𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐀.ᐟ 𝗮𝗱𝗮𝗺 𝗯𝗮𝗻𝗸𝘀

the library

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chapter two: the library

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  "YES! I AM HEADING THERE RIGHT NOW." Adam rolled his eyes in annoyance. He's been on the phone now for over two hours. On the other end of the line, none other than Philip Banks.

"Alright, yep." The blonde sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose as his father continued on a rant of some sort. Adam had stopped listening five minutes into the call.

"Okay I have to go now, father. No phones are allowed in the library." Surely that was a lie. Adam just wanted this minor nightmare to end. But of course, Philip wasn't having it.

So Adam, being so desperate in the moment, came up with one way where he could finally end the call. "Pssssht- oh-father-?.... pffft I think th-the service psssht is bad here."

The blonde brought the phone from his ear and hit the speaker with his hand. "You're cutting out! Bye!"

A sigh fell from the boys' lips as he tucked his cell phone into the back pocket of his jeans.

Already so much has happened and Adam hasn't even been at Westbrook for a full 24 hours yet. He was now standing outside the library doors in the academy, exhausted since he didn't get a good nights sleep.

His new roommates kept him up all night.

Adam let out a yawn as he pushed through the frosty glass doors. Though the second he walked through them, his body brought itself from the slumbered state.

The bookshelves stacked meters high, accompanied with rolling ladders for students who needed to use books at the top. Upon that, spiraling grand staircases in all corners of the room to reach the second and third floor.

A large, stained glass roof spread over the whole room, tinting the natural light as it flowed in. Due to that, there was no need for big light fixtures, though small lights were sporadically placed on the end of bookshelf rows.

The blonde's face alleviated into awe as he glanced around, discovering every unique pattern in the room. He stepped down from the main staircase, taking in the peacefulness as much as he can before any more students arrive.

Surely this is the best place for Adam to organize all of his schoolwork for the next five months.

Every student at Westbrook Academy is required to bring curriculum from the current schools they attend. Westbrook has a building designated for schooling on its campus called 'The Den'. There, the academy offers tutors, open classrooms, a large library, and a cafe.

Adams hasn't even been to the rest of the places The Den has to offer, and yet he already put that the library was his favorite. He found himself a small table behind one of the bookshelves, secluded enough for him to focus on all the work he's got ahead of him.

The boy shrugged off his navy blue backpack, and set it on the chair next to him for easier access. He unzipped the bag and began taking out all the books he'll need for the first semester, then a folder containing all the work that needs to be done on paper.

As he lets out a content sigh, there was a sudden clang that interrupted him from his state of tranquility. "Oh for Gods-sakes!" He mumbled, bringing his hand up to his forehead.

Another, clang. A groan full of irritation escaped from his lips.

Following with an accepting sigh, he kicked himself out from his chair and made his way to investigate.

Clang.

The blonde circled around a bookshelf, still steaming with annoyance, but his eyes softened once he saw the source of the noise.

It was a girl standing over a trash can. Her face had patchy red blotches, and tension in the veins of her neck jutted out.

Adam ducked back behind the shelf, remaining to keep himself hidden. Something about the girl seemed so familiar, but he couldn't put a pin on it. He was confused, and decided to observe more. But even in his mind, he knew that this was kind of creepy.

The brunette girls' brows were lowered, eyes squinted. She was staring daggers at a pile of books, finally picking one up and shoving harshly into the can, muttering something under her breath.

Clang.

By now, Adam knew that she was pissed.

Very pissed.

He didn't know if it was better or not to just leave her alone. But then he remembered the times he acted out of rage. Mostly against hockey and his dad, though he learned to regret it. He hated himself for treating something he loved so poorly.

So clearing his throat, the blonde made himself visible. "Hey, uh, are you alright?"

The girl jumped a little as he had startled her. Her face flushed more, but this time in embarrassment. "Yeah, sorry," she glanced down, "I didn't know anyone was in here."

"No, it's alright." Adam spoke. He slowly walked up to her. "Uhm, are you sure you're fine? I just- you looked quite upset."

The brunette plastered on a small side-grin. "I mean, I could be better. But I promise you, I'm alright."

Once the boy was standing right beside her, he looked down into the trash can. There, dozens of medical books piled up. Some pages were ripped out of them, the spines broken in, and some were abused so horribly Adam couldn't figure out how.

His eyes widened slightly and he looked back at the brunette. She smiled sheepishly at him before trying to turn away.

But that's when it hit him. The medical books

"Hey," He started, earning her attention. "Sorry if this is a weird question, but you just look so familiar." The girl tilted her head slightly, narrowing her eyes. She furrowed in her brows as she too began to recognize him.

"Were you an intern at Abbot Northwestern Hospital?"

Vera's face began to beam. That's where she knew him from! "Yes," She replied nodding, "Yes! You were uh- you were the patient I used as a bed!"

"Yeah." Adam grinned. Though the expression didn't last long as his gaze dropped back down to the trash can. "Why're those in there?"

The girl rolled her eyes, folding her arms over her chest. "It's my mom. She wanted me to become a doctor but I decided to pursue hockey instead."

He was still slightly perplexed. "So, is she like- trying to plant medical books wherever you go now?"

"Oh, not just now. This has been happening for two years straight and I'm sick of it!" The rage began to boil within Vera again, but she was quick to cut herself back.

Adam's face eased from the sudden outburst, and he put a hand on her back as she sighed. "Here, let's go get some breakfast. Maybe it'll help cool you down."

Vera blinked a few times before looking up at the boy. The corners of her lips slowly went up. "I'd like that."

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