The Lonely Librarian

Chapter 2

"The Less Routine, the more life." -Amos Bronson Alcott

Seven a.m. The lights were on, the computer was on, but the desk was different this time. A laptop inhabited the space, a coat draped over the seat, as well as a forest green mug that read Henry Co.

Millie pulled the stack of papers from her woven bag and smacked them onto the desk next to the laptop, sending a large thud through the room. Easton appeared from around the corner with an irked look on his face.

"I see your paperwork is done," he said, not even bothering to look her in the eye.

She pulled off her knit hat, shaking the snow off of it, letting the flakes melt into the carpet and plopping down into her swivel chair before answering. "Yup." She said, popping her lips on the "p".

He eyed her with curiosity and his lips twisted into a toothless smile, but they immediately faded when he noticed the book she had pulled out of her bag.

"Romeo and Juliet?" He scoffed, "you sap."

She gasped and rolled her eyes, "What about it? I suppose you're too sophisticated for Romeo and Juliet? What's your favorite work of Shakespeare then, something I haven't heard of?" She mocked.

"Most likely," he answered truthfully, "I did minor in English at Oxford."

Her mouth dropped in shock, but then annoyance filled her. "Piss off," she spat.

He shrugged his shoulders before leaving his seat and swiftly taking the book out of her hands. "When you want to read something that you can actually appreciate, let me know." He smirked.

She huffed before returning to her laptop. She could only think of his horrifying arrogance. His arrogance along with those gorgeous pink, plump, lips. Those lips that she maybe wouldn't mind getting a taste of. He was attractive after all...

She shook her head. No absolutely not. It doesn't matter how attractive she thought he was, he could not just walk into this library and act like he owned the place. Well, maybe he could because he did own the place. But that was beside the point, he was rude and completely arrogant; she would not learn to work with him if he didn't work with her.

"Did you hear what I just said?"

She shook her head, diverting her attention to Easton balancing on a stool trying to stack a book on the top shelf.

"Sorry, come again?" Was all she could muster out.

"I asked how you ended up here," he spoke.

"At this library?" She laughed. "I could ask you the same thing."

"I asked you first," he joked.

She gulped. Her past was so embarrassing, he'd be even more rude to her. He looked at her with sad eyes, and stopped stacking the books. He climbed down the stool, and sat on his so his long legs touched his elbows. "I'm here all day, you have to tell me."

"I'm here because I'm not in college," she stuttered.

"Obviously I know that," he scoffed.

She decided not to say anymore, he had no business knowing why she was here. "That's the only reason," she shrugged.

He eyed her quizzically, but said nothing more as he returned to stacking books back onto the shelves.