It used to be Simple | ft.Cole Sprouse

Chapter 003

Anna's Point Of View

I obviously wasn't prepared for this. I never thought I'd engage in such a big new thing. I was never keen on these new ideas, but the small ones I'd do. Maybe I'd try a different ice-cream flavour, try to listen to a different genre of music (didn't work out well), I'd try to walk different paths and roots to my house or other places. Small things. Some would work and some wouldn't but this? This wasn't me.

I took two days to make up my mind although I already knew I wouldn't want to go, only to be convinced by Francesca. She mentioned I was a chicken and would be 80 years old, sitting in my chair and finally say, 'Shit.' because it would have all passed me and I would have missed it.

I obviously didn't want that to happen, I heard so many stories of great adventures taken by people of many laughs and smiles who loved their travels and what they got out of it but me? I obviously wanted that but I didn't belong. It wasn't something I could see myself doing.

-

'I ordered all the books for this month already, so you don't have to worry about that, I have a list sorted for the next three months too. For you to do today, as starters, I thought we'd start with something easy. I got us coffee and two chairs to sit next to the computer and talk about books and your experiences, just to engage you into the work for now, and then we could look into new, popular releases that we could add for the next three months if we need to. And then, if we finish early, you could go and start tomorrow's job so it gets easier, which is actually shelving the books.' She smiled kindly, her hands neatly hovering above her left knee which rested atop her right one, a shiny bright ring on her left hand. 'Is that okay for you?' she asked politely, smiling gently and comfortingly.

I was working for a woman named Jane Borrow, who insisted I called her by her first name but It felt as if she said that but expected me to call her Mrs. Borrow anyway.

I nodded and smiled back, mostly because that's all I felt I could do at this moment. Her posh-ness kind of overtook me, overwhelmed me ever. I felt I couldn't say much because if I did, I would have disturbed this kind of posh shield she seemed to have, which I didn't want to do.

She brought the spinney chairs to the desk, (which already got me super excited because I used to spin on these every day in school as a kid) and brought the coffee and two chocolate croissants. The coffee was strong and black and when I sipped a little, it had no sugar in it, so I politely pretended to sip from it every once In a while in case she thought I was rude.

The first thing she mentioned was books, obviously, to which I scratched my neck and lied that I read a lot in school.

'What about now though?' she creased her eyebrows and took a sip from her own mug without scrunching her face, which I guessed was some kind of magic since the coffee was made of nightmares.

'I ... um, I don't really have much time.' I tried to excuse myself.

'But surely, you must have read something since you left school?' she questioned further. I felt I was failing her already.

'I left school and I straightaway thought finding a job was a, um, priority.' I said, I thought I sounded a little smart and maybe impressed her a little.

'So... you read... nothing since you left school? You have absolutely no interest in books? At all?' she seemed puzzled, maybe taken aback even. I could almost see the words coming out of her mouth before she spoke them; 'I have made a mistake, I can't employ you.'

I panicked quicker than I ever remember, trying to recite a book I read in school and insisting that I read it recently, but I couldn't remember a single title.

'No, I promise I have. I've been so busy I can even barely remember them.' I felt my palm become clammy even after I wiped them on my jeans.

'What are you on about?' asked a voice I couldn't put a finger on. I quickly turned to see a boy standing there, two books in his hands and a water bottle laying on top of them, looking down at me with the same creased expression Mrs. Borrow had. 'We read the Fault In Our Stars before we saw the movie, can't you even remember that?'

I stared at him with a nervous expression, unable to force words out of my mouth.

He turned to Mrs. Borrow, 'We went to school together and lost contact for a while but then she wanted to read The Fault In Our Stars and then watch the movie, the one thing she had time for.' He smiled to both Mrs. Borrow and me and I mentally breathed a sigh of relief before smiling myself and nodding.

'We did.' I agreed while looking at her specifically because I couldn't look at a guy who went to school with me and lied for me to keep my job but I still didn't recognise. I thanked God that he mentioned The Fault In Our Stars because that was a movie I actually watched and remembered and heard from my Fran, who's obsessed with it, that the film was really similar to the book, even though I didn't actually read the book.

'We did that a couple of times with other books and films. I myself forgot them too so I don't really blame her. She's got a really busy and complicated life.' he added. But I mentally disagreed; 'God, my life was simpler than anything.' And then I realised it might not be anymore.

-

I hope this isn't weird or confusing. If you have any comments, questions or concerns feel free to talk to me. Thanks for reading.

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