.Zoe's POV.
My eyes lazily opened. I felt like I had to rush and get up and get ready but I remembered I was on summer break. Light snoring came from the right of me and I saw Ashton, looking uncomfortable, as he managed to lay in my chair.
I laughed and rolled my eyes. I knew he had stayed to take care of me he was the sweetest. I checked my phone to see if anyone had texted me.
My feet touched the cold floor as I made my way to the bathroom. I took a quick shower and brushed my teeth.
My phone vibrated as I brushed my hair. I picked up it to see the screen a little better. It was the reminder I put on making sure I went to that bookstore on the other side of town. When I went back to the room to get some clothe Ashton was still sleeping. I slid on a pair of jeans a t-shirt and a hoodie over it.
I can't believe he forgot about Bianca and took me out instead to make sure I forgot the horrible memories of last night. I know he'll be happy when he see his planned work. It was such a great feeling knowing these two boys care so much about me to forget either their date or their girlfriends. Calum had forgotten Karla just to get me home and Ashton forgot about Bianca just so he could help me clear my mind. I grabbed Ashton's phone which laid on the window sill and looked through his contacts when I found Bianca's number I copied it down onto my phone. I hoped my call would work and she'd forgive him because not only is she really pretty but it looks like they'd be great together. And he really needs some other girl in his life that isn't his friend, but his girlfriend. I go downstairs and to the back porch. I took a seat down on one of the chairs. The phone rang a few times before she finally answered.
"Hello?"
"Hey, is this Bianca?" I asked, hoping she was the one to pick up.
"Yes it is, who is this?"
"This is Zoë, Ashton's friend" Hopefully she remembered who Ashton was. She probably did, I mean Ashton wasnt a person you could just forget about.
"Oh," was all she said.
"I was just calling to tell you that he's tremendously sorry, stuff came up and his mind was just filled" I said, it almost sounded like a lie but I didn't know what was going on in Ashton's head to make him forget,
"Why? what happened?" She asked.
"His friend got like hurt last night" I said, "not physically but he just wanted to take care of her"
She stayed silent, so I continued to talk, "but is it fine if you go out with him tonight?"
"Um" She said, I silently prayed she'd say sshe'll go with him, "Yeah, why not"
"Great, he'll pick you up at 8" I said, I knew he already had her address because the last time they called each other.
We both hung up and I went back inside to find Ashton eating some cereal.
"You're going out at 8" I told him placing my phone on the counter.
"What?" he said, still sounding sleepy.
"I called Bianca, you're going out tonight"
"You did?" He said, I thought I heard a bit of disappointment in his voice, but I didn't really know. I nodded in reply. He put the bowl in the sink, which reminded me I had to unload the dish washer. I had a very busy day today and I'll probably end up procrastinating for the most part of it.
***
Ashton left after his mom told him to pick up some groceries. Which gave me the perfect time to go to the bookstore and hope they still have an opening. I put different more casual looking clothe that would give off a good impression. But I didn't want to go too fancy because there was really no need, it was a small local bookstore not some fancy office place. I put some jeans that didn't have holes in them and my flats with a cute shirt that I had barely worn because I didn't really have anywhere to wear it to.
My moms car was in the driveway, she probably came here at night and left with my dad. I grabbed the keys from the holder and made sure I had everything needed.
I put the direction into the GPS and headed off.
It wasn't really far, but it took me into parts of town I didn't really know off and weren't really in a good condition. Then through some creepy woods, thankfully it was daylight, and then I was safely on the other side of the small town.
The other side was probably one of the oldest parts. Most stores were new but there were a few family owned business around here. Those were my favorite, because they were so homey and the people that worked there whether it was a restaurant or a store were always so nice. The sidewalk next to the bookstore was empty and most stores beside it were shut down. I parked the car right in front of it.
Inside the store it was dim, but that didn't stop you from seeing the ceiling high shelves filled with books.
"Hello?" I called. It was empty which was really no surprise.
"Hold on darling, I'm right back here" A ladies voice called from the back of the store. The smaller shelfs were collecting dust on the top and so were the books.
I went up to the counter, an old cash register and a binder sat on the top. There was an opening that led you into what seemed the storage room.
An old lady appeared from the back brushing the dust off her navy blue top. She had short gray hair, and bright blue eyes, and a big old smile on her lips.
"Hello sweetie, are you here for the job?"
"Yes, I am" I answered her in the most cheerful polite tone I could manage.
"Great, when can you start? Today?" She said clasping her hands together.
"Uh, don't I need to like fill something out or" I hesitated not sure of what to say. This was my first real job, and I wasn't really sure what to do but I'm pretty sure you didn't work on the day you came in asking for the job.
"Darling, you think I get people here asking for a job everyday?" Her southern accent was clear in her voice, "Besides you look harmless"
"How do you know I'm not? What if I'm one of those rebellious teenagers" I pushed.
She looked up from the now opened binder, "Are you?"
"No"
"Exactly, so I'm gonna need you to dust the shelves a little it's getting a bit dusty. I think there's a ladder in the back" She instructs, as she heads back into the back room.
I walk toward the back of the store, against the back wall there is a ladder and a duster, leaning next to it is a broom an dustpan. I grab the duster and being my work at the front of the small store.
As I begin with the first bookshelf, a bunch of dust starts flying around. When was the last time this place was cleaned?
I finish the five small bookshelf that sit in the front, and the other five that sit behind them. I grab the ladder and move towards the taller ones. There's about six on the wall I'm working on, and six more on the opposite. I begin to notice the books aren't "new" books. They seem to be as old as this town. There are titles I've never heard of, and the covers look antique. I pick one up and begin to flip through it. It's written in old English and its sorta hard to understand. I decide to continue on with my cleaning and ask the store owner about the books, later. I never caught her name, and she never got mine. I had so much to ask her about the store and how it managed to stay up if it seemed like its been abandoned for the past thirty years. After I'm done with all six shelves it's already 5 o'clock. I broom the floor making sure to leave it spotless, or at least as 'spotless' as it can get. I place the broom, dustpan, duster, and ladder back where I found them.
The store owner is sitting on a stool behind the counter, reading one of the books that was probably on one of the shelfs. My arm is sore from keeping it up for a really long time.
"Are you done?" She asks, not looking up from her book. Her glasses sit at the edge of her nose and her eyes dart back and forth as she reads.
"Yes ma'am" I say, placing my hands on the cold wooden counter.
"Good. Good. Come in tomorrow at about nine ok?" She finally looks up at me.
"Yes, ok" I reply.
"Goodnight sweetie, drive safe" She calls out as I begin walking.
"Goodnight" The warm summer air hits my face, and the sun looking like its ready to start going done. I walk towards my car. The sidewalk is still deserted, along with the entire street. I decided to not go home yet and walk around for a while and get to know where I'm gonna be working for the summer. The windows of stores are bordered up and caution tape forms am 'X' along some doors. It gives off a weird vibe. But I doubt anything dangerous happens here. Maybe in the past something did, but now, I highly doubt it. It gets weird walking alone, and I get a silly feeling that someone's following me. I push the stupid thought back and continue to walk.
.Ashton's POV.
I've spent about twenty minutes picking out an outfit, and for me that's pretty long. I was grateful Zoë called Bianca, and that Bianca understood whatever Zoë had told her. I decided on a normal T-Shirt and some jeans.
"Where are you going?"my mom asked me, as she put the groceries, I brought, away.
"On a date" I told her, she nodded and continued putting stuff away.
I entered Bianca's address into the GPS and began to pul out of the driveway. The ride wasn't as long as I had expected it to be, and neither was her house or the neighborhood she lived in. It wasn't the richest part of tow, but it did seem pretty wealthy to me. I walked out of the car, and headed up the sidewalk to the front steps of her house. I took a deep breathe before ringing the doorbell. I wondered if i was looking down at my feet for too long, because when I fianlly looked up i was a familiar impatient pastel pink haired girl leaning against the door frame.
"No!" Lizzy said, sounding really shocked when she finally saw my face.
"What?" I said making sure the confusion was clear in my voice.
"You're Biancas date?!"
"I am" I answered her. I was relieved I had the right house, I was beginning to think I had the wrong adress. Were Lizzy and Bianca friends? They didn't seem like the type of people to hang out together. But then again anyone could really hang out with anyone.
Lizzy moved to the side letting me inside. The inside was just as nice as the outside. I took a seat on the white leather couch as Lizzy disappered somehwere up the stairs. Bianca slowly walked downstairs wearing a leather jacket and a what Chloe and zoe calla "crop top" under it.
"Wow, you look pretty" I gaped, even though she was dressed casually she looked beautiful. A loud scoff came from the top of the stairs. Lizzy stood at the top step, leaning against the wall with her arms folded across her chest.
"Thanks, you look great yourself" She blushed.