After four days pass, Amelia still hasn't called me back into work and I'm basically dying of boredom. I'm not sure if it's because the store is closed and we're all still waiting on the elevator to be fixed or if it's because she's worried about letting me work again.

The latter makes more sense considering she's a very precautious old woman and I doubt a broken elevator would stop us from selling books. It might scare off the lazy people but there's worse things that could happen.

I sit up in bed, rubbing my eyes, as I check the time. 8:24am. Groaning, I throw the blankets off and mumble to myself about why I can't seem to sleep in. I pause, lighting my screen up and double checking the date to secure my suspicions. June 20, 2019. It's Dakota's birthday today.

Quickly unlocking my phone, I pull up his contact, my thumbs freezing over the keyboard. Should I even text him? It's not like we're great friends. Oh screw it, we almost died together, that has to count for something.

Me:
Hey, it's Lillian. Just wanted to wish you and your sister a happy birthday. Have a great day :)

Blowing air through my cheeks, I toss the phone aside and stand up slowly, my head feeling heaving with sleep. With a sigh, I shuffle to my closet and grab pair of shorts, a white and red spaghetti strap top, and my white Chuck Taylors.

After pulling the clothes on, I sit down in the chair across from my vanity desk, staring at my reflection. It takes at least fifteen minutes to get my hair under control and even then all I do is french braid it halfway up and leave the other half down, using my wand to curl a few stubborn strands of hair that always seem to stay straight despite the rest of my naturally curly hair.

I'm finishing up my makeup when a loud buzzing emits from my bed. Running some chapstick over my lips, I stand slowly and pick up my phone, reading the message.

Dakota (the hot guy from the elevator):
Hey thanks ;) So I've been thinking and I just don't think today will be a good day unless you come and hang out with me for the day. Sorry but that's just the way it is.

My eyes roll but I can't stop the grin that spreads over my lips. My fingers move over the keyboard quickly as I reply,

Me:
I think you'll survive. It's your sister's birthday as well and I doubt she wants some random stranger there.

Dakota (the hot guy from the elevator):
Nahhh she won't care. Winter is here and they're going on some romantic picnic before our "party" tonight.

Me:
Why the quotations haha

He doesn't answer my question and I use the pause in conversation to change his contact name to just "Dakota" because the last thing I need is my dad seeing a contact with the words "hot" and "guy" in it. That would be slightly embarrassing.

I stare at my phone curiously until it begins buzzing, my face looking back at me as Dakota requests to FaceTime. Nerves swirl in my stomach as I hold the screen in my hands. I really don't want to pick it up because, for some reason, phone calls and FaceTimes give me anxiety. Squeezing my eyes shut for a split second, I press the green button, the familiar happy sound of a video chat opening filling the room. I quickly adjust the volume.

"Well if it isn't the beautiful infamous Lillian Perkins." Dakota's familiar crooked grin lights up my screen, hiding surroundings looking like that of a teenage boy's bedroom.

I laugh nervously at the nonchalant compliment. "I suppose it is. What's so important that it requires a face to face response?" I ask him casually though my heart is beating and I feel awkward holding my phone at this angle. Sitting on the chair near the french doors, I feel more relaxed.

"Well..." He begins with a sigh, his blonde hair askew, "when I received your lovely message, I couldn't help but ask if I could be accompanied by you today. Sadly, you rejected me and I must know the reason or I will surely die." He smirks at me as he finishes his dramatic words.

"First of all, why do I get the feeling that you're not as illiterate as you once lead me to believe? Second of all, I did not reject the offer. I told you that Samantha will most likely not be fond of a stranger ruining her day." I explain, watching him roll his eyes as he sits up in his bed, his phone held down at an almost hilarious angle.

He shrugs. "Seriously, she won't care. She would most likely want to meet you anyway. Also, to answer your previous question, I may or may not have been reading."

A smirk plays on my lips. "Oh really?"

"Yeah." He replies, "My mother has practically been keeping me on bed rest for ages even though I'm perfectly fine. Therefore, I've had to find something to do."

I press my lips together, nodding. "Well I'm happy that you've have a sudden interest in literature. But seriously, if you want me to come over and hang out, I will. I would just feel weird intruding on a family thing like that." My fingers play with the bottom of my shorts.

"Please." Dakota mumbles, "You could never intrude on anything. You can only enhance it." His voice is low and almost sultry and, for some reason, this brings a blush to my cheeks.

"Thanks I guess." I mutter, ducking the phone to only one side of my face to hide my uncomfortableness. "If you really want...I guess I'll come. Just send me the address." I sigh in defeat, trying not to smile when he hisses a yes.

"Thank you, Lillian, you've made my day." He grins, pulling a small laugh from me.

"No problem." I reply before pausing, "Oh wait...what should I wear? What kind of party are you having tonight?"

"Oh so you're inviting yourself to the party too? Even better." He smirks, my lips opening to argue but he stops me, "Nope you're not allowed to take that back. And as for what you wear...what are you wearing now?" He asks me curiously.

"Hang on a sec." I tell him, standing up and flipping the camera around so it faces the floor. He gets a good view of my feet as I walk to the mirror and hold it up, giving him an awkward peace sign. "I'm wearing this."

I watch his face as he glances at my outfit for about point two seconds before waving it off and saying, "You look great just like that. Just lose the peace sign and the look is perfect. Plus, less time to change means the quicker you'll get here."

"You're so stupid." I chuckle, setting my phone against the mirror as I flip the camera back around to face me. I sit down, grabbing a watch with a pink strap from my jewelry hanger and wrapping it around my wrist. I have some trouble with tightening it before he says,

"Need some help?" I look up at the phone to see him watching me with a sparkle of amusement in his eyes.

"Ha-ha. Very funny." I roll my eyes, finally pulling the strap tight and secure. "Okay I'm going to grab a few more things and I'll be on my way."

"Okay I'll leave you to it then. Bye." He gives me an exaggerated fake toothy smile before waving and hanging up. I release a laugh once I know he's gone, a light feeling lifting my heart. It's honestly nice to make new friends whether I admit it to myself or not.

Nerves swirl around in my stomach as I re-tie my shoes. They remain like butterflies when I grab my phone and house keys and shove them into my pocket. It get noticeably worse as I run the directions to his house in my head over and over as I peddle slowly, dreading the first few moments I see him. Those awkward minutes where I don't know what to say and I have to say hello to people I don't know.

I shake my head, dispersing the thoughts in my mind, as I pull up into the long driveway. My eyes scan over the white two story home, my stomach in knots while my teeth chew at my bottom lip.

The front door swings open to reveal a disheveled looking boy with a crooked grin, his eyes lighting up as he sees me. He steps out onto the porch in a pair of white adidas ankle socks. "Well? What are you waiting for? Get in here." He crosses his arms as he leans against a supporting beam of the porch awning.

Suddenly all my nerves dissipate. What was I so worried about? "Alright, bossypants, I'm coming. Don't get your panties in a twist." I mumble dryly.

His grin widens as I approach him, his green eyes watch me closely. "I'm not a panties kind of guy. Too uncomfortable." He says to me casually. I nod as if this information is very interesting.

"Really? Hm...interesting. I don't find them too bad." I shrug as he holds the front door for me, looking around the modern home with wide eyes. "Geez." I mutter.

"What's wrong?" He asks me as he close the door behind us.

I shake my head, looking back at him. "Nothing..." I begin, "You're house is just really nice." My laugh comes out a little airy as I look around, stepping into a bright sitting room, a winding staircase to my right.

"Yeah my mom did a great job sprucing the place up. She's great at that kind of stuff." Dakota walks ahead of me, running a hand through his blonde hair. I take notice of his casual attire; a pair of gray Nike basketball shorts and a white v-neck.

"Yeah she is." I respond, following him into the kitchen where a woman stands at the sink chopping what looks to be baby carrots.

"Well thank you." She says with a bright smile as she turns around, drying her hands with a white hand towel. "When I wasn't homeschooling my hooligans, I was cleaning up after them. After a while, you kind of learn how to make things look a little more put together." She holds her hand out and I quickly take it, shaking it once. "You must be Lillian."

"That's me." I smile, releasing her hand and stepping back. "Hopefully he didn't make me out to be too awful." I laugh a little nervously as I make a joke. She responds positively with a light laugh and a teasing glance towards Dakota.

"I'm sure you know he's fully capable of that but, fortunately, I've only heard great things. Not to mention you kept him alive in that elevator. I was sure that if he didn't die of dehydration, it would have been of boredom. The guy cannot sit still." She winks, picking her knife up once again.

I find it a little odd that she's joked about her son possibly dying but, by the way they interact, I can see that there's a genuine friendship between them. And a quite remarkable resemblance as well. The only difference in their strong facial features is her brown eyes to his green but they do share the dirty blonde hair.

"Trust me, we both would have perished from the borderline insanity but I think our stubbornness and need to be right in every conversation kept us occupied. Or maybe it was Dakota's never ending theatrics." I tell her with a laugh, looking over at Dakota as he opens the fridge, pulling out two cans of Lacroix and setting them on the counter.

"You're hilarious, Lillian. Really you steal my breath with uncontrollable giggles. Ouch I can't take it, my sides are aching." He replies to me with a dry tone, his expression flat unlike the beverage he opens, a crack and a fizz emitting from the can as he hands it to me. The cold metal touches my skin as I take it from him, giving him an unamused glare as I take a sip.

"You're dumb." I mumble, forgetting that his mom was there. I realize that she just witnessed me insult her son and I'm about to apologize when she laughs loudly, catching me off guard.

"You go girl. His attitude needs to be taken down a few hundred pegs." She chuckles, earning a scoff from Dakota.

"Don't encourage her, mother." He says to her, stepping towards the exit of the kitchen. "Anyway, we have things to do, places to be. So if you would please excuse us. Lillian?" He looks at me expectantly to follow him and I reluctantly do so.

Looking back at his mother saying, "It was nice to meet you..."

"Helena." She smiles. "And it was a pleasure meeting you, Lillian. I'm glad you're here. You keep him in line, okay? He can be quite the handful."

"Oh, trust me." I laugh, "I'm beginning to see that."

"Hurry up!" He calls behind him as he runs up the stairs.

Definitely beginning to see it.