Avoiding This Fucking Childhood Friend

Chapter 8

It was in the dead of the night. Both Airis and Rajik was sitting in the resting(?)/break(?) room. Well, either one of those. Airis was reading her beloved favourite genre as usual when Rajik went over and tapped on her shoulder.

"Yes?" Airis closed the book, switching her attention to him. Rajik twiddled his fingers nervously, he lowered his head, speaking softly, "Can you choose a book for me?"

Airis tilted her head, confused. Choose a book? Well, it wasn't much anyway, it won't hurt. Airis got up from her sitting position and went over to the bookcase, browsing the books. "Hm..." She hummed, squinting her eyes as she struggled to read the titles in the dark. It wasn't in the vicinity of the moonlight so it was a bit hard to see.

And Airis couldn't turn on the light if she wanted either.

Her finger than paused on a book. She pulled it out, and read the title. It couldn't be right...?

Harry Riddle.

...?

Riddle?

She flipped open the book, feeling the nostalgia run through her once again as she read the familiar starting line. It... It was exactly the same! Harry Potter! But now... Potter changed to Riddle...?

What?

Is this some kind like alternative world or something...?

Airis pursued her lips, as she closed the book, sighing. "Ai? What's wrong?" Rajik questioned when she saw her close the book half-heartedly. He had started calling her Ris lately after she had told him the concept of nicknames.

Hearing it was some kind of thing that somehow showed you were closer, he immediately begged for Airis and him to use nicknames when calling each other. So they decided on him calling her Ai, while she calls him Rik.

"It's nothing." Airis sweeped the subject under the rug as she started searching the book case again, and pulled out another book this time.

Daylight.

...A title flashed in her mind. It couldn't be...

She opened the book and when she saw 'Belle.' Aha, an instant shut. Airis didn't hesitate closing the book in an instant. Ohh, such painful memories when she read this series 4 to 5 times because it was the only romance book in her house at that time.

Well, she realised it was a trash book after going on social media and discovering anything. Really, if she could, she would love to pummel Belle to the ground. Let's not add the facts that when she saw the live-action movie, Edward did not look as handsome as she thought and she became greatly disappointed.

If she had to be honest, the actors looked like they were on weed or something. Airis let out another defeated sigh, putting the book back.

Rajik tugged on her sleeve worriedly, seeing her shut the books she had took out twice and put them back in the bookshelf. Perhaps it was pressuring on her that she couldn't choose a suitable book for him?

Really... It was alright honestly. Even if she gave him a trashy book, he would take it earnestly and read it all over again. Anything that is given by her is a treasure in his hands, after all.

"Ai... It's okay if you can't find a book for me." He had never touched this bookshelf, Airis refused to let him to.

There was a total of 4 bookshelves in this room. He had already read all the books at the non-fiction area, there was also mystery, sci-fic novels over at some fiction area bookshelf. It was a bit too advanced for someone of his age, but Rajik still happily read it. And something when he wouldn't understand a word, he would scamper over to Airis adorably and excitedly pointed at the word and waited for her to explain.

Sometimes, he would see Airis pulled out a book next to her and she would flip through the pages for a while before explaining it to him in simple terms.

Therefore, Rajik greatly looked up to Airis. She was so... Smart! And amazing, and pretty too! That was a word he had learned in a mystery book when a guy with a name of Shulock had commented. The writing style was a bit confusing to him at first, but he eventually got used to it.

Going back the bookshelf subject, the other one bookshelves contained of romance, smut, comedy, ect.ect.

Airis could tell someone in this orphanage had very similar tastes to her, although some of the books she had found were certainly questionable, but it didn't matter anyway, they were still enjoyable to read in the end.

Now, at the bookshelf, looking at the book titles, Airis had concluded it was the kid's bookshelves. Sometimes, the caretakers would give some books to some children who didn't feel like going out and just sat down. Afraid of them getting bored, they gave them some well-known books for their age.

Such books she had spotted was Gates Tom, Heidi Heckler and the magic tree.

Thinking about those books, Airis scratched the back of her head, in a dilemma on what to give Rajik. What would he like? Does he want a specific genre?

Airis turned around to face him, " Rik, do you want like a certain book of some kind? Like anything you feel like you want to read about?" She asked.

Rajik thought about it for a while. Oh yes, a while ago, he did want to read a book on some things he had been feeling lately. His face heating up when he was close to Airis, he could also feel his heart at times, it was beating so vigorously that he felt that his heart would somehow jump out of his chest!

And when that thought appeared in his mind, out of nowhere when Airis was holding his hand, walking back to the building for lunch, he burst into tears. Airis tried to figure out what was wrong, only to be left confused and helpless when he refused to tell her and kept shaking his head repeatedly. In the end, Airis had to bring over to a caretaker. They went into another room.

And when Rajik came out, he was in a daze as the caretaker looked rather... Well, she can't really pinpoint. But his expression was in between a shock, joyful and wow expression. 

Airis beckoned Rajik over, and had saw his face turning a slight pink. But she didn't think too much of it, dragging him over to sit next to her as she gave him her bowl of food.

That day, Rajik had learned of a word. Love. Well, the caretaker said that he might have liked her.

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Didn't edit so there's grammar mistakes.
Sorry, rough week, exams and everything, I did this last minute, sorry if it's not good. I failed like uh, 3 out of 5 subjects LOL. Im probably gonna fail the fourth one. So yea, roughhh.

Thanks for listening to my rant, thank u for reading my book! 💕💕💕