Rags To Royals (Royal #1: Book 1) | ✔

10

-• new friend •-

The excitement of my new life wears off sooner than I expected. With my chin resting on the window sill, I watch the river flow under the clear sky. I admire how easily it let goes of the water along with the wind, welcoming the new one just as openly. I wish it was that easy for us humans as well. Because I miss the ones I've let go of behind to turn over a new leaf. My mother, our neighbours, Janet, Mr and Mrs. Williams, my old school, and Sam.

I touch my lips absentmindedly in the memory of the kiss. A shy smile flutters to my lips and I feel my cheeks heat up. It was my first kiss and even though my half brother ruined the moment, it's still one of the best memory I have.

I decide to go to the library to get my mind off the melancholic nostalgia. Reading might not be my forte, but seeing thousands of books and hundreds of shelves makes me feel less lost. There are so many stories in there, so many characters waiting to be heard, so many endings waiting to be read. Standing among them, makes me feel alone rather than lonely. The last time I was there, my mind didn't wander off to think about futile things.

I grab my card key from the desk and close the door to my room behind me. My eyes flicker towards Ayush's room on the right. His door is shut closed. Shoving the card key in my pocket, I head in the direction of the library.

Upon reaching the huge double doors, I tap my card key on the scanner. The doors open automatically. I step in and venture deeper into the place. It's beautiful. It gives old library vibes. I think I like high ceilings more. On my way to the history section, I roll the antique globes, and also spend time trying to find my home on each one. But since England is nothing more than a badly sketched witch's hat, it is hard to locate it on the globe. India on the other hand is easily distinguishable, and so is the Rajasthan state. It makes me feels slightly sad. As though England was never my home, considering how I can't even find it on the globe as easily as I found India.

Maybe my geography is just as shit as my mathematics.

I take stairs to the floor above, walking quietly to maintain the peaceful silence in the library. My eyes drift to the boy at the table beside the railing, his head downward as he reads the book with focus.

I interlace my hands on my back and approach him slowly.

"Hey,"

Ayush lifts his head from the book, his glasses almost slipping off the bridge of his nose. He pushes them back and nods at me with a small smile. He is cute.

"Which book is this?" I ask softly.

"Macbeth," he answers.

"Oh, we had it in the ninth grade for English lit." I reminisce fondly. "I think I slept through all my lectures for that one." I eye the book on the table.

He chuckles. "Yeah, the narration is slightly boring."

"Not a fan of Shakespeare's writing style?"

He shakes his head.

"And you're still reading it?"

He motions his hand for me to take a seat. I obey wordlessly. "I want to read the books of all the hyped writers so I can judge their writing style freely."

I can't help but laugh. "That's one way to make yourself sound aware and eloquent."

He shrugs.

"So which writer do you find of your taste?"

"So far, Kazuo Ishiguro," he answers. "His The Remains of the Day is one of my favourites."

"I haven't heard of him," I trail sounding unsure.