Facade

Chapter 5- Over Seventeen.

I can survive a day or two without my card. It wasn't as if it was a life or death situation, maybe my mom would kill me but... oh well? I brush my fingers along the spines of books as I walk through the aisles. Libraries are always so quiet, an unspoken place of peace where you can concentrate. They always have a calming ability, I feel myself making a small smile as I come across an age old story that my mom used to read to me as a kid, The Raven's Willow.

It was an timeless story where a family of ravens are forced to leave by others in their community, their precious possessions and their home. One of the ravens was courageous enough to stand up, to challenge their oppressors but to their dismay he was only beaten down. They could only flee, running to an old willow tree for haven. The willow was able to shroud the ravens from their tyrant and soon they were able to make a new home out of the tree, living in protection they always hid.

Now that I think about it I guess the only moral of the story was to stand down and know when you've been defeated. It was kind of depressing actually. What kind of a moral was that? I scrunch my eyebrows at the thought, I guess not all childhood memories are as great as they are thought to be.

I shove the book back into it's place and leave the aisle. No need to think about that anymore than I have to. Hana was on the other side of the library looking for a book that a last minute school project demanded. I puff up my cheeks as I scroll down the shelfs for anything interesting, The Intricacy of Life, The Horrifying Dangers of UI, and The Tragedy of Juliet.

I raise my eyebrows at the reappearance of my middle school reading book. All it taught us was the threat of Unnaturali Infirmitate, the girl of course, fell into a relationship before soul mates and she went bonkers. Ultimately in the end she killed herself supposedly in love with the man that she wasn't fated to be with. It twists your reasoning and makes you weak, makes you think all sorts of heinous things my sixth grade teacher used to say. She died in a weird way I think, drinking poison for the guy who she thought was dead. It really makes you delirious, halfwitted, and reckless. I think that was one of the main moments that made me even more afraid of Unnaturali Infirmitate.

I move away from the book as I sigh, these books were all about it, that's honestly all it was ever about. It was either science, math, or the dangers. As much as they want to drill it into our heads, we've learned about it since we were children. It's not like what we learn will just disappear out of thin air.

I take a couple of more steps to the left and I feel my arm brush someone else's. The fabric brings a tingling sensation that makes my hairs stand, I take a step back as I turn around to see a guy biting his lower lip as he intently reads his book. His hair is brown leaning a little to the dark side, his light hazel eyes move back and forth focusing on the text as he scrunches his eyebrows. What was he reading that got his full undivided attention? All the books here were practically sleep inducing.

He finally notices my staring as he stops his wandering eyes and looks up at me. I watch as he stares for a few seconds, his eyes drilling a hole in me. To my surprise his mouth turns into a grin, the corners of his mouth upright. What was he smiling about? I raise one of my eyebrows as I inch back.

"It's you." he says with a certain twinkle in his eyes that I can't quite place. It's me? Did I know him from somewhere? I rarely talk to guys.

"I think you have the wrong person." I slowly say as I shift my attention to one of the books on the shelf. Then out of the corner of my eye, he does something that I would never in a million years do, he folds the corner page he was reading. Is he crazy? If the librarians find out they would probably skin him alive. They always expect their books to be in mint condition. As he closes the book with his hand he brings it to his side, I didn't see the title but I see that the cover hiding the hardback book is in pristine condition. The same can't really be said for the actual book, it looked tattered to the extent that it looked like it was going to fall apart.

My staring is interrupted as he shifts to the right "No," he shakes his head as I turn my attention back to him, "you're the girl from the day before." He gives me a small smile as he cocks his head to the side and waits. I'm the girl from the day before? The day before I went to the Ivy Deli- was he? He must see the hint of distaste that escapes through the cracks of my pondering facial expression because his smile grows.

"Look, I'm really sorry for what I did to your apples but it was an accident. I promise I will look both ways from now on." He says as he gives me an apologetic look, I could feel him forcing an acceptance of his apology from me and I concede, nodding slightly at him. He seemed like a someone who would immediately say what was on his mind. What else did he want? As if right on cue, "Oh, I was also going to find you to return this but since you're here. already..." he says as he shuffles around his bag while putting his secretly tattered book in, taking out a card. My card.

I feel my eyes widen as I slowly reach out for it. Great so I wasn't going to die for this, at least not this time. I let out a breath of relief but stop. I'm going to have to thank this guy aren't I? I guess an apology's necessary, he did just give the card I was freaking out so much about back. He also seems like a nice guy. "I uh..." I start to say.

"No need for a thank you," he holds his hands up and grins "but what about a reward? I could use some company to explore the Pier."

I feel myself freeze up at the mention. What? Was this guy a lunatic? No, no, no, I'm not going to be sucked into Unnaturali Infirmitate. Did anyone hear this? I was going to be put under watch, my parents would be so disappointed, devastated even. I was going to go to the rehabilitation facility like Rebekah. They're going to have to move to the Lost Lands, they'll never come back from this. I can't do this to them, I can't do this to Mikael, he's never going to have any opportunities.

He probably feels the fear seeping out of my now freaking out self cause he quickly tries to calm me down. "Woah, woah, hey no worries I'm nineteen. I already met my soul mate." He quickly says as he watches me process what he says. I feel myself relax under his stare as he does too. He was incapable of Unnaturali Infirmitate, okay. I've never actually hung out with anyone over seventeen, well to be honest I never knew anyone over seventeen either so that's obviously why. I guess I could get a glimpse of what after everything was like.

"Okay, sure." I give a small squeak, though I know that he's nineteen it doesn't help the heart attack I almost had before. At least my heart rate was slowing down now.

He gives a small chuckle as he slings his backpack around his shoulder, "It's alright, I'm safe."