"You're so gullible." Dawn teased. "Not necessarily a bad thing though."
"Tell me about it," he muttered, hoping she wouldn't hear. He didn't want to sound like an idiot in front of the second most popular girl in school, who just invited him to hang out with her. He didn't even know why. He turned round and pretended to check the customer orders, though really he was trying to hide the fact he was blushing. Dawn was light and bubbly and beautiful, like- like- he didn't know. He'd probably spent too long in the dark workshops tinkering with cold metal and harsh, bright electricity.
"Here's your bag." Dawn tossed it to him, and he had to jump to catch it before it shattered the window.
Clemont sighed, but then, girls were always this way. He wondered how, how they could be so cheerful and smiley at all times. How they lit up the world around them. How they- or Dawn, rather- made him a blushing, stuttering mess.
"Hey, stop daydreaming!" Dawn teased, flicking his hair. Clemont dodged her hand nervously; he hadn't had anyone flick his hair since his sister. "You need to talk more! Socialise! You spend too much time thinking you've probably almost forgotten how to talk! No offence," she added.
"Y-you want m-me to talk? With you?"
"Well, what do you think? Why do you think I invited you here?" Dawn said, hands on hips. She looked funny, like Bonnie when she was younger, pretending he was her servant and she was the mistress of the house.
"Dunno."
"Well, I just told you." She sighed and sat down at a table, and pulled him down to sit opposite her. "So, how's life going?"
"Uh- Ok." He stammered. She'd just took his hand. Clemont had never been treated this way by a girl before, or anyone really, not counting his sister of course. It seemed like Bonnie was the only one doing these things he'd never experienced with a non-family member.
"...And there you go again." She sighed. "Always thinking, too little talking."
"I do talk!" He protested.
"Then act like it!"
"You sound like a teacher."
"Well, I am one!" When he looked surprised, she added, "I'm teaching you how to socialise! I bet you can't speak emoji or internet, or slang!" She sighed again when she saw the blank look on his face. "Oh come on, are you kidding me? You seriously don't know?"
"I'm not kidding you."
"Ugh." Dawn slapped her forehead. "Well, this is going to be a long lesson."
A few hours and two slices of dark forest chocolate cake later, the sun was setting and Dawn was drowsy, supporting her tilted head with her arms, gazing at him through half-closed blue eyes. She really had taught him a lot, Clemont realised. She had helped him catch up with the world around him, the social part at least.
"Dawn?" He poked her on the shoulder gently.
"What...." She muttered, slumping in her chair.
"You might wanna get moving, it's around 8pm..."
"Do I have to?"
"Yes, now get up. The cafe is closing." Clemont was a tad nervous about doing this, but he did it anyway. He picked up a strand of her blue hair and pulled. Instantly she whacked his hand away, but continued pretending to be asleep.
"I'll be out in a minute."
"You better be, before I lock you in." Clemont joked.
"Really?" Dawn suddenly sprang to her feet.
"Really, now let's go."
"Ok." She walked out, Clemont slowly following her, gazing at the decorations on the walls- children laughing, old people smiling, and happy couples. Clemont used to ignore them, but now, looking at them with Dawn- he realised that for the first time in what seemed like forever, he had been truly happy.
