On the Corner of Hot Topic and Romance

Chapter One

'drip' 'drip' 'drip' It was Saturday, and here I was trying to sleep in, and yet I am lying here with my eyes wide open because my stupid faucet is leaking. I glance over at the clock to see that it is only 6:16 in the morning, and the rest of the house is dead silent. So, realizing I would probably not be returning to slumber, I throw back my covers and bring my feet to the floor. My eyes wander to the window, the soft grey light of morning still present along with the ever-lasting mist of Washington. 

  There is scratching at my door,  so I get up and walk over and grab the knob, and the door opens. My cat Jenny gracefully strides in and rubs up against my legs and then leaves, stopping to look back at me expectantly. I follow and head down the hall to the other bathroom where her dishes are located and pick up her food bowl. After filling it, I stroke a gratified Jenny and go back to my room. I shower and get dressed so I can head out after watching some Supernatural. No one I knew would be up this early, let alone be out and about. So after about 3 episodes of Supernatural, and going down to make breakfast, I grabbed my phone, jacket, and shoes. 

  Even though it was kind of wet, I decided to walk to the mall. It was a good time to go to the bookstore. Stepping out into the misty yard was refreshing, and I took a deep breath of the moist air. The mall isn't that far from where I live, so it doesn't take me that long to walk to the large, silvery-white stone building. It was already buzzing with people, so when I walked in I had to try and not run into busy shoppers or mothers trying to contain their children who were running around. I traveled through the back entrance by the theater and stopped by Claire's to get a pair of earrings for a friend's birthday. After finding the perfect pair, a set of shiny blue dolphin earrings, and handing the money to the clerk, I head out of the store.

  As I am walking out, I spot a group of girls from my school, but they weren't people who had an interest in being my friend. They were only friends with the girls who were always gushing about hair, makeup, purses, that kind of thing. Where me on the other hand, don't carry a purse, wears no makeup, and hate doing my hair at all besides brushing it. So we avoided each other and I went on my way to the bookstore. While heading in the direction of the bookstore, I remember that I had wanted to stop by Hot Topic, so I took a turn and went into the dim store. I make my way to the back to look at the shirt wall to see if they have any new additions to the shirts. While I am browsing, I begin to feel as if someone is looking at me. 

  I casually turn around, and for a split second, out of the corner of my eye, I can see this guy looking at me from where all the buttons are in bins up against the wall. He turns and leaves the store, and I go back to the shirts, just feeling the tiniest bit wigged out. Maybe he wasn't even looking at me, who knows. I take a few more glances at the shirts, but I find nothing that is new, so so I leave and get back on course for the bookstore.

  I walk past all the stores, occasionally glancing at the other products through the glass walls. The shampoo and body wash, jewelry, rugs, and blankets. I finally get to the bookstore, and the smell of paper and books hit me. There is a sign by the door of new arrivals, and I stop for a second to look and see if any of them catch my eye. There is only one on the list, called Stars Above. I slowly begin to browse the shelves of multi-colored books, meandering from isle to isle.

  On the fifth isle of shelves, I am so absorbed in looking at a book, that a sudden cough by someone who has come up to the same aisle causes me to drop the book to the ground. I look to the side, and I swear it is the same guy who was in Hot Topic looking at me. He had an odd expression on his face like he was trying very hard not to laugh. His black hair was hanging down across his face, and his green eyes were filled with amusement. 

  "I'm sorry, did I startle you?" I glanced at him as I bent to pick up the book that had clattered to the ground when he had shown up. I shook my head.

  "Startle me? Nah, I was just testing to see how well this book would hold up while getting dropped to the ground, thanks for asking." He laughed as I fixed the book cover, which as gotten messed up upon impact with the carpet. I am so glad that my sarcasm amused him. I tried to think of what to ask him, maybe if he knew if I was the girl he had been staring at in Hot Topic or if he had even been looking at me. But, he beat me to it.

  "So, are you following me, or what?" He raised his eyebrow, and a grin spread across his face. My mouth dropped down so far I am surprised it didn't hit the floor. Why would I be following him? I don't even know him.

  "Ha! Me following you? I should be asking you the same question. You were the one that was staring at me in Hot Topic!" The boy looked shocked after that, and he threw his arms up in the air. 

  "I'm innocent! I just wanted to get a new button!" But the look on his face told a different story. I shook my head again, and let out a soft laugh.

  "Uh-huh... Totally. So we just happened to  run into each other in the same two stores." I set the book back onto the shelf, and my gaze finally found the one that I had been looking for.

  "I guess so," he says shrugging. "But you know, it could be coincidence, or it could be fate, who knows." I roll my eyes. He walked down the aisle closer to where I was standing. I began to reach for the book, but before I could grab it, he reached as well and it was in his hands. He examined it and read the back.  "Stars Above, yeah? Any good?"