I can run in any shoes, but the slap of my Nike Free Runs don't feel as comfortable as my trainers would. Passerbys, most from the look of it are tourists, are quick to move out of our way, but there are the few who slip by and grab onto his arm before he can shake them off. This does slow us down, and I can tell by the way he glances at them with furrowed brows that he doesn't like treating strangers that way, but he throws them a quick smile before turning and running again.

We pass by Lorrie's Bakery, and the Harrison family's clothing shop. I'm surprised with how fast he's running, because nothing about him screamed athlete, but I guess if you're being chased by crazy girls, you have to be able to run.

He pulls me into the small alleyway in between Lo's Flower shop and Ice Scream Parlor. He only let's me go once we're hidden behind two dumpsters that belong to the stores behind us. I stifle the urge to gag as my side touches the cold plastic. I inch towards Blue Eyed Boy, and flinch as our bodies make contact. "Really? This is so cliché."

The putrid smell of the alley makes my eyes burn with tears, and I shift away from the trash to get fresh air. Just as the shouts and screams begin to disappear, a new wave comes, and Blue Eyed Boy yanks me back. Instead of placing me flat against the wall, he pulls me to his side so I'm nestled between his chest and arm. My voice echoes off the buildings. "What are you-"

I don't finish as he clamps a hand over my mouth. I refuse the urge to bite his fingers off my face.

Once I'm sure we're in the clear, I push him off me. "Hands off." I push down the urge to wipe my mouth. "We aren't on that stage of closeness yet, buddy."

"Sorry," he mumbles. He ruffles his hair with his hand and let's out a breath.

"You say that a lot," I point out.

"Only because I mean it."

I cross my arms over my chest and frown. "So were you ever going to introduce yourself, Blue Eyed Boy?"

His face lights up in a smile. "That's what you've been calling me?"

I shrug. "My options were limited."

The smallest twitch of his lip breaks into his grin. "That's a new one."

"Why, do you normally wear different colored contacts depending on your mood? Are you normally Green Eyes when you're feeling high up in the clouds, or Blue when you're sad because no girl loves you?"

I knew he wasn't wearing contacts, but he had it coming. The ocean blue in his eyes sparkled too brightly to be fake. If you looked into them, you wouldn't see an artificial iris.

He runs his hand through his hair again, ruffling it's perfect placement. "Not exactly what I meant."

"Then what did you mean?"

Just from looking at his disheveled appearance, I can tell he's at a loss for words, and it's frustrating him. I get the feeling he's never out of words. Knowing that make me smile.

"Can we start over?"

I scoff, thinking I've heard him wrong, to which his smile only grows.

He waits for me to answer. All I do is stare.

"My name is Luke Avery. I'm one of the five members of the band Star Struck."

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

Hey guys!

So this is probably the most cliche thing ever, but that's okay! Cliché is cute, and we'll work with that.

While editing it, Calia's and Luke's meeting does seem a little rushed, but I figured now was the time to introduce them.

I hope this chapter didn't suck too much!

Have a good day ♡

- Nicole ♡