"Dylan?" It came out as a gasp but Hope was quick enough to school her nervousness. She then smiled a genuine smile. "What are you doing here?"

"I thought it's pretty obvious. Today is Friday, remember?" Dylan grinned wickedly as if he had read her forgotten thoughts of just moments ago.

"We hadn't discussed the time…" Hope trailed off, suppressing a chuckle. That very same thing had scared her because not knowing the answer to something was a frightening thought.

"Exactly. Meaning we get to decide when we have to hang out together without the factor of time being involved," He replied cheekily.

That made Hope laugh out loud. "And did you know that "without the factor of time being involved" had almost given me a scare there?"

"Well…" Dylan squealed out in a high pitched voice and scratched his cheek nervously. Hope found it really adorable. "I didn't really think that far."

"Of course, you didn't, Sherlock. But wait," Hope said, her eyes widening in realization. "We are going out now?"

"There you go, Sherlock." Dylan crossed his arms across his chest and leaned his hip against her desk.

"Then why did you ask for my home address?" Hope asked incredulously. "I mean I know you sent me those daisies but I thought it was a prologue to a story. Like you would come pick me from my home and we would go from there," she rambled on and quickly slammed her mouth shut.

Dylan chuckled. "The original plan was that but… plans change." He shrugged but there was a twinge of nervousness in his eyes. "And um, this one seems more concrete."

He was scared, Hope could tell. That hint of an emotion made her smile softly. "Concrete sounds assuring."

Dylan shook his head. "I couldn't tell if it was sarcasm or not."

"It wasn't." Hope winked.

Before Dylan could give her any reply, Nacreous chimed in with an expression that could scare anybody. And Dylan was no exception.

"I didn't know that this was supposed to be a date… Johnson," Nacreous uttered with her business look going on for her.

Hope had almost forgotten that she was here. "Nac," she chided her older sister.

"What? I'm just wondering, okay?"

"Yeah, well, no," Dylan interrupted with a bashful expression. "'This' is not a date. Yet. I was thinking that I'll swoop her right off of her feet… from this place. Whoo! That sounded weird aloud." Dylan laughed awkwardly, scratching the back of his head.

Hope watched the exchange with amusement because Nacreous didn't seem very pleased with his words.

"Right," Nacreous finally said.

"But, I have a question. A really important one." Hope raised her hand. "What about my bookstore if we're, like, leaving now?"

Dylan blinked a few times before hesitantly looking over at Nacreous sheepishly who was already staring at him icily.

"You're lucky that this is a bookstore. Both of you." She glared at them for a few seconds and went to sit behind the desk. "Now, shoo! Out of my sight, you guys."

They didn't move and only stared at Nacreous as if she had grown a second head. "I'm not lucky because I'm your sister?" Hope whispered to herself.

"Quick! Before I change my mind and this place becomes your first date. Right behind this desk. Tending to all your awesome customers."

They didn't need to be told twice as they hurriedly ushered themselves out of the bookstore with giddy smiles covering their faces.

"Which doesn't actually seem like a bad idea," Nacreous continued, speaking to herself.

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