Jake was three feet away from Juliet when she saw him and sat up stiffly, nodding. "Morning, Jack."

"It's Jake," he reminded her. Maybe she wasn't that into him if she still couldn't remember his name. That would make the choice easier.

Stop it! There is no choice. Stupid horoscope.

"I know." Juliet shrugged exaggeratedly. "It was a joke. Ha-ha."

Yep. She was obviously in a mood. He tried to give her a laugh as he gestured at her display. "Wow. This looks awesome," he said, hoping to smooth things over.

He kept his fist around the bracelet as his eyes roved over her jewelry. He didn't want Juliet seeing he was buying from the competition. There were some bracelets that were pink and gray, but he didn't see how Juliet thought Patience was infringing on her. Their jewelry was nothing alike.

"It's so awesome that you've, like, built up this whole business by yourself. But everyone always knew you'd do stuff that was awesome," he finished awkwardly, wishing he had another adjective handy. He squeezed the bracelet. Is this thing on? Maybe it was working despite him because Juliet stopped scowling and sat up straighter.

"Really?"

"Oh, yeah. I always knew you'd be a big shot in this town." He was probably laying it on a little thick, but that didn't matter as long as it worked. It was an MO left over from his parents' divorce. Whenever he had to pass a message from one to the other, he always made it sound like some kind of compliment even when he had to flat-out lie. And lies were okay if they stopped the anger. He hated when anyone was mad at all, but he really couldn't stand it when it was at him.

One corner of Juliet's lips quirked up. "It actually started as a hobby."

He wasn't sure if it was him or the crystals, but something was working here. "And you do this full time? Something you like? That's so cool."

She smiled widely, dimples and everything. "Isn't it, though?"

A smile like that three years ago, or even twenty-four hours ago, might have punched him in the gut. For some reason, it was doing nothing now, even though he had a death grip on that bracelet.

"I've built it up," Juliet continued. "Soon I won't need to do craft fairs. Some of the stores even carry me. I do have bigger goals, though. I've thought about politics, but I don't know..."

"No kidding. I bet you'll be mayor in five years." It wasn't a lie. After a reality star in the white house, why couldn't a jewelry and soap merchant be mayor? Wasn't even a stretch.

Juliet didn't seem to think so. "In this small-minded Pennsylvania backwoods?" She scoffed loudly. "Yeah, right!"

He wasn't sure what decade she was living in. There'd been at least three madame mayors in his lifetime. He didn't say that, though, not only because he didn't want her mad again, but because he was more concerned about how little this whole thing was doing for him. Was he some kind of jerk who only wanted something when it seemed like he couldn't have it? Stupid thought. It wasn't like he had Juliet or even that he could. Yesterday's talk didn't make her some kind of foregone conclusion. They hadn't even seen where it went.

Then again, it seemed pretty clear she was digging him from then on, with the way she was complimenting his hair and his tan and telling him how cool he'd look in a shell necklace. The crystals were obviously doing something to her, but not him.

"I'm sorry I was such a b-word before," Juliet was saying. "You know, it's like I was saying yesterday—"

"Don't worry about it," he cut in, realizing he didn't want her to finish the conversation from yesterday. He didn't want Juliet to ask him out because he didn't want to turn her down.

Are you insane?

This was Juliet Bloom! Nobody turned her down. Usually, she didn't even have to ask! If she did, and if he didn't say yes, that chunky kid inside him might pummel him from the inside, but that's where he was leaning.

What was wrong with him?

His eyes searched the crowd, looking for that purple head. Why was she so damn short? She could be anywhere!

He tried to remind himself Molly wasn't an option, but it didn't feel like Juliet was one either.

Juliet might have been a high school crush, but maybe that was where she would stay. It was like that new purple clarity crystal was working overtime. He'd never been in love with her. He didn't even know her. She was more idea than actual human. "You couldn't be a b-word if you tried," he said, not even sure if that was true. Like he said, he didn't know her. There was only one person he really knew, maybe better than himself. I need to find Molly.

"She's right over there" Juliet said, letting him in on the fact that he'd said that out loud. Her smile turned stiff as she waved somewhere behind him.

He turned quickly and caught Molly at his two o'clock, her eyes on him even all the way across the cafeteria. She held his gaze for a moment that seemed to go on and on. He couldn't look away, either. She broke it, then, giving him a smile that didn't reach her eyes and waving before looking down, as if she was suddenly very into the junk on the table in front of her and they hadn't just literally gazed longingly at each other across a crowded room.

There was something shifting between them and it had started yesterday, whether he'd been ready to face it then or not. He really wanted to face it now, but he still couldn't help feeling like it was cheating, that all this was the work of the crystal, drawing him to her and her to him. But he had to remind himself what Patience had said.

These don't give you anything you don't already have. They strip away all the negatives so you can be who you are and get what you deserve.

Jake slid his eyes to Molly's freshly-purple, downturned head and steeled himself. He wasn't a total idiot. He didn't kid himself that he deserved her, but he could at least get out of his own way and see what he was feeling. Even a good fifty feet away, he was feeling something. And damn Molly, she was feeling it, too! She had to be!

"It's not just me," Jake breathed. "It can't be."

"Huh?" He turned to find Juliet, looking mildly annoyed. 

"Uh... Just... Me and Molly had a fight. Probably should--"

"I get it." Juliet rolled her eyes. "You and you girlfriend have drama."

"She's not my--"

"Not what she said."

Jake froze. "What did Molly say?"

Juliet put up a hand. "I'm not trying to get in between your whole thing. I get it. Loud and clear."

"Okay, but what did she--"

"Also I'm really busy," Juliet said with a kind of finality, fiddling with her displays. "Byeee."

She seemed mad again. But Jake found himself unconcerned with that right now. Molly was still on the other side of this room and, he didn't know if it was the crystals or what (it was probably definitely the crystals!), but something was telling him to go to her!

He unclenched his fist and pulled out the bracelet. This was too important for half-measures. He needed to wear the damned thing, even if it did have all kinds of pink in it. It was also extremely tight, but he stretched it over his hand, determined to let it do its work, take him where it would, and right now it was taking him straight to Molly.

Well, after giving Juliet a hasty goodbye and skirting a few tables and apologizing to a few shoppers and trying some salt water taffy that his mom's friend, Dierdre, insisted he'd love and he'd only given in because he didn't have any gum or mints on him and he wasn't sure how well waffle-breath aged. 

But it was straight-on after that!

By the time he got to her, it felt like it should be some kind of big moment. Like she'd turn and he'd be there and maybe they would crash into each other, a clash of arms and lips and swelling music. 

That didn't happen. 

She was just standing there, talking to the skinny kid behind a table of vintage collectibles like Jake wasn't even there. It was just as well. It gave him more time to think. What had Molly said to Juliet? Did she tell Juliet to step off her man? Was it weird that he found that hot?

He reminded himself he didn't know what she said, what she was feeling, but he could at least figure out his side of it.

He looked her over. All these years, he'd avoided looking at her the way he wanted to. Well, no more! He put a hand on the table behind him, trying to look casual, leaning to the left a little to look his fill. The view was different now that he wasn't avoiding all her best parts. He'd start with the backside and then...

What are you doing? This is Molly!

He didn't want to hear that voice. That was a scared little fat boy who didn't have a shot. He'd much rather listen to his gut, though was gut a word for what was taking charge right now? 

No, it was better than that. It was the crystal. It was getting him out of his own way.

Of course, that was the moment Molly decided to turn. "Oh. Hey, Jake. What do you think of these collectibles? They're a bit worn out, but..." She trailed off, her voice thin as she spoke again. "What are you staring at?"

He really should drag his eyes up. She had to know where they had been. But he didn't even have time to be embarrassed, he was so mesmerized by the front of her skirt now. There was the tiniest sliver of skin between the denim skirt and the purple tank. It was an old one. He'd seen it on her many times in high school, but it had never seemed so interesting before. It used to say something, maybe about her undying love for some band or other, but it was faded to nothing and frayed along the bottom now. "Your shirt has a loose thread," he pointed out. He should rip it off for her. And while he was there...

"Oh, it's probably got a million. I've had this thing since forever." Her hand moved to the hem, but he reached across, pulling her closer.

"I got it," he said lowly as she stumbled forward. He kept one hand on her wrist, letting the other drift across her waist to the thread. He didn't even have to look, feeling his way and watching her flushed face as his hand skimmed along that sliver of skin.

"Jake?" Her voice was shaky.

It was funny. He didn't feel shaky at all even though he realized he should. Maybe the crystal was helping, but he felt sure, so sure about her. "Almost got it." The thread twisted between his fingers as he pulled. He didn't remove his hand, but skimmed it over to her hip, rubbing his thumb along that soft little sliver of skin. "All gone."

She swallowed hard. "Thanks," she said, her voice slightly choked.

He smiled. "No problem."

She cleared her throat and stepped back, but not too far. "Jake?"

"Yeah?"

She looked to her right. "You still have my wrist."

He knew that. He didn't want to let it go. He wasn't even sure he could. Whatever this bracelet was doing, he was feeling it in full force, and it wasn't only because it was digging into his wrist pretty tightly. His fingers encircled her wrist, thinking it would be better on her. Of course, that drew his attention to her arms, then her shoulders, then that maddening yellow strap under her faded purple tank.

"Jake?"

"Sorry about that," he lied. He reluctantly let her go, but then she grabbed his wrist.

"Wait a second. Where did you get this?" she demanded, staring at the bracelet.

"Don't worry about it. It was a gift." It was technically true.

"I thought we agreed these things were bad news."

"Actually, that was all you. I like the way it makes me feel."

She stared at him for a long time. "How does it make you feel?"

"Like I can do anything." His eyes fell to her heart-shaped lips. "Like I can have the things I want."

She hissed in a breath. "Maybe getting what you want is a terrible idea."

"How could that be true unless the thing you want is illegal or destructive? And this isn't."

"Ruining friendships could be destructive."

"It would be a pretty shitty friendship if it could be ruined by people being honest about what they really want."

"And how does this friend even know what they want?"

"Maybe if he's telling you right now."

She dropped his wrist like it was on fire.

Jesus! That might have been the most honest conversation they'd had in... ever. Even if they were being indirect, it was all there – everything they were, are, and could be if they just tried.

He stepped toward her, trying to keep this train going, but she jumped to the side, pretending to be super into the vintage stuff again. "What's here?" she said almost too brightly, her eyes darting all over the table. "We got a C3PO carrying case, but my dad still has his from when he was ten, and it's in peak condition. Way better than this, so that's out. Then there's a Hellraiser action figure, but he's still mad about that prequel, so no go." She was babbling and flustered and pink down to her neckline. He wondered how far the pink went. "So far the winner is a Planet of the Apes waste basket. Original, not Burton. Dad loves that movie. Think that's the one? It's kind of rusty, but maybe that adds to the charm."

"Know what I think?" He stepped closer, staring at all that soft, pink skin glowing under that purple hair. "I think this is all old junk. We should go to the department store. Pick out a nice wallet."

"A wallet's not really what I had in mind," she said weakly.

"But then we'd have a whole Saturday to," he skimmed a hand up her arm, "do what we want." He wondered if what she wanted could possibly intersect with what he wanted. He never was the kind of guy to just go for things without a long talk with himself and, usually, with Molly about the possible humiliation in store. It wasn't like he could run it by Molly now, not when she was what he wanted.

She turned her head to him, her eyes sort of glazed over. "What we want?"

Patience had said this wouldn't be as strong as what he had yesterday, but he felt like she had to be wrong, because it wasn't just working on him, it was working on her, too. 

TBC

*********************

So where are we on this crystal?

A. It's got sexy magic.

B. It's just some rocks.

C. Jake's unwavering belief that there is sexy magic have given said rocks sexy magic.

D. "Get Schwifty" is a jam!

Feel free to follow me on Twitter @AWheelerRomance