My shift at Roni's didn't start for another few hours, but I always liked getting there early. It was always fun hanging out with her, listening to her stories and advice, and watching as she showed me how to make the best drinks in the most flashy way possible to keep customers thoroughly entertained – it also got bigger tips if you could make pouring the drinks seem more complicated than was needed. Sometimes, if there wasn't too much preparation needed before opening, then she even let me have a go at creating my own drinks, and while they didn't always turn out right, it was great fun and even greater practice for the future. At this point, I was sure I wanted to own my own bar just like Roni. She was so cool.

I wished my mum could be as cool as Roni. It was like everything that Roni was, mum was the complete and utter opposite. She didn't like half of what I liked and was always nagging me to be more like the snooty girls at my school. The kind of girls who did long extra credit works and had one friend who also did extra credit and had no job and therefore no money to spend with their one friend. So, in other words, mum wanted to be more like her.

On my way to Roni's bar, I took the long way in order to avoid running into mum while she was picking up some shopping from the grocers. While she had yet to be able to stop me form going, she made it very clear she didn't like when I worked with Roni at her bar. If I ever made the foolish mistake of bringing it up to her, she launched into long rants about my future and why I shouldn't be working at a bar, how I should be focussed on my studies, and if I really let her get going then she always ended up just insulting Roni. And sometimes she could get really mean and even a little petty. It was funny at first, but it quickly got old and now I would do anything to avoid it, even taking a ridiculously long walk passed the ugly troll bridge despite it adding another fifteen minutes to my journey.

Of course, even the ugliest of things could have something pretty sitting on top of them. And sometimes that pretty thing was worth slowing down my walk for.

"Hey, Tilly." I could feel my face brighten immediately when I saw her, a reaction I never consciously made, before I walked quickly over to where she was lounging on the troll, rubik's cube in hand.

Despite the fact that we didn't even go to the same school, or live in the same street, or even walk in the same social circles, I always found myself enjoying whenever I saw Tilly out and about. I couldn't say if the feeling was mutual, but for a girl who mostly kept to herself (when she wasn't helping that creepy Detective Weaver) she always had a smile for me when I stopped for conversations and today was no different.

And it was a pretty smile. I had yet to have a serious relationship but if I ever did, I wouldn't mind ending up with someone like Tilly. And not just because of her looks (but while on the subject, I hope she never stops wearing skirts) but just... Her. I couldn't even describe it. It was an odd feeling, but it was like I already knew what kind of date Tilly would be like, and it was exactly the kind of thing I would be looking for... Or maybe that was just a teenage girls daydreams taking over. Yeah, probably just that.

Of course that was all dreams for another time. At the moment I was just focussed on working at Roni's and having some much needed fun without the drama of a relationship to confuse things. I could think about dates and dating later in life when I was ready to be a bit more serious. However that didn't stop me from occasionally flirting with a select few people stuck here in the Heights, Tilly included.

"Good morning, beautiful." Tilly beamed, bouncing slightly from where she was stretched out and grinning widely at me as soon as she heard me call her name.

"I heard you gave Victoria a scare this morning," I grinned, remembering the story that Roni had shared with me over text when I was feeling a little moody thanks to mums daily nag. Just as she predicted, the idea of Alice jump scaring Victoria in her own car did a lot to cheer me up.

Tilly rolled forward, cube quickly forgotten as she dropped it at her side when she leaned forward slightly to look down at me, still grinning that cheeky way that always made me laugh. She was such a minx! It was a refreshing bit of fun in my otherwise boring life.

"Now would I do something like that?" Tilly asked, batting her eyes innocently at me.

That was too much. I burst out laughing as Tilly continued to bat her eyes, standing up and holding her hands in front of her like an innocent child caught doing something naughty, which just made me laugh even more. That was what made Tilly such a great person, she could always make me laugh, no matter how I was feeling before I saw her. She wasn't afraid to be silly and act – as mum would call it – immature in order to enjoy life a little. I wish I could spend some more time with her, but it just never seemed to work out. If I was superstitious person, I might even claim that something in the world was purposely keeping us apart. But the truth was, we just weren't the kind of people to actually hang out with one another. It was a shame but life's a shame sometimes. Not much you can do about it.

When I finally calmed down enough to catch my breath back – it had been a while since anyone had made me laugh that much – I saw Tilly looking at me with a big smile of her own. She was always a little proud when she managed to make others laugh but now she seemed especially pleased. In return, I felt a little happy myself. It was like an endless circle. I was pleased, that she was pleased that I was happy. It's so crazy that we don't spend more time together. Why was that again? Oh yeah, life.

Aw well.

Still giggling a little at her earlier innocent act, I turned to look at her and tried to put on a half scolding expression but managed little more than a slightly less entertained smile. "You know you're going to get in serious trouble one of these days."

And just like that, the mood was ruined so fast, I almost got whip lash from it. Her smile dropped off her face so fast that if I hadn't just seen it a few seconds ago, I would have assumed this girl had never smiled before in her life. On top of that, the pleased spark in her eye that lit her up was suddenly dull and miserable. She looked almost downright depressed. You'd think I got up on the troll and kicked her at some point mid sentence. I hadn't, yet I still felt suddenly so guilty for her dip in mood.

I silently cursed myself, wondering what I had said that could affect her so quickly and drastically. Even I didn't flip emotions that fast, even on my worst periods when I was the most stereotypical girl with the most dramatic and exaggerated issues with the world. In fact I'd never seen Tilly act like this before. It was more than just leaving me feeling guilty. It was leaving me feeling worried for her. She wouldn't even look at me for a second. Her gaze turned down to her shuffling feet and her fingers clenching and tensing slightly at her side, flexing like she was trying to relax them but unable at the same time.

I must have hit a nerve with something I said... Oh of course I did! She freaking broke into Victoria's car, of course she was already in serious trouble, and here I was, rubbing it in her face and tormenting her with it. Wow, now I felt like a serious ass.

But then Tilly spoke up. It was quiet, and I wasn't sure I heard her at first but it sounded like she said: "I already am. We all are."

Okay, all my guilt was almost immediately replaced with confusion. I could understand why she would be in trouble – the idea of scaring Victoria was hilarious but what Tilly did: breaking into her car and such, was downright criminal – but why would we all be in trouble? And who did she mean by 'we' and 'all'? Did she mean all of Hyperion Heights? In which case, again, why would everyone be in trouble.

I decided not to play mind games with myself and just do the sensible thing and ask her. "What do you mean?"

"Don't you worry, love." Tilly said, looking down at me with hard eyes. Eyes like someone who had seen a great deal of crap in their lives and was just ready for it to be over. And, wait, did she just call me 'love'? That was a new one. Beautiful, yes. Cutie, yes. I even once got a sexy out of her when I passed in one of my more flashy outfits on my way to the bar for an evening shift but she'd never called me Love before. That was a bit more on the serious relationship side of things. You know, something we most certainly were not. "I promise, I'm going to fix everything." Tilly went on firmly, standing tall and looking fierce. If I wasn't so puzzled by what she was saying, I might have been a little turned on.

But I was very puzzled, so instead I found myself staring up at her, letting my forehead dip into a short little frown. This conversation went from fun and flirty to weird, real quick. What did she mean that she was going to fix everything? Fix what? What was their to fix? Victoria? Well she was definitely a Queen Bitch type woman but I didn't exactly think that warranted 'fixing'. And what would fixing even entail? If it were anyone else I might think they meant something dangerous, but Tilly was a good girl deep down. She's hardly the type to get her hands on a gun and go around shooting people.

I wanted to ask her what she meant (maybe bring up the 'love' mention earlier) but for some reason, I felt like I could tell just from her expression that she wouldn't tell me anything. And that just made me feel even more confused. I didn't know Tilly that well, but right now, I had no doubts about how this conversation would go if I pushed it. And the answer was: Nowhere.

Finally I gave Tilly a little smile and shrugged. "Okay then. I better go. Good luck with Victoria and... Everything. Hope you can... Fix it, or... Whatever." Wow I was awkward. "Bye!"

Suddenly Tilly had moved, kneeling on the edge of the statue and reaching down to grab the hand I had been waving with. She didn't hold it painfully tight, but firmly enough that I couldn't easily pull away. I probably could have if I tired, but her sudden movements were so surprising that I found myself hesitating, staring up at her. For one crazy second, amongst my confusion and slight worry, I couldn't help but note how ice cold her hands were. They were freezing! I had a desire to reach up and clutch her hand between mine, to offer her my heat and warm her hands with my own.

Luckily I resisted and kept from making a fool of myself. Not that I was exactly being very smooth, just standing and staring up at her the way I was. In fact, my mouth had even fallen open a little. Real attractive.

"Uh, yeah?" I asked, trying to ignore how soft her fingers felt, wrapped around mine, or the way her thumb ran across the back of my hand in a single movement that made me want more... Okay, that was the weirdest thought I'd had yet. It seemed Tilly's bizarre behaviour was rubbing off on me.

Tilly stared down at me, her eyes were so intense. I got another feeling like I was looking into the eyes of someone who had seen some stuff, who had suffered through so much, and who was tired of it. It made me want to comfort her, but I was so lost I found I couldn't move. Even my breath hitched slightly as I stared up at her. Why was I feeling like this?!

"Tilly?" I said quietly, forcing my lips to move, and forcing my eyes to blink, trying not to get distracted by just how consuming her gaze was on mine. "Did you need something?"

"Yeah... But I don't think it would be appropriate." Tilly said quietly. She tried to smile cheekily at me but instead she just looked so incredibly sad.

"What?" I frowned, squinting up at her.

"I'll see you soon," Tilly said suddenly serious, giving my hand a squeeze and another smile (still so damn sad for some reason) and finally letting me go. She said something else but it was so quiet, I couldn't hear it.

I hesitated for a moment, about to ask what she said, when suddenly my phone began to go off. It sounded ridiculously loud in the hard silence that followed Alice releasing my hand, and I actually jumped at the noise. Without thinking I pulled it out and checked the number on the screen. Mum. Of course it was her. She had some kind of sick sense for when I was more interested in other things.

I glanced back up at Tilly but she had moved away. She had resumed her earlier position, half lying back down against the troll statue with the rubik's cube back in hand, twisting it with a intense concentration that almost matched the way she had been staring at me just a few seconds ago. I felt a heavy feeling in my stomach (did I wish she was still staring at me like that?) and had to use a surprising amount of will power to turn away from her, pressing the answer button as I started to walk.

"Yeah?" I said, not really listening as mum broke into a rant about my whereabouts. Instead I glanced over my shoulder several times while crossing the road and continuing in direction of Roni's bar. Most of the time when I looked, Tilly was still firmly focussed on the cube, seeming like there was nothing and no one else in the world.

But then, at the very last glance I tossed back, just before I rounded the corner and was out of sight, I saw her staring up at me again. She smiled when she caught my eye and it wasn't sad or cheeky or even just your normal friendly. It was... Something more.

If I didn't know any better, I'd say she was looking at me with genuine love.

Weird.

That conversation definitely didn't go the way I was expecting.