Guardian Angel

Chapter 19 - Melody

Daniel shifted his weight every few seconds. His eyes were scanning the words, but he didn't seem to read them. Once in a while he looked up and his eyes met Melody's.

"Can you find something?" Melody looked up from her own book. For some reason she had trouble concentrating. She was worried about tomorrow's dinner, she was worried about Max' reaction when she would come home and she somehow got the impression that Daniel wasn't as interested in the books she had given him as he should be.

"No, not really..." Daniel shook his head. He closed the third book already and he let out a loud sigh.

"Are you even reading the books?" Melody raised her eyebrows and cocked her head slightly. "I'm a pretty fast reader, but you seem to be a speed reader." She nodded at the pile of books he had already read and Daniel scratched the back of his neck.

"I'm just scanning for a couple of keywords." He swallowed, his cheeks redding while he avoided her glance.

"Which ones?" Melody stared at the boy opposing her and now he blushed even more. "Can I ask you something?" Melody closed her own book and she took a deep breath. "What's the real reason you're hanging around me all the time?"

Daniel licked his lips and he actively avoided her glance. So he indeed didn't have a friend with trouble at home. He indeed had some secret agenda.

"I just like hanging around you?" He barely looked up at her and he placed his elbows on the table. "I don't really have much friends. I thought you could use one."

"And therefore you came up with a fake reason to need my help?" Melody raised her eyebrows slightly. She wasn't sure if he was speaking the truth or was holding back because he had just met her boyfriend. She wasn't sure if she wanted to know. Up until a few months ago she had never even had a boyfriend and right now she had the sweetest boyfriend she could ever imagine. But she liked being around Daniel too. As a friend. She told herself. She liked being around Daniel as a friend.

"I had to come up with something." Daniel shrugged his shoulders. "And I didn't lie about wanting to come to the library."

"What did you want to do here at the library then?" Melody cocked her head, already accepting the fact that she probably wouldn't get much done today. Maybe she should go back to the library at the university tomorrow. And maybe she should go there without Daniel.

"I'm really interested in history, especially the history of angels and demons." Daniel looked up with a glimmer in his eyes that made her heart skip a beat. His lips curled up into a charming smile. "I'm doing research for a private project on the mythology that has been developed over the years and I was mostly wondering if anyone has ever written something about angels becoming human." He bit his lip. "It's not a common subject, since most people are more interested in becoming angels, but I like the unexplored."

Melody couldn't help smiling back at him. She had never seen this kind of passion in his eyes before and she had to admit it looked good on him. "I don't mind you reading history books while I try to get some work done." Melody shrugged her shoulders and Daniel stood up from his chair.

"Are you coming with me to get some?" He cleared his throat. "Separation anxiety, remember?" He winked and Melody shook her head.

"Why do I get the impression you're making that one up too?" She did however stand up and she grabbed her books to make sure no one else would take them from her.

"I don't." Daniel shook his head. "I really can't be too far away from you here in the library."

"Yes, sure." Melody playfully placed a hand on his back, pulling it back as soon as she realised that she was touching him. "Where is the history section? Or the mythology section? Or wherever those books stand you're more interested in than the world of the human brain when it has to deal with too much stress and worry."