5

Luckily, the rain slowly stopped when we reached a small parking lot after a few minutes, from which you could already see some shops.

Chace got out first and then pulled my door open to let me out. I gratefully stood next to the car and looked around curiously.

There weren't many people out there, probably because of the not-so-great weather, but there were a few staring intently at me. Her curious looks burned under my skin, one in particular.

Leaning against a house wall was a really interesting looking guy. His eyes were fixed on me while his blond hair hung to his shoulders. He wasn't wearing modern clothes like me and Chace, but a white linen shirt and black skinny pants. He sort of looked like someone who could win women over, but wasn't trying to.

"That's Ludwig. He stares at everyone and thinks he's something better," Chace whispered in my ear and I was finally able to take my eyes off the man. "So what do you want to eat?" he then asked me as we slowly strolled towards a small market square.

"I'd like it if you could show me where I can buy clothes first." I looked at him pleadingly and then turned curiously to Ludwig again, but he wasn't there anymore, he had simply disappeared. I stopped short, puzzled, but Chace pulled me out of my thoughts again.

"Right here in front is a shop that sells super good things and at top prices. I'll get us something to eat and then come back here.", he pointed to a shop directly in front of us and then walked across the market square to the other side .

I ran to the store and walked in excitedly and he was absolutely right. The stuff looked absolutely beautiful and was affordable. Since I was size M in everything, I bought everything that caught my eye without trying it on and then happily put the huge stack on the counter at the cash register.

Since no one came, I pressed the small bell in front of me twice and a pretty girl rushed around the corner to greet me in a friendly manner. "Welcome and sorry." She faced me with a smile and slowly drew one part after the other over the scanner.

"I've never seen you here. Newly moved here?" she asked, looking into my eyes with interest. The deep brown of her irises matched her brown hair perfectly, which she wore in a high ponytail. "Yes. You could say that.", I answered her and got my wallet out of my pocket. "That makes 365.67 then." She smiled and put everything in different sized bags.

When I paid and took the bags, she wished me a nice day and disappeared back. There probably really wasn't much going on in this village, so she had no reason to spook around the front of the store all the time.

Outside the door I waited for Chace, but there was no sign of him. Only a few children played by the fountain in the middle of the square, while older people sat in front of a small bistro and treated themselves to pizza.

"New here?" a deep voice suddenly spoke to me and made me drop the bags. "I didn't want to scare you!" Ludwig bent down in front of me and apologetically picked up the bags. "I guess it's my own fault if I'm so easily startled." I murmured to myself and gratefully accepted my bags.

"So?" he looked at me questioningly. "Yes. I guess I'm the new one here." I grinned in embarrassment, which also made him smile. His teeth were so brilliantly white that I couldn't take my eyes off them for a short while, until I pulled myself together and my stare became uncomfortable.

"Your friend will be right back. Come to the Wialtrama this evening. I would be happy to see you there." He kissed my hand goodbye and then quickly disappeared across the square. Before I could realize what had just happened, I jumped again when Chace put his hand on my shoulder.

"My God! Do you always have to upset someone like that!" I snapped at the poor man out of shock, but he just looked at me in bewilderment and then started to laugh heartily. I grinned at him in amusement and then looked down at the bag in his hand.

"The tastiest chicken in the world," he said proudly, raising an eyebrow in triumph. He had probably never left this village and boasted about his loot as if this place were the center of the galaxy.

We then strolled back to his car in silence, squeezing everything into the trunk and then making our way back.

Only when the car drove off did I turn curiously in his direction. "What's the Wialtrama?" I asked him and he looked at me confused for a moment before concentrating on the road again. "Something like a bar. Why do you want to know that?"

"Just like that. Would you like to go there with me tonight." I looked him deep in the eyes, pleading, while he kept looking at me from the street. "I'll pick you up at 10pm. But you stay with me at the store okay?" "Agreed." I grinned and slumped back in the seat. Inside I was so excited to go out, especially in your village where all the men were ridiculously good looking.

I looked out the window and pictured exactly what I would wear and how I would style my hair. Then the car came to a standstill in the cul-de-sac and we got out together.