Short Stories

Chapter 10 - Remember When I Said I Liked Reading?

Chapter 10
Remember When I Said I Liked Reading?

And it's Monday. Same routine. Go to school late, classes, eat lunch on rooftop, read in study hall, avoid Dylan and Jordan after school, work my job, do homework and go to bed.

Tuesday.

Late to school, own lunch, study hall, avoid the populars, homework, job and bed.

Wednesday.

Late to school, avoid Casey, text Izzy, homework, work and sleep.

Thursday.

School. This time Dylan doesn't even try to talk to me after class. Izzy, homework, working and sleep.

Friday.

Ah. Good old Friday. Finally almost the weekend again.

Saturday. It is the weekend and I haven't seen Carmen all week so I'd thought I'd surprise her.

I walked to the Beshers house and rang the doorbell. I'd figured that I wouldn't see Jordan nor Dylan because of their own routine to go to Sherries after school. I'm usually always right at times.

This time was not that time.

Jordan answered the door. He was surprised to see me. "Emerald? Emerald! Uh...Er...Come in."

I walk past him, into their house. I instantly go on my phone and log into google docs. I type "Carmen?"onto a fresh document and hold it up to Jordan.

He reads it and understands what it means. "Yeah, she's here. You can sit down wherever and I'll get her for you."

I nod and sit down on a couch, by the stairs. Their living room used to be empty but now it looks totally different from the last time I visited. A good kind of different.

Jordan takes too long and I get bored. I make the decision of exploring some more places of their house. I walk into a hall and turn right into another hall. This goes on and on until I find myself in front of two massive doors. The doors look creepy and old. Like the kind of doors you'd see in horror movies. No sane person would push open the doors unless they had a death wish. And in the movies they always pushed the doors open.

So you know what I did?

I pushed them open too.

When I walked in I was astonished. Rows and rows of books lined every bookshelf to the top of the ceiling. This room looked like a library! It was absolutely beautiful. The room was humongous and the ceiling stretched so high up. I examined some books and they looked really old. Other books looked brand new.

Books and books and books. This was paradise for me. As much as I loved to dance, sing and draw, I loved books way more. Books were my kryptonite to Superman. My ice cream to my safe word. Books were just beautiful. Both old and new ones.

I twirl in happiness. I jump up and down and giggle to myself like a little kid but I don't care. I hit the jack pot. The mother load. The pot of gold and no one, no one will keep me from my gold. I squeal and run to a random bookshelf, hoping to find a novel to get started on.

"You must really love books."

I hear a voice that startles me. I bump into the bookshelf on accident and a book pops out of its socket and falls on my head. It bounces off my head and onto the floor. I move to pick it up but someone grabs it first. I look up to see the one and only...

Dylan Besher.

He looks at the book then hands it to me.

"Good choice."

I stare at him with my mouth hanging open.

Then my lips form into a smile and it's hard for me to not laugh at my stupidity. 'Were you here the whole time?'

He nods and his face spreads into an unstoppable grin.

'Great. That's just awkward.' I know I said I wasn't going to talk to him but... It's too late now.

"Especially for me. You didn't see me while you were twirling and I was kinda scared for my life."

If I wasn't blushing before, I am now.

"And you were hopping so much. Like a rabbit."

I laugh at that. It's true, I was hopping.

"So what're you doing here?"

'I came to see Carmen.'

"Well, she definitely isn't here."

'How would you know? She could be hiding in the shadows like you were. I swear you were spying on me.'

"You're in my house! If anyone's doing the spying it's you."

I laugh again. 'Can you walk me back to the living room? I don't wan't to get lost.'

He nods. "You can keep the book by the way. I'd think you'd like it."

He starts walking out of the library and I follow him. 'Thanks. Reading is like my superpower. Do you like reading?"

"Yeah but that was my dads library. He also loves to read. He's been collecting books since the age of twelve."

'And he won't mind if I take a book.'

"Nope. I don't think he'll notice. We have so many books already."

'Cool. I'm coming here all the time then so be prepared. I might disturb you when you're trying to relax.'

"It's fine. I only go there to read and study."

'I wish I had a library at home instead I have to work at that old library.'

"You work? At that abandoned library? On the other side of town?" He seems surprised that I work at such a low level place. I nod. "You shouldn't work there. That neighborhood is dangerous."

I regret telling him I work there now. 'It's okay. It's getting closed down anyway.'

"So you won't work there anymore?"

'No.' That was kind of a lie. The place is getting shut down next year but until next year I'm still gonna work there.

We reach the main doors of the house and see Jordan and Carmen. They look worried and I wonder how long they've been there.

"Hey guys. What's up?" Dylan asks.

Carmen glances over at us. "Emerald! There you are! Come on, I have to show you something!" She grabs my arm and drags me away. I don't get a chance to say goodbye to Dylan.