Imagine Stories to Help Fall Asleep

Imagine: stranger/crush?

(H/n POV)

I'm working my midday shift on a Thursday afternoon, flipping through books and labeling them at my dad's bookshop/music shop/antique shop. There's no other way to categorize this store. It has everything for down-to-Earth and aesthetic young adults.

After finishing the task, I look up and spot a girl in the corner of the store. She's reading with headphones plugged into her ears. I lightly smile to myself and walk over to her. I try to approach her with a calm demeanor, afraid I'd frighten her.

I doubt it.

"What are you doing?" I say, though I know she can't hear me. I just needed to get her attention without it being awkward. She looks up from the book and removes her headphones.

"What?"

"I said what are you doing?" I stifle a laugh. She looks around and shrugs. "I'm just...looking at some vinyl."

"Yeah?" I'm looking down at her, loving the way she keeps eye contact. "Which book is that?"

She looks down at the open page then back at me. "The Giver."

My favorite.

My brows raise and I smile, not too widely. I try not to give myself away and act completely unaffected by this girl. But something about her draws me in, a little too close for comfort.

"You're not from here." I more state than ask. She shakes her head which urges me to continue. "What brings you here, then?"

She thinks for a couple moments and I notice her trying to push back a smile as well. "I come here some weekends."

"You flew?"

She shakes her head again. "Bus."

"What was that, like 5 hours?"

"2 and a half."

I nod my head. "So you're what? High school?" I know she's not. Like I said, I don't want to come off too strong, however the look she gives me makes my neck hairs stand. She's scary.

"College." Is all she says. I tilt my head, faking surprise.

"Same. I'm a sophomore in college."

"Same." She says, smiling again. If acting like this makes her smile, I'll never act any differently.

I look back at the counter then at her. "I should probably get back to work."

She tilts her head up more, curiously. "You work here?"

"Yeah. I mean , my dad owns the place so..."

"Oh wow." Her mouth drops open and I can't help but widen my smile. "You hid it so well."

"Nah" I shrug. "The conversation never came up." I dig into my pocket and retrieve a small sheet of paper. "Here." She takes the slip. "What's this?"

"My number. In case you want to text me next time you're in town?" I hope that my suggestion isn't too straight forward for her. I'm not sure I've ever even seen her here before, so I can only pray she would even text me.

Her eyes smile with her lips.

I love it.

When she nods, I internally high five myself. I fight the urge to jump up and down and settle with a thumbs up and walk away with a permanent grin. I go behind the desk and glance at her again to see she already has her headphones back in and she's reading as she was before.

"Who she?" My dad questions. He says it with knowingness and I turn to him. His eyes widen and he pats my shoulder. "Oh okay." As he turns to walk away, I chuckle and look back at her, watching her stand and walk out, but not before looking back at me with a smile, her teeth showing.
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Part 2 coming in like, 2 hours‼️