Passionfruit - w.s

p r o l o g u e

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⋇⋆✦⋆⋇ 𝚙𝚊𝚜𝚜𝚒𝚘𝚗𝚏𝚛𝚞𝚒𝚝 ⋇⋆✦⋆⋇

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July, 2023

It's right there, Juno. Just grab it!

I check around both sides of the bookshelf to make sure no one else is there, or rather, no one else to steal the book from me. I rush over to the book I've been waiting to get- Circe, and it's the last one on the shelf. I already asked the cashier if they had it and they said that this was their last copy.

When I reach to grab it, someone else lays their hand on the cover right after me. I flinch at the sudden hand-to-hand contact. I turn to the side to see an Asian girl shorter than me trying to get the book.

"Um, this is the last copy, so is there a chance that maybe you could-" I start, but she cuts me off.

"Nope. I've been trying to get this book for months," she says.

"Please?"

"Absolutely not."

"I'll buy you any coffee you want from the cafe next door."

She considers my offer. I must admit, the girl does look tired, but not in a weird way. I mean, I'm tired too- I just got here yesterday and the jetlag is really getting to me.

"I mean sure, but only if you buy my friend some too," She says, pointing to a blonde girl waiting in the checkout line. She hands the book to me. "I'm Momona by the way."

"Nice name- I'm Juno."

⋆⋅☆⋅⋆

The two girls actually end up being nice- I buy them both coffee and I get an espresso. We sit down at a table by the front window and talk about literally anything. They both speak English, well obviously, but they're here in Paris for a bit of summer break too. I'm here with my mom who's sleeping back in our hotel, and they're here by themselves- I wish.

I learn that the other girl's name is Mckenna, and we start yapping nonstop.

"You both seem so familiar- like I've seen you somewhere," I say. It's been nagging at the back of my mind since I saw Momona.

"Well both of us are actresses, I'm in things like Young Sheldon and the reboots of GhostBusters, and she's in The Baby-Sitter's Club and this movie Secret Headquarters," Mckenna answers.

That's why I felt like I'd seen them before. "I watched Secret Headquarters a while ago- that kid who plays Charlie Kincaid looks so young," I laugh.

"Yeah, Walker did look really young then. Thank heavens he's starting to hit puberty," Momona smiles, shaking her head. "He's actually your age, I think. I'm 16 and he's 14 right now."

"Oof. I sincerely hope he's aged up a bit," I say.

"Don't worry, he has- I have a photo of him somewhere if you want to see," Mckenna gives me a look, pulling out her phone. She shows me a photo of him giving the camera a thumbs up in a blue robe.

Okay, maybe he is a little cute.

I just smile. "At least he doesn't have a Bieber cut anymore."