Out of the Loop

Chapter Twenty-Three

Extra long, with lots of help from Jynxi :) Thank you!

Derek stood in front of the mirror in his bathroom Saturday morning.  He ran his fingers through his hair, then grinned nervously.  

“There’s nothing to worry about,” he told his reflection.  

It didn’t seem very convinced.

Should his hair be gelled back or no?

Let it flop like normal?

Maybe he should style it somehow?

Nah.

Still fussing with his hair and deciding on his normal look, he went downstairs to the front door.  

“Mom, I’m going into town!  See you later!” he shouted as he walked out the door.

His stomach flipped, much worse than butterflies ever would, as he headed into town.  Nope, I’m not nervous.

He shook his head, telling his nerves to shut up, and continued down the street.

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Maz scurried down her street towards town.  Refusing to even glance at her black velvet skirt, she had put on a deep purple shirt and black jeans after much thought.  Her mother had smiled as she left.  

“It’s good to see you wearing some color and looking cheerful,” Mrs. Reynolds had remarked.  “What’s the special occasion?”

Maz had given her a blank look.  “Nothing special.  I’m just meeting Derek.”

Sarah had nodded with a tiny smile.  “Ah.  Have fun, dear.”  Then she had turned back to her laptop.  

Maz quickly reached Main Street then headed towards the gap between two large buildings where the entrance to Whisked Away was.  She opened the tiny door below a carved wooden sign, and a small bell jingled as she entered.  Usually, the smell of new books and brewing tea was the most calming scent in the world to Maz, but to her confusion, today the butterflies refused to leave her stomach.  

Shaking her head, she tip-toed past stacks of books and small nooks for reading, eating, or both, up to the front counter.  

“Hey, little Mads, how’re you?”  A tall, solidly-built man behind the counter was wearing an apron with a large WA embroidered on it and beaming.  “What can I get for you today?”

“Hi, Mason,” Maz said.  “I’m actually waiting for a friend, so nothing yet.  Did any new books come in?”

Mason smiled.  “Right to the point, eh?  ‘Course they have.  What are you looking for?”  He pulled a large stack of books out from underneath the counter and gingerly set them down.  

“Surprise me,” Maz asked with a small mischievous smile.

Mason rubbed his hands together enthusiastically.  “Okay, here’s one about a time-traveling wizard who—“

“I’ll take it! How much?”  Maz’s eyes lit up as she opened the book to read the inside flap.  

Mason grinned.  “Nothin’ for you, Mads.  No, no, take it,” he ordered at Maz’s protests.  “You’re one of my best customers.”

Maz hugged the thick book to her chest.  “Thank you, Mason.”

“Anytime, Mads.  Oh, hey, welcome to Whisked Away Bookstore,” Mason said as the bell over the front door rang.  

Maz turned around to see Derek ambling up to the counter.  To Maz’s chagrin, the butterflies that had disappeared while appreciating books had come back with a vengeance.