Scarred Hearts (Blackrock) by Elizabeth Kelly Page A

you speak Blondie?" he asks me again. "Yeah I do, B-but I-I have to" I start stammering like an idiot while pointing down the street. He looks at me like I am nuts so I just walk away again. Oh my god, what is with this guy why the heck do I keep walking away from him, besides the fact that he's hot, usually I can give as good as I get from smart mouth boys. But with him, it seems like my brain disengages my ability to speak.
    Feeling a little, no a lot flustered I walk down the street and turn into the first store I come across. As I push open the door I realize I came into one of the vintage clothing stores. "Hi welcome to Beth's" says a girl from behind the counter. I smile over at her and move through the store. I start browsing the racks at the back of the store and find a cute gypsy shirt, it is cream with an elasticated waist and short sleeves, the ribbon that runs through the top is missing giving it a look of a cone, I check the price and see its only five bucks and throw it over my shoulder and continue browsing.
    About an hour later and with a few bags from different stores I head back to my car, I am walking by a sandwich shop when I hear my name being called, I turn to look and see a girl with long brown hair waving at me, "Bailey hi" when she gets closer to me I recognize her as preppy tour guide from the college. "Hi" she says when stops in front of me. "Hi" I answer back. "Oh do you not remember me? I'm Paige, from the college" she points over her shoulder. "I remember, yes," I say. "So are you going to be starting classes on Monday?" "Yeah I decided to do the computer classes," I say. "That's great, so I see you have been doing some shopping". "Yes just getting some bits and pieces". Man this conversation is weird. "Did you pick up your books yet? I am going that way if you want to walk with me" she smiles at me looking like she is about to be murdered and I am her only hope of an escape.
    "Eh ok sure, but I don't know what books I need, I never got a list," I say to her. She just waves her hand and begins to walk to the bookstore; we walk side by side in unnerving silence. When we reach the bookstore she steps in first and I follow, the place is packed, I look around and I think every student for five states is in here. "What is going on, are they giving away the books?" I ask Paige. She laughs "No the store only got all the books yesterday, I guess there was a delay in the delivery, so all the high school and college kids are in here".
    Paige steers me over to a machine that looks an awful lot like the self-check in kiosks at the airport. We wait for about five minutes before a machine is available; as Paige steps up to the machine she asks me "So did you ever use a college course kiosk before?" "Um no, I don't even know what that is". She points to the machine in front of us "Ok so I'll do mine first and you can watch me" she says.
    Paige taps the screen; she selects BRU and then enters her college ID number. The screen changes and brings up her name and spaces to enter her class codes. It takes her a few minutes to enter all the information then she hits send. The screen opens an E-sign page and she signs her name with her finger. "All done" she chirps. "Now your turn"
    I look at the machine feeling a little dubious, Paige taps the screen for me, and I enter all my information and courses just like she did and sign the page at the end too. "So now that we have that done, lets go sit by the window". I follow her over and sit down, "So what is that for" I ask. "Oh the kiosk, basically all the information you put in pulls up your book list for the year and sends it over there" she points to a counter with about five very stressed out cashiers standing behind it. "The elves in the store room at the back pull all of your books out in one go and then you pay for them, without any stress" she explains.
    "Wow cool idea" I answer. "Yes she says and smiles". I look over at her she is grinning like she won the lotto