Bring Your Own Chick ✔️

6:Conversations Behind Bookcases

She Looks So Perfect by 5SOS cover by Ed Sheeran
Picture of Keenan

The next day after school, after trying for hours to come up with his own lyrics, Jesse hit a dead end and decided to go to the place that always helped him in these situations. The library.

Jesse found it easy to read about true love, understand the feelings that are being described and write a song from there. It wasn't always love though, sometimes he would write songs about death or war, or pain. Usually he could he write a song about pain on his own though.

He ignored the looks of the librarian, Ms. Olden, an old woman who's glasses were always perched at the tip of her nose and who forgot everything. He's been coming to the library more and more often for inspiration and each time he has to receive glares from the librarian herself. Jesse contemplated burning the building down to the ground a many of times.

He walked to the back of library until he found the young adult novels which he had realized described love a lot better than adult books did. He picked up a random one off the shelf and after reading the synopsis about vampires he decided to throw that one back. After stuffing the fantasy book away he searched again, finding one about fairies. Jesse grumbled and shoved that one back, not caring that he had bent the front cover a bit. He walked up and down the aisle for a book that didn't look like it had anything to do with mythical creatures. He needed something he could write about anyways and he didn't think he could sing a song about sucking some girl's blood.

"Can I help you?"

Jesse looked up at the quiet voice of a girl through the shelf of the bookcase. She stood in the other aisle, her gray slash blue eyes caught in a reflection of light. Jesse stood breathless for a little bit, captured by the beautiful orbs the girl possessed.

"Sorry," she squeaked. "I didn't mean to scare you like that."

"It's fine," he said, shaking his thoughts out of his head. "But for future reference don't try to start a conversation from behind a bookshelf. That only happens in movies and is actually frowned upon in modern society."

"Oh really," she asked, her eyes glistening under the dim light of the library fixtures. "And why is that?"

"Because you nearly made me piss my pants," he admitted.

She laughed and once again Jesse was caught up in a trance. Her laugh was so melodic, it was the exact sound that Jesse had been trying to make with his guitar. He pondered on whether or not he could record her laugh and not be seen as a creep.

"I apologize," she said, her smile hidden behind the array of books. The only thing Jesse could see of her were her eyes and wisps of blonde hair on either side of her head. "Ms. Olden sent me over here to check up on you, see if you needed anything."

"Yeah that's what she wanted you to do," he grumbled. He swore, no one in the entire town trusted him for what his father did.

"I'm sorry," she asked, completely clueless.

"Do you work here or something," he asked, trying to divert her questioning.

"I volunteer some days."

"You willingly volunteer here," Jesse asked taken back. "Doesn't Ms. Old Lady scare you? Oh I know, she offers you candy huh? I'm warning you now, don't go anywhere near her oven alright?"

The girl laughed once again, making Jesse's lips part in amazement. What was happening to him?

"No silly," she said amused, "I actually really like reading books. Don't you? Isn't that why you're here?"

"Um well kind of," he said unsure. "I'm trying to find a realistic love story that doesn't involve any mythical creatures." Before the girl could say anything, Jesse spoke again. "Don't ask why and I'm not gay just so you know."

"I never said you were. Guys can read romance novels too. I actually have a recommendation for you."

"Really," he asked shocked. He thought she was going to laugh and tell him he was being ridiculous.

"It's called Lost and Found by Ashley Hush. It's beautifully written and has a great love story."

"Hush huh," he asked, trying to find the H's on the shelf. It was right behind him so he turned and found the book easily. With a smile he turned around, book in hand and said, "I found it and oh you're gone."

Jesse's shoulders slumped as he saw the empty space in the other aisle. He looked down at the book in hand and read the synopsis. He grunted and decided to check out the book either way.

...

India came home later that night from the library, the boy from the aisle over stuck in her head. She couldn't stop thinking about the pale blue of his eyes against his pale skin and the sharp lines of his jaw that she only got a glimpse of. She was entranced by the strand of white silver hair that had fallen over his forehead. She thought she was going to get caught for staring at it for so long but he never noticed.

Everything about the boy screamed beauty, from his voice to his eyes to his rare colored hair. If India could draw more than a stick figure than she would have drawn him over and over again.

"India darling," her father called from the kitchen. "Come in here will you?"

India hung her bag up on the hook by the front door and slipped off her shoes before trotting into the kitchen, a content smile on her face. That was until she saw Keenan sitting at the counter, next to her father.

"Keenan," she asked confused but still happy. "What are you doing here?"

"India now," her father scolded. "That's not how you greet a friend."

"Sorry father," she said before she approached Keenan. "It's so good to see you twice in one day. I wasn't expecting you to come over. I would have come home sooner if I knew."

"Don't worry about it." Keenan wove a hand through the air. "I was catching up with your father anyways. He's very fun to be around."

Her father laughed musically. "Say that to the prisoners I watch over every day son."

Son? Had Keenan already began to woo her father? He must have so India sent him a sly smile.

"I'm sure you keep that prison in peak condition. You know," Keenan said thoughtfully, "I was thinking the other day about how awesome it would be to go there, you know, visit you at work, see how things are run down there."

India could barely hold down her laugh. She always knew that Keenan had a way with girls but she never knew how he did it. Now she did. From the way he was acting with her father who adored his job, she realized that Keenan must have ways of finding out the girls' interests and seeming into it like he was with her father.

"That sounds like a wonderful idea," her father said excitedly. "I can give you a personal tour if you want tomorrow evening."

"Really," Keenan asked, faking eagerness. "I would love that! If it's not a bother of course."

"Oh none at all," John said. "It would be my pleasure."

"Well as much as I would love to keep listening to your guys' conversation, I'm very hungry," India said.

"Oh yes," John said, finally remembering what food actually was. "I ate on the way home from work honey, maybe you and Keenan can go out?"

India looked at her father shocked as Keenan agreed and stood up to gather his things. John had never let India go out to dinner with Luna before. He didn't trust India in other people's cars or in public without him being present. Keenan must have been making progress.

"Okay," India said enthusiastically. She ran over to her father, kissed him on the cheek before following after Keenan to the front door.

Today kept getting better for her.

She grabbed her bag before heading out the door. When she settled into the passenger seat she asked, "You didn't drug my father did you?"

"If my charm is a drug than yes, yes I did," he said, sounding more than happy.

...
That book is completely made up by the way haha