Hour Hand

1. Vraiment Enchanté

Blingling

The bookstore's hanging doorbell tinkled delicately and a light breeze stole inside.

The spiky haired boy at the front desk paid no mind to the incoming stranger and lazily flipped the page to his book. He chewed on his long finished Popsicle stick while staring intently at the words he's already read a multitude of times.

The boy's ears perked up at the sound of halted footsteps approaching him. The padding ceased in front of him, he kept his eyes down. He didn't need another scolding for "staring" at the customer when he was really just patiently waiting to help.

"Bonjour, uh… excusez-moi pour vous de déranger, mais… um… est-ce que vous as… er, avez… um,"

The boy smiled at the broken French, the girl sounded American by the words she used when hesitating. It's been a while since he's had a person of his own kind in the store. He shifted his gaze to the stranger in front of him and paused.

The girl was about his age, but had a different air about her than the other French girls around. She wore a simple white sundress and strappy blue sandals. Her blonde hair was messily weaved with wild flowers, she was captivating.

She also looked completely embarrassed and stared at the ceiling, trying to remember her French terms. The boy decided to save her the effort and knowingly asked, "Est-ce que vous êtes Américaine?"

The girl's blue eyes snapped down to his with a surprised look. When their gazes met, she drank his image in briefly, before flushing and lowering her eyes to her feet.

Amused, the boy ran a hand through his hair. He smiled, this girl was cute; she even forgot to answer him. Pulling the wooden stick out of his mouth, he decided to tease her in French for just a bit more.

"Euh, Mademoiselle? Ça va?"

"Oh! Um, oui. Je suis Américaine… et ça va bien. Et toi?"

He let a chuckle escape his throat. Her grammar was definitely inconsistent, but it added to her charm.

"Mm, ça va bien aussi." A length of silence followed as the girl fidgeted uneasily in her spot while the boy merely smiled with mirth. "Votre premiere question?"

She looked back up and flushed a brighter pink. "Oh oui. Um…"

He decided she had suffered enough and offered in fluent, unaccented English, "You can ask in English, if you'd rather." The girl's bright eyes flashed to his cheeky smile and puffed out a breath of air. "You've been silently making fun of me this entire time, haven't you?"

"I couldn't help it. Vous êtes très mignonne."

Her cheeks maintained their rosy color as she tried to stutter a retort, "Well… I—"

"Mm, I'm just teasing you. What can I help you with? You asked if I had…?"

Looking slightly skeptical, the blonde crossed her arms and continued, "Asked if you had Le Petit Prince in stock."

The corner of the boy's mouth quirked up, "Why such a young children's book?"

"My little cousin out there lost her copy; she really wants a new one. If you don't have it, I'll be on my way."

The girl looked out the window at a small brown haired girl with big eyes, staring familiarly into the book store. The boy followed her gaze and was surprised to see the little girl waving at him. His face broke out in a grin and gestured for the little girl to come in. Delighted, the little girl burst through the door and threw her arms around him.

The blonde stood confused, "You know…?"

Turning around with the little girl in his lap, the boy responded, "Oui, je connais petite Marlene. She's in here all the time."

Marlene scanned the desk top and locked her sight on the boy's discarded book. She immediately released his neck, grabbed the book, and shot out of the store. She stopped by the window and looked back in, promptly sticking her tongue out at the boy.

Shaking his head, the boy waved her off, and shifted his attention back to the blonde in front of him. Looking at her confused expression, he explained, "Like I said, she's in here all the time. I've said to her 'les miens sont les tiens' so… she's taken an extra liking to my copy of Le Petit Prince."

In realization, the girl started towards the door and apologized, "I'm so sorry, I'll get it back for you right now. I don't know what's gotten into Marlene—"

Catching her arm, the boy pulled her back and replied, "Don't worry about it. She knows the book is important to me. Just… return it to me tomorrow?"

Glancing down at his hand around her arm, he immediately replaced his hand to the back of his neck.

The girl inwardly smiled. This boy was cute. Biting her lip, she took his offer, "Okay. What time tomorrow?"

"Marlene can take you to me."

Laughing lightly, she asked, "Marlene sleeps half the day away. Just give me a time?"

The boy smiled in response, "Then let her sleep. She'll lead you back to me when she's ready."

The girl tilted her head, "What's that supposed to mean? And will you at least give me your name? In case someone else is working?"

He playfully shook his head so even his hair expressed denial. "Come back tomorrow, and you'll find out."

"But how will I—"

"Call Marlene back in here. You can wait outside. I have some private business with her."

Scoffing, the blonde marched towards to door and declared, "Fine. I won't tell you my name either," then mumbled, "And maybe I won't come back tomorrow."

"Oh, you will! Et il ne faut pas que j'ai votre nom parce que je ne vous oublierais pas, c'est impossible. "

Huffing angrily, she stepped out of the shop, ready to take Marlene home when she realized the little girl sprinted back into the store with the boy. When did she…? Glancing back through the window, she saw them make mock salutes and nod agreeably. She then watched the boy lightheartedly kiss Marlene's hand before she giggled and skipped away.

While observing, she accidentally locked gazes with the boy again. His sun-bleached hair fell into his cobalt eyes. Were they always that blue? She snapped out of her daydream when the left side of his mouth quirked up and he winked at her.

The eye contact broke when Marlene tugged on her hand, ready to leave. Her other hand occupied a worn copy of Le Petit Prince.

The blonde looked back into the store to find the boy gone.

Unforgettable indeed.

A/N: Herro.

It's been a LONG while...

I've had no inspiration for the past year... and then with nothing to do in China... it all came to me in a dream :P. I will do my best to continue this story! I already have the next to chapters written and I've already planned out the ending... everything just needs to tie together now.

As you've noticed... I also typed some of the dialogue in French... working on mah skillz. loololol and because of some influence from a song which you will soon find out :).

-Caramel/xLychee

[I got some KH back into my fics too :D]

Translations:
Title (Vraiment Enchanté): Truly Enchanted
Bonjour: Hello
excusez-moi pour vous de déranger: Excuse me for bothering you (Formal)
mais… est-ce que vous as… er, avez: But, do you have...
Est-ce que vous êtes Américaine?: Are you American (Formal)
Mademoiselle? Ça va?: Miss? You okay?
Je suis Américaine… et ça va bien. Et toi?: I am American. And I'm doing well. (Informal)
ça va bien aussi: I'm doing well too.
Votre premiere question: your first question (Formal)
je connais petite Marlene:I know little Marlene.
il ne faut pas que j'ai votre nom parce que je ne vous oublierais pas, c'est impossible:It's not necessary for me to have your name because I won't forget you, it's impossible.