[ONC2024] Everyone can read minds except for Ethan Langdon. And Ethan Langdon has the dumbest (and cutest!) thoughts Lukas Hoffmann has ever heard.
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Lukas Hoffman's life in Brambleburg is about as boring as you'd expect for a town where everyon...
Both stores are empty by noon. The whole area is, in fact.
Ethan has a song stuck in his head that's getting increasingly more repetitive. It's the type of song that could cause an epidemic if it catches onto too many minds. The townsfolk are avoiding him like the plague.
I can hear him now, tapping his fingers on the counter and humming in his head. Oompa, Loompa, Doompa-dee-do.
The customers have all been very upset about it. The couple who came to the record store couldn't use the listening booth, because at the background of the rock sonata they could hear Ethan's voice. Oompa, Loompa, Doompa-dee-dee.
They decided to buy it without testing and ran out of the store as fast as their legs would carry them. He's essentially a non-stop record player, and it really is the world's most annoying song.
Oompa, Loompa, Doompa-dee-da
Honestly, I can't bring myself to mind.
He paces the floor, wondering why the store is empty, and whether to come see me. I pace the floor on the other side of the wall, trying to work up the courage to go next door.
Ethan finally pops in. "Hey Lukas. Slow day huh?"
I smile. "It's empty here too."
Ethan glances around like he just noticed. "Yeah...." Aaah, his dimples! He looks so pretty when he smiles.
I stare at him, my face growing warm. I know I'm blushing because Ethan is thinking about the varying shades of pink I get, and it only makes me go even redder.
"Are you okay?" I wonder what he's blushing about...it's so cute though!
"Yeah! Um, we can close the stores for today and...go somewhere? If you want to?" I venture.
"Sure! If Isabella is okay with that, I mean." An adventure! Maybe we can go to the forest. Or that lake!
"It's fine," I assure him. "I don't think anyone will be coming by here today."
We flip the sign to 'Closed' on both doors and go outside. I don't bother locking it; people can still come and use the library if they like. Oma only locked it up earlier because dust was gathering, and the place was becoming derelict.
Ethan notices it. "Is it really safe here because it's a small town? Mr. Müller doesn't even have a lock on his front door."
"I don't think most people have locks on their doors here...I haven't really thought about it before."
"You're not scared someone will come murder you in your sleep?" he jokes.
"I'd hear them coming. I'll fend them off with my," I make a swishing motion, "lightsaber."
Ethan laughs. And wow he has the best laugh in the world. It's like wind chimes and verbenas.
We wend our way over cobblestone roads, no idea where we're headed. Ethan is starting to get hungry, but he doesn't want to sit down.
"There's a pretzel stand somewhere near here," I say. "We can grab one and walk around?"
"Yeah that sounds good. I was getting a bit hungry."
I smile. "I thought you might be."
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