Chapter 4

*Joey's POV*

After Delia left, I went back to the back room that was just a camper. I didn't know what to do with the huge gaping window in the side of the shack, so I attached Dad's old camper to it and use it as a back room. Plus, it came with a built in door, and windows so I can see when customers are coming. Perfect right? I felt a little bad just letting Delia leave so soon. I mean, she came all the way from Chicago, Illinois to get that package, we should've at least talked for a while.

*Delia's POV*

I went back to the hotel room after leaving the store. Joey'd seemed like a nice guy. I know we'd barely said anything to each other, and as far as I knew, he was a criminal. There was just something about him that seemed really friendly. I called the director of the museum and told him I'd gotten the package and I was planning on staying until Sunday. So I'd be here for two days, seeing as it was Friday today.

The whole rest of the day, I couldn't get Joey off my mind. I know it sounds weird, but I think I left too soon. I barely even talked to him. I felt bad, he really did seem like a nice guy. I was going to go back to that store tomorrow and have a coversation with him.

*Joey's POV*

The next day, I was sitting on the couch in the camper/back room. Business was slow, as usual and Artie had come and gone, dropping by with coffee and donuts. So I was bored out of my mind. I wished I had a more elaborate place. It would draw in more customers. So far today, a kid bought a trading card, a guy bought a action figure as a birthday present for his daughter and an old lady came in and asked to use the bathroom. Which, I of course, didn't have. So I made $13.00 and got a butterscotch candy from and old woman that needed to pee. This is just so incredibly exciting. But then I heard someone else come in. I got up off the couch and opened the rusty camper door out into the shop. Then I realized the person that had come in was Delia.

"Hi, Delia," I said, walking out from behind the counter.

"Hi, Joey," she replied.

"What bring you here?" I asked.

"Oh, bored, just wanted to talk I guess," she said, browsing around the store some more.

"Did you want to come in the back and talk?" I offered.

"I thought that only employees were allowed back there," she said.

"I can make an exception," I said. So we walked back into the camper and sat down. "So you work at a museum?" I asked.

"Yeah," she replied.

"You work there long?" I asked.

"No, just a few months, I only just graduated high school last June," she told me.

"Really? Me too," I said. "What high school'd you go to?"

"DITKA High," she told me.

"Ridgewood," I said.

"I like your place," she commented, I could tell she found it funny.

"Used to be my brother's clubhouse," I told her.

"You're kidding," she said.

"No," I told her. "Hardly spent a dime. "My Dad owns the land, I only live a couple blocks down."

"Oh, cool," she said. "So, I guess you're a huge Space Werewolves fan, going by the enormous collection of merchandise based around it."

"Well, yeah, and I get rare merchandise shipped special from Liv," I explained. Delia looked at me skeptically.

"How would you know Liv Rooney?" she asked.

"She's my sister," I told her.

"Oh, really?" she asked, looking suspicious.

"Yeah, she and her twin sister Maddie, moved out about a year ago," I said.

"I thought you had a brother," she said.

"I do, two older sisters, Liv and Maddie, and a younger brother, Parker," I told her.

"So you're Liv Rooney's brother?" she asked.

"Yes," I confirmed.

"I want proof," Delia said. I scowled.

"I'd have to wait until my co-owner, Artie gets here," I told her, pulling out my phone and sending Artie a text. Shortly after Artie arrived, Delia and I went to my house.

"Ok," I said. I picked up my tablet. "I'll FaceGab my sister." I hit Liv's name in the contacts. It took a while for her to pick up.

"Hi, Joey!" she said answering.

"Hey, Liv," I replied. "How's college?"

"Pretty good," she replied, twirling her hair. "Who's that?"

"This is Delia," I said. "She doesn't believe you're my sister."

"Oh, I'm his sister," she replied.

"Ok, then," Delia said. "What colour are my socks?" She held her foot to the camera of the tablet.

"Gray," she replied, shuddering. "You should try something pink or blue, and by the way, why did you ask me that?"

"She wanted to know if you were you or a program made to look like you were FaceGabbing me," I explained.

"He's right," Delia said.

"Oh," Liv said. "Well I'm a person."

"You believe me now?" I asked Delia.

"Yeah," she replied.

"Thanks, Liv," I said.

"No problem," she replied. "Bye, Joey."

"See you, Liv," I replied, and turned off my FaceGab. I turned to Delia. "So, since we're here, you waana just hang for a while?"

"Sure," she said, so we went out to hang on the couch.

*Delia's POV*

How weird is it that I'm hanging out with a guy I met yesterday? Not to mention that he's the owner of the store where I had to get my artifacts.

"So how old are you anyway?" he asked me.

"18," I replied.

"Me too," he said. "So what do you do at the museum?"

"I own an exhibit," I told him.

"About..."

"Penelope Harkniss," I said.

"Who?" he asked. So I explained to Joey who Penelope was and her story. "Woah, she sounds awesome!"

"Really?" I asked.

"Yeah, we could write a comic book about her!" he suggested.

"Do you think people would buy it?" I asked him.

"Of course," he said. "If we made it a little more exciting with a little more action, it would be epic! I could sell them at my store!" That's what we did, we spent the rest of the day working on a comic book about Penelpe Harkniss. That's when Joey's Mom came in.

*Joey's POV*

Mom came in covered in snow! She had left after I'd gone to work but it looked like she'd only been wearing a sweater.

"There's a snowstorm out there, all the roads are closed," Mom announced.

"But my hotel's on the other side of town!" Delia exclaimed.

"Mom, this is my friend, Delia," I introduced her.

"How am I going to get back?!" Delia asked in a panic.

"Don't worry!" Mom said. "You can stay here tonight." Delia looked at me. That wasn't all Mom had to say. "If you don't feel comfortable on the couch, I can put a matress in Joey's room for you." My jaw dropped. Delia had turned bright red, I assumed I had too and we were both speechless.

"Th-that's okay Mrs. Rooney, I'm fine, here on the couch," Delia said, finally breaking the silence.

"Okay, then," Mom said. I'm not sure how hard it was snowing, but Mom wasn't acting normal, I think she might have gotten hit on the head with a chunk of ice.