A/n: short chapter ahead.
"Where is your mind right now?"
Alice snapped back to reality and hummed, turning her eyes over to Billy in question. He raised a brow and turned down the radio.
"What are you thinking about?" He asked.
"I got a nosebleed today," Alice mentioned quietly.
Billy hummed.
"Probably just allergies or dry air. This summer is going to be hot."
"Yeah, probably," she uttered.
It had been on her mind since it happened. Nosebleeds occurred commonly when Alice first was diagnosed with chronic leukemia; it frightened her to think that symptoms were showing, but at this point, it was hard to say. Perhaps she should tell her mother. Or perhaps she should wait and see if more symptoms arose.
"I got the lifeguard position," Billy mentioned.
At first, Alice hummed in question, but as what he said sunk in, she smiled.
"I'm glad to hear that. When do you start?" She asked.
Billy raised a brow.
"Did something else happen today?"
Alice shook her head no.
"The nosebleed just has me a little unnerved. I don't have them often and the last time I did, I was very sick for a while."
It was not a complete lie. The fact she hadn't told Billy that she was sick nagged at her from time to time, but Alice felt as if it didn't concern him; that and she was asymptomatic, at least she hoped.
Billy hummed.
Part of her wondered if he believed her.
"I start the day after tomorrow; Friday, so if there is anything you want to do before then, you'd best let me know now," he mentioned.
It was a shame he was starting so soon, but Alice understood. He must have gone to speak to the owner of the community pool when he left school earlier.
"I don't have anything particular in mind, but we could have a proper date – our last one was a disaster," Alice mentioned.
"Is that what you want?" Billy asked with a grin.
She nodded. Leaning over, she slid her arm around his and leaned on his shoulder.
"It doesn't have to be costly."
"So, you aren't going to whine if we sit on a hill somewhere and do nothing?" The blond asked.
Jokes aside, his idea sounded fun.
"Who knew you could be romantic," Alice teased.
Billy snorted.
"Whatever pleases you."
Now he was buttering her up.
"Is that what you want? To sit on some hill with me at night." He asked a second later.
"Under the stars with the radio on; I'd settle for just watching a movie in your room, but this way we can be alone," Alice retorted.
It didn't take much, honestly.
"Suit yourself," Billy uttered.
Alice smiled in excitement. She honestly couldn't wait to spend time with him alone. The only time she had with him was on the way to and from school – and those brief moments she snuck him into the house when her parents left early – but now that school was over, seeing Billy would be much harder.
An idea came to mind, and she gasped.
"Do you think we can run by the mall?" Alice asked, parting from him.
Billy raised a brow.
"What for?"
"I want to pick up some applications," she answered. "Robin and I are trying for Scoops Ahoy together."
Billy grinned.
"Those uniforms are a joke."
"Not all of us can go to work with next to nothing on," she retorted.
He eyed her a moment, then turned his attention back to the road. Alice raised a brow.
"What?" She asked.
"You might pull off a sexy sailor," he answered.
Alice doubted it; the uniforms weren't sexy at all.
"Not to mention I can have as much ice cream as I want," she stated.
"I can give you something to lick," Billy suggested.
Alice grinned.
"Only if you are good."
"Babe, I'll be as good as you want me to be," Billy mentioned.
Good to know.
She leaned back in the seat, enjoying the ride as Billy drove to Starcourt. It had been nearly a month since Alice went there; Robin and her had scoped it out job hunting. And the time before that she went there with Billy for a pair of sunglasses he claimed to need – for his summer job no doubt.
Parking the Camaro in the crowded lot, Alice and Billy walked into Starcourt. She immediately led him towards the food court and to the ice cream parlor where she hoped to get a job. Once she had an application, she gathered one from the cinema and from the Time-Out Arcade in case the first two were filled.
"I'm telling you; the pool needs another guard on duty," Billy reminded her. He sat beside Alice in the arcade as she filled out the application for Option A, as she had called it.
"I can vouch for you," he added.
It was cute that he wanted her to work alongside him, but she didn't have the drive he did to work in a public pool.
"If these three options flop, then I'll let you get me on over there," Alice promised.
"Or," Billy stated, putting his arm over her shoulders. "You can go with me on Friday and see me in action, then that night, we can have our date."
Alice hummed.
"That sounds like a busy day."
"Might as well make it count before either of us are too busy for one another," Billy mentioned.
It saddened her to think either of them would be too busy for one another; the likelihood of this happening was unavoidable, but it was only for the summer.
Alice sighed and sat down her pen.
"Scoops Ahoy is still Option A, but I'll go with you on Friday and scope out the place; maybe move it to Option B."
"That's my girl," Billy uttered.
He leaned over and kissed her head; Alice snorted.
"But you'd best put me on a damn good show," she mentioned.
Billy bit his bottom lip then grinned.
"Wait and see, babe."
The ball was in his court. Alice was eager to see what his next move would be.