out like a sore thumb. With every person walking past me I could almost feel their eyes on me. Like there was a red tattoo on my forehead screaming that my family h

y feet finding their way to Bookstairs

e inside these books. They did not care if you were rich and had everything your heart d

I greeted the old ma

d disturbed him from a very deep sleep, bu

hing good sir?

ry it some time,” Mister Graham said as he held up the book he was

coming in off course. The bookshop has been in Mister Graham’s hands for years and years. I don’t think the

was too fast for me. For an old man, probably in his late seventies, he was a swift moving man which some

a good man. Into fantasy… A man like that is a dreamer… You should never lose your passion to dream,” Mist

et a chance to speak again I disappeared into the isles that would

book lying around on a shelf. I wasn’t here to buy or even to read. I was just here to meet Mandy and get everything over with. Tell

ndy was lat

ng books I have ever read when she waltzed into the bo

en she saw me, leading my finger to reac

tic, tanned, and most of all she was an only child, which meant that even thou

htly, weirdly surprised that at least there were so

orts, but before that I almost made it with this really handsome lifeguard, and although he was a bit older than us he was totally hot, but with the Latino guy everything just kinda

new either. Mandy was famous for having a new boyfriend at least once a month. I personally don’t recall her being with one guy for more than a month since – ever. She

I got you this fabulous gift and I just can’t wait to give it to you, a

ut the gift, or ask her more about her holiday. There were so many top

into the chair I was occupying earlier, le

an my hand, and obviously what w

led out the little necklace with the shell hanging at the bottom.

rds on the back of the shell

Foreve

This was the perfect gift she could have given me. Something I could hold on to. A frien

uld love it!”

about the necklace that made me feel sad. Like I wasn’t worth the silver that the

as she saw my tears. She was used to me not wanting expensiv

her. This is how it will be from now on. I will always be lower tha

is it?” M

to drip over my face. I wasn’t ashamed of them. Not anymore. I now knew th

” Mandy a

own at my hands where the silver shell was being

rewed up in confusion. She really d

He had lots of debt… We ha

it out loud and it sounded even w

are you staying now?” Mandy

a while. Till my mom can

it, but she was right. It was probably fine. Like mom said; it

t school to know,” I sai

r later,” Mandy answered as she lowered herself

. When we are back on

u,” Mandy said with a massive smile. “Now let’s

Mandy was okay with everything and soon we would be back on our feet. Even if it was only in an apartment.