(What if instead of Justin going to spy on the new sandwich shop it had been Alex? Femslash. Alex/Juliet Van Heuson. Characters are the property of Disney, etc, etc.)
"Why do I have to go?"
"Because Max is too young and we think that the people running that place already know Justin works here. So it's got to be you Alex."
"What do you expect me to find out?"
"Look around. Our business has fallen away to practically nothing. Maybe it's just because the other place is new. If so our customers will eventually come back. But if there is something spectacular going on over there we need to know about it."
Alex Russo proceeded to show her usual cheerful acceptance of a job she really didn't want to do. In other words the slender dark-haired teenager pouted, whined, made puppy dog eyes at her Father and in general did everything but cry and kick her feet. Finally she grudgingly made her way down the street to the bustling doorway and the curved stairway that led down to the competition.
"Ouch!"
"Watch your head," advised a customer going up as Alex rubbed her head and glared at the low hanging light she had bumped her head on.
"Thanks a lot," she grumbled. Still massaging her head she negotiated the remaining steps and looked around.
So this was the Late Nite Bite. Kinda cool decor. Looked like an old castle or something. Spotting an empty table with what looked to be a menu on it she eased over and casually slipped the paper menu in her pocket.
"Hi there! Are you alright?"
Alex turned to see a girl about her own age with really long light brown hair smiling at her.
"I'm sorry about that," the girl indicated the light. "I keep trying to get my parents to do something about it but Dad always claims he's too busy. She indicated an older couple dressed in black standing by the serving line.
"I'm fine, thanks," Alex replied. She continued to look at the pair of really strange looking people the girl had identified as her parents. Really weird. All in black with strange expressions and mannerisms and... fangs? Must be some kind of costume or something to go with the rest of the wacky decor.
Her musings were interrupted by the girl asking "What can I get you?"
"Ah, do you have a menu?"
"Is there something wrong with the one you put in your pocket?"
"Oh GOD," Alex thought. "Busted!" Nearly speechless for one of the few times in her life she looked everywhere around the room but at the girl in front of her. Finally, as the silence dragged on, she met the other girl's eyes.
And those eyes drew her in. They were full of laughter but there was no trace of meanness in that laughter. Indeed, there was a hint of sympathy but overall they just sparkled. Alex had no use for "perky" but that didn't describe the light brown eyes she couldn't seem to tear her dark brown ones away from. They were deep, so deep that Alex felt like she was being drawn into them. And yet there was nothing scary about those depths. They were full of warmth and full of light.
It might have been hours, it probably was only seconds that the two teenaged girls swam in each other's eyes. A cough from the duo across the room seemed to break the spell.
"Here," the girl said, thrusting another paper menu into Alex's hands. "You can keep this one too," she teased.
Alex commanded her face not to blush while she quickly scanned the menu. "I'll have the Nosferatu Tuna."
"It's good, you'll like it. Why don't you have a seat and I'll bring it to you in just a moment."
Alex was grateful to plop down in the offered chair. Well, this was a fine start to her sleuthing. Caught swiping a menu and then... what? What had gone on there when she stood staring at the other girl? Had she been hypnotized or something? While keeping an eye on all three of the competition she cast a spell on herself to see if any magic had been used on or near her lately.
Nothing. So why had she stood there like, say Justin always did when confronted by an attractive female? She couldn't understand it. She scolded herself mentally and added a reminder to stay focused.
Then a heavenly aroma wafted to her nose and she forgot all about being focused. She took a bite of the sandwich that had appeared in front of her and then another, and another.
A giggle brought her attention back to the world, at least the world as personified by a cute girl who was laughing at her. Contrary to how she usually felt when someone laughed at her Alex wasn't the least upset. In fact she would have joined in except for the fact her mouth was full of tuna.
"Take a breath! Slow down! It s not going to get away from you."
Alex made a heroic effort to swallow and get herself under control. There was a scrape as the other girl pulled the second chair back from the little table.
"May I?"
"Sure," Alex replied without thinking. This would be perfect, she thought. She could get all kinds of information. Although her fingers itched to do more magic she decided just talking would be the way to go.
"I'm Juliet Van Heuson by the way," the brunette smiled again and held out her hand.
"I'm Alex," the dark haired girl replied as she shook hands. If Juliet noticed that Alex had left off her last name she showed no sign of it. Instead the other girl chatted brightly about different things while Alex worked on her sandwich.
Normally Alex would have shut her ears to anyone who seemed to just be nattering. She didn't have much time for idle chit-chat. It bored her. But something about the girl sitting opposite her tugged at her interest. While she continued to eat she turned her attention to the cute girl across the table.
Cute? Not normally a term that Alex applied to anyone. Nor did the budding wizardess consider it much of a compliment. But Juliet definitely was cute. More than cute, she was downright pretty. And to her own surprise Alex found herself replying to the other girl's comments and adding ones of her own. Soon they were in a deep conversation that shut the rest of the world out.
Alex didn't really have any friends beyond Harper. It wasn't that the Latino-Italian girl didn't want other friends; she just never seemed to make any. Of course some of that was her fault she knew. Alex did not suffer fools gladly and so many girls her age seemed to fall into that category. But Juliet was different, though Alex couldn't put her finger on what that difference was. They just seemed to click together.
More than once loud "harrumphs" from Juliet's Father had seen the other girl scurry to take an order or deliver one. But as soon as she did Juliet would bat her eyes at her Father, much to her Mother's apparent amusement, Alex noted, and plop back down in her chair and resume the conversation from exactly where it had been interrupted.
Once while Juliet was making some point or another her hand touched Alex's. It felt good, warm, and for a moment the two girls found themselves holding hands. To her utter surprise Alex felt disappointed when the contact broke. What was that all about?
One more "harrumph" from Juliet's Father and she started stacking the chairs on top of tables. Incredulously Alex looked at her watch.
"The time!"
"Yes," acknowledged Juliet with one of her trademark grins. "It's closing time."
"Well thank goodness it's a weekend. I'd be past curfew." Even though she stood up with that announcement Alex felt reluctant to leave. Automatically she took her chair, reversed it and placed it on top of the table.
"Thanks," Juliet smiled. "Well I don't get to go out past this myself."
"I guess I better go."
"Here," Alex looked at the other girl, who was holding out a piece of paper.
"What is it?"
"It's the secret formula for the sauce on your Tuna sandwich."
Alex dubiously unfolded the paper. "No it's just a phone number." Even as the words came out she realized how silly she sounded.
"Gee, how about that."
Alex grinned in spite of herself. She had been had again. And it tickled her.
Juliet grinned back. "It's the phone number for that cute girl down at the Late Night Bite."
"Good." Alex scooped up a yet another menu and scribbled on it. "Here. This is the phone number for the cute girl who came here tonight to eat."
"Great. I'm very happy to get it. I think she'll be a great friend."
The two girls smiled at each other. Eyes met and once again Alex felt there was so much more in those light brown eyes than she was seeing. She reluctantly turned to leave.
"Goodbye, Juliet. It was nice to meet you."
"It was nice to meet you too, Alex Russo. Call me."
"I will," promised Alex. She headed home. The time had really passed she noticed, much more than she thought. Debriefing on her little spy mission would have to wait until the morning. Then in mid-stride she stopped, her foot literally up in the air.
"How did she know my last name?"
That question kept her awake for a while once she made it to bed. But it faded away as she finally drifted off to a deep sleep.
A sleep where she dreamed of laughing light brown eyes and a mischievous smile.
(To Be Continued)