The Tale of Your Ordinary Girl

Chapter 16- Ashton

Wake up. Eat breakfast. Go for my morning run. My music blasting in my ears. I can't believe Luciana did that. Thanks to her I have no freedom. She's robbed me of my weekends and my evenings. The diner shifts will only allow me so much freedom.

I feel the buzz of my phone in my pocket, but ignore it. If today is going to be my last day of freedom I'm going to make the most of today. Today will be my day.

I run to everywhere I usually hang out trying to find somewhere to sit and think. My favorite places are all crowded. I try some of Luciana's favorite places. They're all closed on Sundays. The "Closed on Sundays" signs don't make me feel much better. I'm still alone. I'm still exposed. If my parents were to come find me, they probably would be able to. The last place I thought I'd be going is the next place on my list. The door' shut, but if I remember correctly there was no warning bell signaling some one entering.

I jostle the knob and the locked door trying to get it open. The sign says, we'll it doesn't say anything, there is no sign. I fumble with the bobby pin I found on the ground and one of the windows. The window springs open and I roll inside. The place is dark except for the natural light spilling in through the cracks in the curtains at the front. The tall two story shelves fill each and every wall except the one at the front which is windows. Tall two story shelves go down the middle. And a nook in the back, a perfect place to camp out for a while. No one will find me here.

I look around sliding on the ladder with my phone as a light to find a familiar title. Nothing catches my eye. I see one familiar book cover. One that not many weeks ago a girl with big brown eyes, and beautiful brown hair was sitting by the window and reading. I grab it and with the light of my phone open it to begin to read. It's about a football coach who has been working six years without a winning season. I feel bad for him, but wonder why they kept him on.

About halfway through the book someone clears their throat, my head jerks up and no ones there. Odd.

"A bookstore? Really?" A boy asks.

"Ye-" I start before I realize he wasn't talking to me

"We've tried everywhere else." A girl. The same one that ratted me out says. "I come here on Sundays when I want to be alone, why shouldn't he? Why don't we check it out?"

"Uh, maybe because it's breaking and entering?" The boy, who I now know the name of answers.

"Not if you have a key." The girl says. I hear keys jingling before a door at the front swings open and a light switch is flipped on. After sitting in the dark, the light is hard to adjust to quickly.

"Luce, I don't know if he's here." Jonathan says, what is it with him and being around Luciana all the time these days I hardly see her alone anymore.

"He is, some of the things have been moved." Luciana says, "Melanie always has the rolling shelf ladders at the front. The one against the Inspirational Fiction shelf is askew."

"Okay, but what if it wasn't Ashton and some burglar is still in the store?

"A book thief? This isn't the 40s Jonathan." Luciana points out, "and if it was a burglar why didn't they just take the money from the front register and run?"

"Why must you always be right?" He asks her, "Why?"

"One of us has to be, and I'm just being logical. You could do it to if you really wanted to." Luciana rounds the corner and her eyes lock on me. "Found him." She says quietly. "How did you get in."

"Back window," I answer, "Bobbie Pin from the ground. It was easy."

"Why did you come here?" she asks me, Jonathan standing close to her. I have no answer. She has her arms crossed. "Well? When I brought you here all you did was complain."

"It's quiet. I didn't see the beauty in it the first time." I admit stepping toward her. Jonathan's arm wraps around her. Like I didn't see the beauty in her the first time. The quiet. Thought provoking beauty.

"Your parents are worried."

Was she worried?

"Let them worry. They've got seventeen years of worrying to catch up on."

"Ashton..." Luciana stops short as her phone rings she checks it before walking off to answer it. "Mom?" She asks. "No, I haven't found him yet... Yes... Jonathan and I are going to walk around some more... We'll be home by six... Bye I love you too Mamma." She hangs up the phone. "One hour. I'm giving you one hour." she says pushing the ladder back where it started. "That's a great book. I loved it every time I read it."

"Why did they keep the coach on after six loosing seasons?" I ask her.

"Read to find out." Luciana says. "Give this to your parents when you go back." She hands me a small envelope and takes Jonathan's extended hand before heading back out. "Oh, the window to the left of the back door never locks. Just for next time."

Jonathan and Luciana walk out and he wraps his arm around her shoulders both probably smiling. Time to go face the inevitable.

I walk to the back door and the window to get out.

"You could have at least pretended to be polite." Someone says.

"When the guy practically flirted with you right in front of me?" He oh her voice says.

"Why does it matter?" She asks him. I can she her waving her arms in my head. "We. We are not a couple. We are friends."

The other voice, the boy that seemed to have become her shadow remains silent. "Is that all we'll ever be?"

"I have to go." Luciana says I see her retreating figure racing down the small street. Jonathan stands still for only a moment before chasing after her.