"Wow. That is just beautiful."

"I know right?!" I said, holding out my wrist with the paper clip chain bracelet on it. I hadn't had much work to do that day, tackling every unnecessary filing project Dr. Tate sent my way. Hence, the paper clip jewelry making.

Aaron just nodded as if slightly afraid of my sanity while also regarding me as one might a small child. Makes sense considering I am basically seven in a twenty two year old's body.

"Did you notice the earrings?" I asked, pushing the hair on the left side of my head behind my ear and leaning toward him. He quickly shut his eyes in disgust. "Maya, that is simply not sanitary."

"But they're pretty!" I exclaimed.

"I agree" said Elizabeth, walking toward my cubicle. Aaron immediately straightened up and smiled at her awkwardly. She pretty much ignored him.

"I'm surprised you're still in here. Dr. Tate usually lets people in the studio after the first week." She does?

"Probably only because she's been out of town so much." Aaron interjected. He turned towards me then. "She's back tomorrow though, so I bet it will be soon." Elizabeth nodded in agreement and then piped in smiling, "I think it's kind of funny how she tries to come across as tough on everyone's first day, but then you discover she's actually the sweetest lady."

Wait. What?

"Yeah. She brought me muffins on my second week." said Aaron, smiling at the memory.

Are we talking about the same woman here?

I thought about my first day and then every weekly meeting I had with her since. She had shown me nothing but disdain. Every time I walked out of her office, I had to clench my fists, nails biting into my skin, to keep tears from falling. From what Aaron said on my first day, I guess I was under the impression that she was awful to everyone. Apparently not.

What's wrong with me then?

"Maya, there's a strange guy here to see you."

"Uh, sorry. What?" I asked Elizabeth, shaking myself out of my troubling thoughts and turning towards her.

"Strange guy" she repeated. "Waiting to see you." She motioned towards the hallway. "Right out there."

"Who is he?"

"I don't know." she answered clearly bored and began inspecting her nails nonchalantly.

"You just let in some crazy stranger asking for me?" I asked incredulously.

"No. Of course not." she replied, rolling her eyes. "Josh did." He would.

I stared at her for a minute. Then I realized staring probably wasn't going to solve anything. So I walked towards the hallway slowly, wondering at my impending doom. Glancing back, I witnessed Aaron giving me a thumbs up because, I mean, what else do you do in this type of situation. Elizabeth just waved happily, completely ignorant. Chocolate Covered Blonde is my new name for her. Actually, nah, too long.

The first thing I saw when I stepped out into the hallway was the back of Joshua's head. He was speaking to someone, but I couldn't see who just yet. Upon walking closer, a giant smile appeared on my face. I might of (definitely did actually) shoved Josh out of the way as I ran into my stepdad's arms.

"Hey kiddo." said Shawn into my hair, squeezing me back just as tight.

"You're back!" He and my mom had been traveling across the country for the past month. They did it every year. It had become an anniversary tradition for them since I went off to college.

"Don't worry about me. I'm fine." muttered Josh, picking himself up off the floor. I waved him off and Shawn laughed.

Just that moment, Aaron and Elizabeth, walked out of the room I was previously occupying, into the hallway, and headed towards the stairs. "We'll meet you there!" Elizabeth called out over her shoulder.

We were all needed this afternoon to help set up for the Armory Party tomorrow night. I still didn't understand what the party was for, except that it was held at Piers 92 and 94 every year. Everyone seemed excited though. So I was too. "Yeah. We'll be there soon!" Josh called after her.

We both turned back toward Shawn. "So where's mom?" I asked, looking around for her. With an apologetic face, he answered "Unfortunately, your mom caught some sort of bug on our way back into town so she's currently going through every single box of Kleenex we own."

"Aw" I really wanted to see her. "Ok. Well give her a hug for me."

"I will. Well hey, working girl, just came by to see you on the job. Super proud of you." He said pulling me in to a hug. "Dinner next week?" he asked. I nodded. "Alright then." He clapped Josh on the back. "Come for dinner too, ok. Miss seeing you."

"Wouldn't miss it" answered Josh. I smiled at their exchange. Shawn had always been like an extra older (and cooler, Shawn would say) brother to Josh.

"It's settled then. See you two next week." he gave me another hug before turning to leave. Josh and I turned to leave too, but didn't get far.

"Oh, and Josh!" We both turned toward Shawn again. "Take good care of her." he said, nodding towards me.

Josh didn't even miss a heartbeat when he replied. "Absolutely. I would never let anything bad happen to her." I blushed.

Shawn smiled and saluted. Then he was gone.

"So this whole place will be packed tomorrow?" I asked turning in a circle, taking it all in as we walked down the center aisle of the room

"Yep." replied Josh, staring towards a wall on our right where workers were currently setting up bright blue lighting. I had always been told that lighting at a party changes everything. It was true.

"Well" Josh said, scratching the back of his head and glancing around. "There doesn't really seem to be anything for us to do here."

I looked around again and realized he was right. The room looked nearly complete and all the current workers were starting to gather up their stuff to leave. Looking at my phone, I saw it was only 3 pm.

"So do we go back to the museum then?" I asked, spotting and waving at Elizabeth across the room. She waved back and then resumed ordering Aaron around.

Josh thought about it. "My favorite coffee shop is a couple blocks away."

"Won't we get in trouble for skipping out?"

He looked at me like I was mental. "Of course not. Come on." he said, already heading for the exit.

I knew he probably had a nicer boss than me, and I had a bad feeling about what would happen if Dr. Tate found out, but I followed. She's not here, I reminded myself.

Still, I felt uneasy all the way to the metro station.

When we reached the top of the stairs after getting off the subway, I was greeted with a familiar sight.

"Hey! It's my high school!" I told Josh as we began to pass it. I noticed three high school boys were sitting on the steps. It was remarkable how strikingly similar they resembled characters from a science fiction show I used to watch with Shawn. I smiled as we passed by. Suddenly, one of them stood up hastily and approached me.

"Are you Maya Hart?" he asked.

I turned cautiously and appraised the boy in front of me. He appeared no older than 15 and seemed harmless enough, but I decided to take a few steps back. For safety reasons.

"Uh. Yes?" I answered more like a question than a confirmation.

The boy motioned for his friends to come forward. He looked as if he had struck gold. "The legends they tell of your beauty are true." the boy said, almost reverently.

What the?!

I stepped back to turn and run but I heard wheezing behind me. Oh God, not another one. I turned slowly, but only to see Josh bent over laughing hysterically.

Seriously?

"You done yet?" I asked. He held up a finger as if to tell me one moment and continued to laugh. Apparently not. I waited a few seconds more. Still laughing. Ok, now he's just being rude.

Annoyed, I turned back around and jumped. The three guys were still gawking at me but had moved even closer. One reached out to touch my hair. Ok. That's enough of that. I hightailed it out of there, almost forgetting to grab Joshua's arm on the way. Riley would have been proud of my running skills at that moment

Josh was still laughing as we rounded a corner three blocks later. I looked behind us. All clear. I punched Josh's shoulder. Kind of hard too."Would you quit it already?!"

"What? That was hilarious!" I glared but he continued. "I can only imagine what would happen if you ever walked down the hallway of that school again." He contemplated that. "We should go back some time!"

He finally caught my glare then. "What?" he asked.

"You're being annoying and not helping! That was not normal back there!"

"Yes" he agreed. "You seem surprised though. Surely you have looked in the mirror."

"What are you talking about?!" I asked still clearly frustrated

"You're going to make me say it, aren't you?" he said, grinning lopsidedly at me.

i just stared at him in confusion. He stepped closer, his eyes boring into mine again. "Maya Hart, you are beautiful."

I blushed but he continued. "Hasn't anyone ever told you?"

Not anyone that matters.

Maybe that's why I was upset. Friends and family, sure, but the catcalls from strangers and unexpected grabs in bars where men suddenly found themselves incapacitated, they didn't count. Not to me.

I looked down at my hands before replying. "Nothing like what just occurred has ever happened to me" I explained. "Sorry, I'm just creeped out " I said apologetically. He nodded in understanding. Then he looked over my head at something behind us.

"Hey we're here." he stated.

I turned around to see the entrance to the most quaint and cozy looking coffee place I had ever seen. I saw giant bookcases and numerous couches through the windows. It made me smile. With Josh, I guess I was expecting something more modern and pristine, but he continued to surprise me. I was struck again with just how much I didn't know about him.

He walked forward and held the door open for me. I smiled and headed that direction.

"Hey, Maya?" he asked as I passed him, walking in.

"Yeah?"

"Why are you wearing paper clips as earrings?"

A/N: You'll make my day if you review.

Fun fact. The MOMA Armory Party (the real one) was last night. I have never (and will never) planned to have this story similar to real time, but I thought that was cool.