A Simple Mistake

Chapter II

Eli flipped through the pages of an old book, the sentences barely made sense to him and the book had an interesting aroma wafting from it, but he couldn't help but like the look of the old-looking language printed on the yellow parchment. Eli loved to read, but he could never find a way to access the books, no one would ever buy them for him. He places the book on the glass coffee table in front of him, it was metal with a rustic look to it, a shiny pane of glass made the middle. Eli stood up, wandering around, feeling a rare sense of serenity without anyone around him--he had almost forgotten about his day and his predicament, he had forgotten about the woman who abandoned him, the man who tried to help him and the world that had dealt him a bad hand. The serenity around him collapsed when the sound of footsteps echoed quietly in the library. Eli clutched the new book he had found, searching for a place to hide--maybe this "Amber" girl would leave him alone if he just disappeared. Eli saw a dark spot between the last bookshelf and the wall, but before he could step toward it, her shadow engulfed him when she stepped into the uncovered opening of the library, light shining bright behind her.

    Eli didn't turn around, or even give any indication that he knew she was looking at him, she hadn't said anything, but her presence was somewhat nightmarish, as if her eyes would be glowing red like they had been in Eli's mind. The smell of dusty parchment was slowly being mixed with the aroma of sweet perfume--overly processed lavender.

    "Hello?" Her voice sounded young but mature, it's inflection a hybrid of annoyance and amusement. "Do you really think I won't see you if you just stand there?"

    Eli turned his head slowly, glancing at Amber through his peripheral vision before fulling facing her, his eyes meeting hers with an astonishing amount of force.

    He looked at her for a long time, a little taken aback by her appearance. She was not the beastly gremlin he had etched into his mind. Amber was beautiful--Eli wouldn't have been surprised if she one day ended up on the cover of a beauty magazine. She wore an autumn colored shirt with some light overalls. Her light brown hair was in light curls, which formed nicely around her freckled face. Her lips were absent of lipstick and her eyes barely wore any type of makeup.

Amber looked at him with a tiny smile and a soft gaze, but within her innocent gaze was a hint of caution--Joel had told her about Eli and his sporotic behavior. She took a seat in one of the familiar library chairs--there wasn't a day she didn't meet their acquaintance. Eli was still pondering her question, unsure of the answer--half of him knew he was being an idiot, the other was certain she was blind to the unmoving. Eli relaxed himself--this was the not the man who brought him here.

"Of course not, I'm just..." Eli trailed off, no particular word coming to him mind. Amber leaned forward a bit, listening to him with full capacity.

"I get it, I was in your situation once too," She said, her smile growing a bit wider.

"I figured."

"Wow, you're a genius," she scoffed, but his face remained elusive, yet the hidden emotions were slowly pouring through the recent cracks in his persona.

She remembered what Joel had said about him, his apparent hostile behavior. "Joel's not that bad, he's just here to help." She added, hoping to wane his doubts about the doctor.

Eli looked at her, not really knowing what to say--he suddenly felt nervous, he did not account for an "Amber".

"I know," his lie translating flawlessly.

Amber stood up from the chair, walking around the library, her eyes focused on Eli, her head seemingly on a swivel. Eli felt sudden discomfort overtake his developing confidence. He didn't know anyone else was at this place, especially not someone close to his age. He placed the book utop the others on the shelf, using them as a convenient table. He looked back at the girl, who was still wandering toward him, running her hand down the spines of each book she passed. Once she reached him she grabbed the book he had discarded. She put it down on a wooden table on the end of the bookshelf.