Oh, no. It's already 3pm. I'm late again, and Monica will kill me. This time for sure. I'm not that person. I was used to be right on time but not anymore. After my "retirement" from swimming (my career ended at 16) I just can't force myself to be punctual. If it wasn't for the stupid trauma... I can still swim but not competitively so what's the point. However, It's a shame, I know, I know but it seems so hard to fix it, to be punctual again.

"Alice stop!", I shouted to myself, in my head. Now I have to hurry not to have this discussion with myself. Jeans, blouse, sneakers, jacket checked. Teeth, purrrly white. Laughing at my stupid joke, checked. I'm good to go.

30 minutes later

"You are late. Again!!!", Monica said.

"I know. I really am sorry!", I said and looked at her opening as much as I can my eyes.

"Don't even try the puppy dog eyes on me. It won't work.", she said.

"Mon, please, don't be mad!", I begged her.

"Take me serious for once and I'll think about it.", she said.

" I am takin...", I tried to say but she interrupted me.

" No no no don't even start excusing yourself. We've lost enough time. Come on. We need to hurry!", she said impatiently.

She was walking so fast that I had to run after her the whole way to our favourite bookstore, which is on about three blocks from the place we had to meet. We should have met in front of it, but that could have ruined Monica's plan.

Monica is crazy about Pete, a guy who works in the same bookstore as a sales clerk and sometimes as barman in the bookstore's inner café, when Sally isn't working. And Mon doesn't bet on a losing horse so she asked Sally to take a day off therefore Pete will be extra busy, with us. I don't know how she has the energy to make such a plan, I wouldn't have - either say it straight or just like him from distance that's what I do, it depends how much I like the boy. However, I can't and won't judge her not only because she is my best friend but because I know that she needs a plan to make things work as she wants them to, this is her way of coping with anxiety, as mine are my stupid jokes, and I respect that, I respect her.

So Monica likes Pete and she is determined to make a move on him today. Therefore she made a plan to be sure that everything is gonna be smooth.

So, I'm her excuse to be in the bookstore right before the end of Pete's shift. We will probably be his last customers so he'll have extra time for talking to Monica. This is how she had planned it - me, moral support as I'm "looking for" a book in the YA section which is right beside the bookstore's inner café.

I'm not sure that I'll choose a book because I still love my teen fiction and I'm not sure I want to try something new. For now teen novels are my comfort read and I don't want to replace them. Even though some people think I am getting older for them, since I turned 18 last month. But I really need them since I can't swim anymore.

We are already in front of the bookstore.

"Ok. Mon. Calm down. Breath deep. ", I said staying in front of her and holding her hands, she was  scarcely noticeable trembling.

" Ok. I'm fine. ", she replied and pulled her hands away, then she turned and entered the store. I followed her.

" We find him, you ask to guide you to the YA section, then I start talking with him, he asks me do I want a coffee while I'm waiting for you, he brings me one and we sit down and talk, and I'll tell him I love him and he'll say it back... ", she explained to me as I don't hear it for fifth time. At least.

" I know, I know. Don't worry. Relax and let's go. ", I said.

We needed some time to find him, it is a bookstore on three floors after all. But when we finally spotted him, the plan was ready to turn into action. We approached him and I started playing my part.

"Hi, Pete!", I said, and smiled politely.

"Hi, Alice, Monica! ", he said and smiled back.

" We were looking for you", I said.

"Oh, really! Why so?", he asked and his smile got wider.

"I want to buy a new book. Surprise, surprise. I know.", I laughed at my joke but surprisingly he followed.

"This time I want something from the YA section", I lied how I supposed to.

"You are growing up, I see", he teased me.

"Don't bet on it.", I respond with joke and laughter. He laughed.

"Yeah, you might lose. It's highly unlikely this kiddo to grow up", said Monica. I laughed, but I felt a bit weird.

"Actually, I... ", he started but I interrupted him.

"Would you guide us to the YA section?", I asked.

"Oh. Yes, of course. Follow me. ", he said.

I waited for him to go on a safe distance and asked Monica," What was that for? "

"Well, I'm supposed to flirt with him not you but I guess you've forgotten that", she answered with intonation that I really didn't like.

"I wasn't flirting! How could you even think such a thing.", I said angrily.

"Nevermind. Just stick to the plan. Ok?", she said and went after him.

I stood there for a second or two and murmured "fine". I was irritated, but I needed to relax and move on with her stupid... With her plan. So to end already! I took several deep breaths and followed them to the second floor. On the top of the stairs I almost bumped into Pete. Fortunately, we both stopped right on time.

"I'm sorry", I said.

"No problem", he smiled, "but where have you been. I was about to go back for you."

"I just...", I started but Monica interrupted me.

"She probably got distracted by one of the new books downstairs. Right?", she said in a sharp voice.

"And as I told you she know her way, it wasn't necessary to go searching for her", she said in a sweeter voice to Pete.

"Then why you asked me to guide you?", he asked, looking at me.

"Because... ", started Monica, but this time I answered.

" I know the way because I saw where you were going", I said.

"Ok, the YA section is there.", he pointed it, "right in front of to the coffee tables. I have to check for new costumers, and then I'll come back to make you a coffee, because Sally isn't at work today."

"Ok. See you soon", said Monica.

I headed to the YA section, passing by Monica without even look at her which didn't even bother her as it seemed. I started "searching" for a book, but honestly I was just breathing and trying to calm myself down. I really didn't like this tention between us.

Soon enough Pete came back.

"Ok girls, do you want some coffee?", he asked with a smile.

"I want an americano. She doesn't want any", Monica answered.

"Why so?", Pete asked with raised eyebrow.

"I don't drink coffee. Only... ", I started answering but Monica finished with a mock in her voice.

"She drinks only hot cocoa."

"Ok, then hot cocoa and americano", he said.

"Yes", Monica said.

"Nothing for me I'll be watching books", I said. I just wanted to leave them alone already. This situation became more exhausting than I've thought it would be.

"You sure? My hot cocoa is the best. I swear! ", he said with a bit of a smirk on his face. He caught me off guard, I was about to respond to his challenge but my inner voice told me it's not the right time to get competitive. So I just said.

"Maybe some other time. Thank you!", and I turned my back to them ready to be engulfed by the hundreds of books before me. I only noticed that his shoulders went down a little bit and the content smile on Monica's face. Then she started her planned conversation with him and I got lost in my book worlds.

The books' covers looked so beautiful. I picked one after another, reading what were they about. I found a lot of steamy romances, but I'm not comfortable with sex in the novels that's why I still prefer my teen fiction. But then a book's cover caught my eye. On the cover there were a boy with well defined jaw and a girl who has hugged him from the back. They both were smiling a bit but only the half of there faces was shown. Her chin was placed on his shoulder and they looked like a happy couple. But there was something off, why their faces weren't shown fully. Strange. But something in this book attracted me a lot. I read the back, oh, it's a sequel and it's a romance novel with scenes I won't be comfortable to read, now. So I put it back on its spot.