“Wow.”I only realize I whispered the word out loud when Leland leans hisforehead against mine and his quiet laughter tickles myskin.
“Yeah.Wow.”
Across the room,the doors open and another row of fluorescent lights flicker on.“You kids can’t be in here,” a security guard says, his voiceechoing in the large room.
Lelandstraightens, slipping his hand into mine. “Sorry. We were justleaving.”
We put our coatson as we head back through the school to the front doors. Thesecurity guard’s heavy footsteps ring out as he trails behind us,likely following to ensure we actually leave.
Leland makes astrange, choked sound, and I side-eye him. His shoulders arevibrating as he unsuccessfully holds back laughter. “He called us‘kids’,” he whispers.
“Seemsfitting,” I say around a giggle.
“Tonight wasn’t so bad, was it? Being back here?”
“No.Not so bad at all.” In fact, I think I made a new favorite memorytonight at Bellevue Secondary School, something I never thought I’dever want, let alone have a chance to do. It doesn’t erase thethings that happened here all those years ago, but I don’t need todwell on the past. Especially when the present and future look sobright. Confusing, but bright.
“Shouldwe continue to do the immature thing and not talk about what may ormay not be happening between us?” I ask.
“Wejust did something for Teenage Stella and Leland, so why not leavethe hard decisions for Future Stella and Leland?” he suggests. “Atleast until the reunion.”
Iscontinuing on this path and blurring the lines between fake andreal the smart thing to do? Probably not. But if I only haveanother week like this with Leland, I’m going to savor everymoment. Even if it’s dangerously close to something the old hotmess Stella would do. After all, Leland did say if I was a mess, Iwashismess.
“Untilthe reunion,” I agree. “How about that movie?”
“Onemovie and all-you-can-eat candy and popcorn coming right up,”Leland says, waving over his shoulder at the security guard andleading me out into the chilly November night.
CHAPTER TWELVE
Leland:You clearly have no idea whatyou’re talking about. The salsa from Guaco Taco is way better thanthe stuff from Rex Mex.
Me:‘Better’ is subjective. It’s notthat I don’t like the salsa from Guaco, it’s that it was so hot Icouldn’t feel my face after eating it.
My phone pingsagain and, rather than the rebuttal text I’m expecting, it’s simplya meme of the Mandalorian with the words ‘This is the way’ writtenacross the top.
I laugh and shakemy head, shoving my phone into my jacket pocket. I do a double takewhen I realize I’ve walked through the entire Village with my eyeson my phone, and I’m now standing in front of FandomTown. Myreflection in the store window shows a goofy smile on my face. Inthe short time Leland has been back in my life, I’ve seen or spokento him daily. Every time my phone goes off with an incoming call ortext, I dive for it, hoping it’s him. I find myself replayingconversations we’ve had, wondering what foods he’ll surprise mewith next, and what he’ll say to make me laugh.
And Ihave absolutelynotbeen thinking about the kiss we shared the other night at thebanquet. We both got swept up in the moment and the nostalgia ofbeing back at the high school. It didn’t mean anything.
Stepping back, Ishift my focus from my reflection to the brown-paper-coveredwindows. Not much has changed since Felicity and Leland put thesheets up, but there are two new additions on the front door: asmall handwritten sign that says ‘Opening Soon!’ and an LGBTQ+ SafeSpace sticker.
With that samegoofy smile still plastered to my face, I head around to the alleythat leads to the back door of FandomTown, which is propped open aninch in preparation for my arrival. It’s only been a day since Iwas here, but things inside the store have changed. More shelveshave been erected around the perimeter of the main room, and theshelves Felicity and I had stocked with boxes of Funko Pops are nowempty.
Felicity appearsfrom the back room and gives me a tired, rueful smile. “I’ve beenoverthinking things.”
“Okay…”
“Partof me wants to replicate FandomTown in Toronto since it works sowell. That whole ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ thing, you know?But the other part of me wants to use this carte blancheopportunity to do something different. I’d still carry most of thesame stock because there’s no doubt it sells well, and I’m going toexpand the online shop too, but…”
She blows out aslow breath through pursed lips. Her eyes glaze over, as if she’spulling up a picture in her mind’s eye. “I want it to be more thanjust a store. I want to have game nights and viewing parties andmaybe even themed gatherings. I was picturing setting up tableswith rotating interactive merchandise like puzzles and Lego. Wecould put out feelers to see what our clientele are interested inand then get experts to host various workshops or seminars relatedto those topics.”
Felicity pauses long enough to suck in air, and then barrelson before I can say anything. “The store in Toronto was just that:a store. We had tons of loyal customers, and a few sponsoredevents, but we never held events of our own. I witnessed plenty ofblossoming friendships and even romances between people whorandomly struck up conversations over shared interests. That wasone of my favorite things to see, and it felt amazing knowingsomething meaningful was beginning in my little store. Iwantmorehere,though. I want this place to be a community, the way the Villageitself is a community. People meet in groups here to shop and go onrides and play games. They meet at the bookstore and Cravings andthe diner. I want people to feel like they can meet heretoo.”
Felicity’simpassioned speech has my throat tightening. I close my eyes,partly to ward off the stinging in my eyes, and partly to envisionthe possibilities of what FandomTown could be. A gathering placefor like-minded people. People who have trouble fitting inelsewhere. People who don’t have anyone in their lives whounderstand their hobbies and interests.
“Yourstore was the first one of its kind I ever visited.” I open my eyesand turn to face Felicity. “I thought I’d died and gone to nerdheaven.”
She laughs.“That’s exactly what I was going for when I opened it.”
