Matters of the Heart

Chapter 0.1

|| Madison ||

The slow, scintillating sound of Ed Sheeran's voice played through the Bookworm bookstore as I carefully placed the new teen fiction arrivals on their designated shelves in alphabetical order.
The smell of the new books brought a smile to my face. It might just be me but there's seriously something about the smell of a new hard copy book that just does it for me.

"Hey, Mads? Could you come here quick?" Asked one of my co-workers, Alison.

I put down the stack of books I was holding and then made my way over to the counter where Alison was standing with a tall boy.

"What can I do for you?" I asked her and then offered the guy a small smile.

"He's looking for a good detective novel," Alison explained to me. "I figured you're the best person for recommendations since you've read just about everything." She said that last bit with a teasing smile and I could disagree with her. Ever since I started working at the Bookworm three weeks ago, I'd poured over quite a few novels that I bought with a handy staff discount.

"Detective, you say," I looked up at the guy who was easily a head and a half taller than my 5'2 stature.

"Yeah," He nodded with a breezy smile.

Mentally sizing him up, I made the assumption that he'd want something that would keep him on his toes and in suspense and be well written.

"I think I may know one," I said and then led him over to the drama section. After grabbing the step ladder so I could reach the book I wanted, I pulled it out of the shelf and handed it to him.

"The Boyfriend," He read the title.

"I can personally vouch that its a fantastic read. It's got drama, suspense, a little bit of smuttiness but nothing too hectic but a fantastic read nonetheless," I told him.

"I'm inclined to take your word for it," He said, giving me a toothy grin that I couldn't help but return. "You plead a very convincing case."

"I try," I shrugged with another smile before leading him back to the counter.

After he had paid for his purchase, he bid me goodbye before leaving the bookstore.

"I knew there was a reason my gut was telling me to hire you before I even met you," My boss, Alexandra, said to me with a smile from where she was sitting behind the counter. "Only you could sell someone a book without them second guessing you."

"I don't mess around with what I know," I grinned back at her.

"That you don't," She chuckled and then said, "Dylan will be here in a little while so you can take off for your class. Ali and I will manage here."

"Are you sure?" I asked her.

"Of course," She nodded.

I thanked her before heading into the back to change out of the periwinkle pink polo I was required to wear and into a camisole and my USC hoodie before grabbing my bag. After saying goodbye to Alexandra and Alison, I made my way from the bookstore to my car for the short journey to campus.

I've just recently started my first year at the University of Southern California at their Annenberg School of Journalism. Even thought it's still scary for me (coming from a foreign country and still having not made any friends), I'm enjoying it. After a one week orientation, my classes had officially started last week Monday.

My major include journalism in all varieties (so that splits my schedule into creative writing, photojournalism and media studies) and I also take history and politics as minors. But despite the subjects I take, my schedule is pretty flexible for which I'm grateful.