Adora was grateful over the next few days to be so busy that there was no time to think of anything else. Especially not Bow or Catra or Catra's girlfriend. Glimmer had arrived on Sunday morning to help for opening day, and Adora had responded by squeezing her tightly into a hug and telling her she's already the best coworker this place had seen. Which wasn't technically a lie, since Adora hadn't had a coworker until this point. Unless you counted Angella, who was currently hanging plants and humming along while Adora ran around like a madman.

Glimmer turned out to be around Adora's age and was taking a gap year to work locally before she figured out what to do next with her life. She wanted to go to grad school but she also wanted to quit the whole thing and become a photographer. Adora found she already liked her. They continued to chat as they cleaned the place and figured out the different fancy coffee makers.

Glimmer stood at 5'3" and had bubblegum pink and purple hair styled in a short bob. She had a floral skirt that ruffled around her knees, and a pair of high-top boots that did not help much in making her taller. She was pale and freckly and downright adorable. She also knew a lot more about coffee than Adora did. She walked her through how to make an Americano, espresso, and latte while Adora frantically took notes. Each note got taped along the backside of the counter so she could use them for reference later.

"We should really have some snacks or something, too. At least some croissants," Adora noted mostly to herself as she lapped the store, chewing on her nails.

"All with time," Angella replied calmly. She wrapped her arm around Adora's shoulder and gave her a small kiss on the head. "Relax my dear. Everything looks amazing so far." Adora took a deep breath and felt her shoulders return to a normal height. Her mother was right. "Plus isn't Glimmer amazing! I just want to adopt her!" Angella exclaimed, pressing a palm to her cheek. Adora rolled her eyes.

"Yes mom, well done."

"Now we just need to get some of your friends in here and this place will be hopping!"

Adora flushed and turned her attention to stacking and unstacking a wad of coasters. "Yeah, I don't think that's going to happen anytime soon," She said finally. Angella shook her head and stuck a finger under her daughter's chin, raising her eyes to meet hers.

"Adora. As happy as you may try to be, I can tell when something is bothering you. I want to make sure you're not just painting away your feelings and are making time for the important things."

"My art is important," Adora pushed her mother's hand away and stepped back, crossing her arms.

"Of course it is, I only meant.."

"I know what you meant," Adora responded, keeping her tone even. Angella's face softened.

"I'm sure Catra would appreciate a call."

Adora laughed, "Yeah I'll do that."

Angella must have sensed her tone and crossed her arms, waiting patiently for an explanation. Adora looked up at her tall, gorgeous, goddess like mother and wondered how they could possibly be related. She had been told that on first glance, one might think an angel was walking towards them with long strawberry blonde hair and legs that went for days. Adora found that funny. She always had her mother's height, but she never felt like she matched the goddess image like her mother. No, she had always been more like her father.

Angella sighed and Adora tried to think of what to say just as Glimmer called for someone. "Coming!" Adora yelled, dropping the coasters back on the table, giving her mother a smile, and speed walking away from her.

"Think about it!" Angella shouted back, raising her eyebrows at her daughter as if to say two can play at this game. Adora gave her a curt nod and tried not to feel too guilty. She just didn't want to share the whole story with her mother yet.

Ever since Adora's father had passed away when she was 10, her mother had become a bit of an overbearing and over the top guardian in her life. Angella was kind and overall a good mother but she was also so terrified of losing Adora that she had tried to keep her locked up under her supervision for years, playing the part of mom, dad, and personal police officer. Part of the reason Adora had chosen New York was so she could finally live her own life again. She felt a pang in her chest, remembering how Angella had reacted when she left. She didn't think she would ever stop crying. Yet, here Adora was, back in Angella's presence and under her roof. She huffed and took another note on her little cheat sheet "Look for apartment".

"Oh you're looking for a place? Me too!" Glimmer said, popping up over Adora's shoulder and scaring her.

"Glimmer, jeez," Adora laughed, pressing a hand to her chest in alarm.

"Sorry. Didn't mean to scare you. It would be nice to have a roommate though if you are thinking about it," Glimmer said. Adora agreed to think about it to Glimmer's excitement and Glimmer went off about all the places she's already been looking at. Adora found herself spacing out, until she heard Glimmer's voice tail off. She looked up and found Glimmer staring wide-eyed at the storefront.

"Oh we're not open. Not until tomorrow," Glimmer announced to the guest, pushing her fingers through her hair and arching her back so her butt was sticking out nicely from the counter. Adora's mouth hung open at the obvious flirtation, and she turned to see who had walked in.

"Bow?!" Adora practically yelled, eyeing Glimmer with a look of, really?

Glimmer shrugged and gave her a look of you know him?!

"Good afternoon ladies! Sorry. I just wanted to say hi and see the place up close and personal. Maybe I should have waited until tomorrow," Bow said although he didn't bother to even glance back at the door. Instead, he stepped further inside, eyeing everything in sight and reaching for a book.

"Hey! You can wander but no touchy yet," Adora said, smacking at his hand. He gave her a mischievous look but put the book down.

"I'm Glimmer," Glimmer said, once again appearing out of nowhere but standing incredibly close to Bow, batting her eyes at him with her hand outstretched.

"Hey," Bow said coolly. He took her hand and giving her a sweeping look, "Dope hair."

"Thanks, I like your nails."

"Thanks." Bow continued to hold her hand, "Maybe I'll try purple next time." Glimmer blushed.

The two continued to make googly eyes at each other, blatantly ignoring Adora. She coughed loudly and watched them jump. She shook her head at them and returned to work, letting Bow explore the store with Glimmer on his heels.

He spent the next few hours meandering about, drinking their coffee and offering improvements for the history selection of books. Adora started to tune him out while Glimmer took notes. "You know this is a secondhand bookstore, right?" Adora asked, "If you have them, you can donate them."

"Yeah, the books don't leave my dad's place, let alone be sold," Bow said, thinking, "I'll see if they have any that they don't mind parting with. Every year they gather more and more books and we're running out of places for them."

Adora listened fondly. She loved Bow's parent's place. It was large and museum-like with rooms and rooms of books, artifacts, and anything history related. Since they were both historians and hoped Bow would be too, the place felt like it's own personal library. Adora didn't have the guts to tell him that her affection towards his home helped in her ideas for this place.

Not that Bow lived there anymore. When his parents found out he wasn't becoming a historian like them they had been reluctant. When they discovered he was going to be a drummer in a band, they had lost their minds. Adora wondered if he talked to them anymore, and again felt a wave of guilt fill her. She should have called.

"Hey, you okay?" Bow touched her arm, pressing his warm palm against the back of her elbow and peering at her, worried.

"Yes," Adora said, trying to shake it off. She hadn't realized how tense she was. She tried to relax. "Let's hangout this weekend. We should catch up," Adora said. Bow lightened up.

"Yes PLEASE," He responded, raising his fists into the air like he just won a prize. Adora giggled.

Finally, Bow said his goodbye's, taking an extra second to give Glimmer a wink and a smile before leaving. Angella had already left for the day to deal with some things at home and Adora and Glimmer decided there was no more to do. The place was opening day ready. They locked up just as the sun was setting.

"Okay so spill. Tell me everything," Glimmer said, the second the shop was closed.

"Huh?"

"About Bow!"

"Ah." Adora nodded in understanding. They began walking, neither wanting to go home just yet. Adora shared what she felt was a well rounded explanation on Bow. How she and him had been best friends in high school and eventually dated for 6 months their senior year, just for everything to fall apart and the friendship ruined. Adora specifically left out the part where she threw a milkshake at him.

"You seem like friends?"

Adora thought about it. Glimmer was right, they did seem like friends. "We weren't really a good couple," Adora admitted, slipping her hands into her pockets, "I was an angry teenager and all he wanted to do was see me happy. When he ended it, I thought something was wrong with me because I somehow couldn't love this amazing, kind, person. I'm grateful for him, though. He's the best person I know." Adora shrugged. Glimmer was watching her, looking for something.

"I'm not sure why I'm opening up so much to a stranger," Adora laughed, "I guess I've been lonelier than I thought."

"It's okay. We're friends now," Glimmer tucked her arm under Adoras so they were walking arm in arm. Adora gave her a squeeze, feeling content next to this tiny colorful person beaming up at her.

"So… since we're friends," Glimmer started, blushing.

"Yes, I'll give Bow your number," Adora finished. Glimmer gasped.

"Really?"

"Really."

"You don't mind?"

"Did you hear my story?" Adora asked. They laughed and then Glimmer's arms were around Adora, knocking the air out of her.

"Oh thank you thank you!"

They both laughed, continuing to chat as they walked. Glimmer told Adora all about her brief stint at boarding school and how she had decided, upon her return, that she would no longer be wearing the same boring colors as everyone else ever again. Adora loved it.

They chatted and chatted and when the sun had long gone down and the streetlights turned on, they said their goodbye's and Adora made her way back home, feeling content. She thought about the last time she had felt that way and found a familiar face coming to mind. Her heart ached, but she walked on, trying to push that thought aside for another day.