A/N: The single quote dialogues are the characters' thoughts.
xxxxxxxxxx
As Alex and Harper entered the bookstore, the smell of coffee and published paper washed over them. There were many people in this thriving business, yet it wasn't crowded. It was a large store complete with a small coffee shop. The aisles of books went on and on as Alex sized up the place. Some comfortable couches were placed here and there for readers. Even though Alex could feel her heart racing with anxiety, the calm atmosphere still gave her some sense of serenity.
"I'm going to go look for a book." Harper said, darting into the "crafts" section.
Alex nodded absentmindedly. She looked around the store expectantly but didn't see her girl. She walked past every aisle twice, passing Harper a couple of times. She assured Harper she was just looking for a book, to which Harper replied,
"Why don't you ask that one chick to help you?"
Alex would even do sort of a double take while looking into aisles on the off chance that Mitchie was walking a few steps behind her on the opposite side.
She eventually gave up her search and plopped onto a comfy chair in the "nature" section.
Puzzled
'I don't even know her'
For some reason she was very discouraged.
'She probably got off work when I was at the sub station'
Alex sighed, lifting herself up when something caught her attention. The Wonderful World of Wombats was on a shelf right in front of her. She bent down to grab it. 'Might as well get this while I'm here-'
"Hey," a quiet voice came from right behind Alex.
"Ahh!" Alex jerked back upright, throwing the book a couple of aisles over in the process.
"Whoa… you're gonna have to pay for that." Mitchie timidly smiled at her.
"What?" Alex brushed the hair from her face, shocked to see her.
"Just kidding. Are you finding everything alright?" Mitchie asked.
"Where have you been?" Alex squinted her eyes in question.
"I was in the employee backroom… Wait what?.."
"Nothing! Yeah, I was just looking for a book." Alex smiled. 'Nice save'
"I kinda figured." Mitchie waved a hand around them, "We're in a bookstore."
"Um yeah, right. Psh, I know." Alex leaned back, trying to look cool, but knocked over some books. "Sorry." Alex picked them up, "I was looking for The Wonderful World of Wombats."
"Oh. Well," Mitchie took a copy off the shelf, "that's weird." Alex looked at her. "Well, no. You're not weird! The book's weird. Not that I've read it or anything! I mean not that wombats aren't cool. Just a weird choice… but a… good one? .. Yeah, I'm gonna stop talking now." Mitchie blushed as Alex laughed and took the book from her.
"Alex!" Harper appeared out of nowhere. 'Shoot, I forgot about Harper'. "There you are. Hey! You're the girl Alex ran over! I'm Harper. I always tell her she should be more aware of her surroundings." Harper rambled while enthusiastically shaking Mitchie's hand.
"Hey, why don't you take my truck and head home. I'll pick it up later." Alex tossed Harper the keys to her truck, saving Mitchie from a sprained shoulder.
"What? Really?! You never let anyone drive your baby. Wait, why? How are you getting home?" Harper questioned.
"I need to do some… studying. I'll just catch a cab." Alex replied easily.
"Oh, okay." Harper looked back at Mitchie. "Ohhhh! Okay." Harper said, "understanding" the situation. "Gotch'ya!" she winked obviously at Alex and leaned over to Mitchie, bringing her voice down. "She has really soft lips." She whispered.
"Harper!" Alex scolded her friend.
"Just saying! Have fun you two." Harper said leaving a wide-eyed Mitchie.
"Okay… awkward. I don't know that girl." Alex smirked.
"I don't even know you and I know that's a lie." Mitchie smiled as she brushed past Alex.
Alex stood in the same spot for a second before chasing after Mitchie.
"I'm Alex. Alex Russo." She said, following Mitchie through the store. "Who are you?"
"You know my name."
"Mitchie, yeah, but I don't know you."
Mitchie picked up a box and headed into an aisle.
"So do you just stock the books here?"
"No, I'm a cashier too." She began taking books out of the box and placing them on certain shelves.
"What school do you go to?"
"I just moved here, but I'm starting my junior year at Waverly High when school starts."
"Me too!" Alex smiled joyously " Well, except for the just moving here part."
Mitchie grabbed the box and put it under a table. "So, when did you move here?"
"Are we playing twenty questions or something? A few weeks ago."
"And you already have a job?"
"I like to keep busy." Mitchie walked through aisles, straightening things that didn't need to be straightened with Alex close behind.
"Do you have any friends yet?"
"I've met some people." Mitchie kept walking.
"Do you have anyone on your love radar?"
"Huh?"
"Do you have a boyfriend?" Alex clarified.
"You sure ask a lot of questions."
"I'm curious."
"You're persistent."
"You're avoiding the question." Alex stepped right in front of Mitchie, staring at her expectantly. Mitchie hesitated, noticing her scared reflection staring back at her in Alex's eyes.
"Not anymore." Mitchie replied quietly before abruptly turning away.
"You're not avoiding the question anymore, or you don't have a boyfriend anymore?" Alex pursued her again.
"You know, I don't even know you." Mitchie stopped and turned only to find Alex just inches away.
"My name is Alex Russo. My family owns the Waverly Sub Station. I have two brothers." Alex was inching even closer, her voice very low. "I don't like school, but I like education. I'm not a people person, but I like people. Most of the time… I act on impulse."
Mitchie had a hard time maintaining eye contact with the slightly taller girl as she was backed into a table.
"All I know about you is that your name is Mitchie, and me being this close to you is making you very nervous." Alex smirked.
Mitchie cleared her throat and looked into Alex's eyes confidently. "What makes you think I'm nervous of you?"
Alex brought her face closer, brushing her nose against Mitchie's. Mitchie's breath caught in her throat.
"Who are you?" Alex whispered.
Mitchie felt Alex's warm breath on her lips and swallowed hard. "I'm… uh… Torres." Mitchie closed her eyes, absolutely intoxicated by the girl's charm.
"Really? Cause your nametag says your name is Mitchie."
Mitchie felt a gust of cool air and opened her eyes.
Alex was walking away from her towards the exit.
She was left standing there,
alone and flustered.
'What?'
xxxxxxxxxx
I hope that wasn't too confusing _