"The bookstore? Really??", I cried out, the moment Alec stopped the car. He grinned at me.

"Oh my gods I love you so much!", I continued squealing.

"Eva, if I told anyone you are actually a seven year old girl fangirling over a fairy costume for the annual school play, they would believe me - for sure", he laughed.

"As if", I rolled my eyes childishly. He just took my hand in his and lead me into the store.

"Try not to wet your pants, okay?", he looked at me intently. I just stuck out my tongue at him.

"Eva", he groaned, "just get a book and we're outta here".

"Now you sound like m-", I stopped myself before I said Maddy. Last time I came here was with Maddy, 5 years ago. This was the place where Maddy and I put aside the years between us and bonded over books-
"my dad when he takes me to the bookstore", I finished, frowning at him.

"You've been to a bookstore before?!", he exclaimed, feigning surprise, "the way you acted, anyone would have thought you're going to a bookstore for the first time", he shook his head, grumbling.

"Ugh you sarcastic animal", I rolled my eyes.

"I hope your eyes get stuck up there"

"I hope you jump off your ego"

"What ego?", he asked, innocently. I just stared at him intently before his eye twitched and both of us doubled over with laughter.

"You're real funny, hun", I chuckled once we regained our postures.

"I know I am", he smarted back, "quickly pick and lets go somewhere funner".

I just shook my head at him and made my way around the store. I finally picked a book called Notes On A Scandal by Zoë Heller. Seemed interesting.

As we approached the billing counter I noticed Alec pulling his wallet from his back pocket.

"Excuse me, what do you think you're doing?", i asked him very seriously.

"Paying for your book. Why?", he frowned.

"I am perfectly capable of paying for my own book, thank you very much", i pouted at him. He just smiled at me.

"Proud of hun, now go buy your book. With your own money.", he laughed. I smiled as I proceeded to pay for my own book. It felt good that Alec let me do my own thing and didn't insist on being "a gentleman" or whatever, because when girls want to buy there own stuff, you just let them do it. Don't impose your textbook gentlemanliness on them.

As we walked out the store Alec turned to me.

"So what next??", he asked. I almost suggested that we go over to Zach's but I sensed that he wanted the day to be just the two of us.

"How about the zoo??", I grinned at him. He just gave me a puzzled look.

"What. Didn't you just get back from the wild animal camp?", he asked, his forehead creased. I folded my arms and gave him a long look.

"You really thought there would be 'wild' animals at this camp? Did Izzy not tell you anything?", I asked him.

"Well, the name said 'wild animal' camp", he shrugged.

"I swear to God, the wildest animal there was me", I gave him a sneaky look. He laughed.

"Not that I'd be surprised".

"But seriously. The wildest animal there was a llama", I told him, frankly.

"Woah. I was thinking more along the lines of Snow Leopard and Penguins", he raised his eyebrows.

"Same".

"Apparently Izzy was happy. She didn't complain", Alec shrugged.

"Well, she spent more time with Jackson that the animals", I laughed.

"Who is this Jackson anyways? Izzy probably mentioned him, oh only a thousand times", Alec threw his hands in the air. I blushed.

Stop. Blushing. Eva.

Dammit girl.

"Oh he was just this guy whom we met there. Literally the only guy above the age of 17", I told him, not trying to make it seem like such a big deal. Alec just raised his eyebrows.

"Just some guy, huh? Hung out with him much?", Alec did a weird squiggle with his eyebrows. I sensed something else in his voice, as nonchalant as he tried to sound. I decided to play along.

"Okay, he want 'just some guy'. Yeah we hung out with Jackson a lot", I told him truthfully, but mostly just to see his reaction. A quick look of horror crossed his face, but it disappeared just as quickly as it came. I grinned triumphantly.

"I see. So is Jacksoline sailing?", he gave me a cocky smile. I facepalmed.

"Nope. It sunk even before it sailed", I pouted.

"Oh well, I ship", he shrugged.

"No you don't!", I gave him a shocked expression.

"No I don't. I ship you with someone else", he grinned.

"What. Who?", I demanded, completely shook that he would know anyone from my life.

"Surprise", he gave me the jazz hands. I shook my head, smiling. Such an Alec thing to say.

"The zoo it is?", he asked.
"The zoo it is", I answered.