Wanting What I Shouldn't

Chapter 2

   The final bell for school rang and the students cheered and chatted as they bolted out the classroom doors, heading for their lockers to head home.

   I waited until everyone was gone from the Math room before I left, giving my math teacher a small smile and nod with a "Have a good rest of your day sir.", he smiled at me and said "You too," then I left.

   Lockers were being slammed shut, kids were yelling over others, people were shuffling past in the halls staring down at their phones, some were making out too.

   Why always making out?

   I ducked and slipped past the crowds of teenagers. Crinkling my nose in disgust when someone grazed me with a hand or their arm. I hate it when people touch me, it makes me uncomfortable. So social things...aren't my forte. I'm not a big peoples person.

   Finally, I made it to my locker with only a few grazes of other kids so I survived. Thank God. I quickly spun my combination on the lock and it clicked. It swung open and I gently set all my supplies in my locker then grabbed my homework and stuffed it into my backpack. Quickly zipping it up and pulling it off the hook and out of my locker. The heavy fabric of my backpack strap weighs my shoulder down when I sling it over my shoulder.

   I grabbed my phone and stuck it in my back pocket and quietly closed my locker. Turning and slipping through the crowds again, not being noticed. That's the number one thing. To not get noticed. Not bring attention to myself.

   I pushed the thick glass doors open and took a breath of fresh air as I turned to the left and started walking towards the public library.

   The public library is where I go to do homework, read, hang out, do projects, do research, and all around just be there. The library you could say is my safe haven.

   It's peaceful, calming, safe, and warm.

   The wind blew my hair into my face as I walked down the cracked sidewalk. There were cars driving up and down the road to my left quickly like they had to get away from the school or else. The trees to my left shuffled in the wind the branches groaning as they creaked and moved with the gusts of wind.

   Dogs barked as I walked past, cats meowed, birds chirped, squirrels ran. It's always the same. Each day I get up early, walk to school, sit under the oak and read during lunch, and then walk to the library after school.

   Simple and easy.

   I checked the time on my phone and nodded to myself, I was making good time. It was only 3:11 in the afternoon and school gets out at 3. About 3 more blocks and then I'll be at the library's large steps.

~~~~

   A smile crest on my face as the mansion of a library came into view. It was large, easily the size of a large bank. The inside was breathtaking as well.

   Quickly I veered off the sidewalk and walked up the green steps to the ancient library.

   I got to the big bronze front double doors and pushed the left one open just enough for me to slip in. Gently pulling the door closed quietly behind me and smiled as the cold wind faded and was met with peaceful silence.

   Shelves upon shelves were placed in rows. There wasn't a spot in this library that you could look and there wasn't at least one book sitting there.

   The tall walls were a light sage green, making the area colorful but not bright. The shelves were made of wood and layered with any book you could think of. When you walked in through the bronze double doors to the right was the librarians desk, she was a sweet old lady that I've known for years. We're good friends you could say. To my left there was an open area with round wooden tables and chairs for students who come to work on projects. Straight ahead of you was the rows and rows of shelves stocked full of books, they were crammed together and stacked up till books couldn't fit on the shelves anymore.