Darkling

38| Mine

Chapter 38: Mine (Callum's POV)

After we all had lunch, my parents and Mr. Desmond moved into the living area to talk for a while. "Callum, why don't you show Clara around?" my mom suggested. 

"Do you like to read still?" my dad asked her. 

"Oh, she still reads the same," her dad answered. 

"Show her the library. She probably doesn't remember it now, right, honey?" my mom questioned. 

Clara nodded with the same smile she's been giving my parents since she got here. 

"Come on." I grabbed her hand, pulling her with me while noticing my parents staring at our hands but choosing to ignore it. "I'll show you the library," I said, pulling her to the right and towards the giant oak doors. 

"What story were they talking about? What library incident?" she asked, looking around, her jaw slack. This place was huge. 

"Forget it. It's my story of you to keep now," I grinned, locking my hand with hers, tugging her closer. 

"Can we read?" she whispered. 

"I wonder what else we'd do in a library," I chuckled. 

"Pick whatever you'd like." 

She grabbed a copy of The Girl On The Train and I grabbed a copy of A Walk To Remember. When did we switch preferences? We both took a seat on the table sitting opposite each other and started reading in silence. 

After ten minutes or so, she looked up and found me staring at her. "What are you looking at?" she asked, closing the book and turning her attention to me. 

"You." 

She stood up, putting the book back. "Don't say things like that," she mumbled, walking around, looking at all the books on the shelves. She turned the corner and I was standing right there. It startled her a little. 

"Things like what?" I asked innocently. "There's no point keeping your thoughts in your head, I can read them," I reminded her. 

"Things that make my heart flutter," she said, walking past me, her arm intentionally brushing against mine, her hand almost holding mine but not quite. 

I grabbed her hand, pulling her back. "Did your heart flutter?" I asked. 

"No," she lied. 

I chuckled while she pulled herself out of my grasp and I let her. She strolled around the room and I trailed behind her, walking with my hands tucked away in my pockets. It's hard not to grab her or touch her constantly. 

"Do your parents know that you told me that you're a darkling?" she asked without stopping to look at me. 

"No," I answered. 

"And... do they know I like you?" She stopped walking, looking at the little carvings made into the very last shelf. It was just doodles. 

I pressed my chest against her back, standing right behind her. "No, but I'm sure they know that I like you." 

"Did you draw these?" she chuckled, tracing a doodle of a duck with her finger. 

"Yeah, as a kid," I admitted. 

She turned to look at me, leaning against the shelf. "Are you going to tell anyone else that I know?" 

"Just Wyatt." 

"And will you tell anyone that we like each other?" 

I scanned her face before shaking my head. "No."