CHAPTER 2
I didn’t know what to expect at the library. Would he even be there? He might not even remember me. I mean...we seemed to be some type of friends. But are we really? I’ve only known him for a day. And I can’t stop thinking about him.
As I walked through the heat to the library the next day, I couldn’t help but wonder how I would act around him. It’s usually impossible for me to not blush around anybody. I even blush when Aaron pinches me on my arm and Josie slaps him. Well, not him – just his hand. Oh no, she couldn’t touch his precious body like that.
“What’s his name again?” Josie asked as we rounded the second block.
I groaned. “Why is it so hard for you? It’s Damon. Only Damon. Nothing else. Just Damon. It’s not like we hid in the closet together or anything.” She giggled her awww-that’s-so-cute giggle. Annoying, much? “Anyway…I don’t care if I do see him or not. He’s just some really hot guy who happened to be fun and at the library.”
“He’s probably a stalker,” Aaron announced, grabbing for Jo’s swinging hand. I sneered and looked away. It was gross when they held hands – it was just disturbing when they kissed before your eyes. Ew.
“He is not!” I protested. “He didn’t even ask my name. I had to tell him.”
“So? He’ll ask today,” he replied, shrugging. I was getting really pissed at them.
We walked in silence the rest of the way, and when we got there, they followed me in. I just rolled my eyes and went straight to the desk. The whole library is freaking huge. The recourses, history, and porn books are in the back. The teen and children fiction are right in front of them. The really, really, really small picture books are right beside the desk. The other side of the library holds the adult fiction and non-fictions. I was to remember all of that. The walls were colored a faded yellow color that actually looks really pretty in the sunlight. The floor was really boring grey hard carpet, but the walls were nice at least.
“Ah, Ms. Eich.” Mrs. Fredrick stopped scribbling, looking up at me over her glasses. “You brought friends. Again.”
I put my hands up in defense. “No, no, um…well, the man yesterday wasn’t a friend, you see. It was…a new friend I made just then.” It really was the truth all scrambled up so I said it as a lie.
She stared at the two who were probably giggling at eachother, then back at me. She looked behind me. “Let me help the one behind you first.” Bitch, I tell you!
I shoved the two to the right. The man walked up in front of us. He was tall. Not very tall, but tall enough that I couldn’t see Fredrick anymore. He set down his notebook and showed her his book.
“See, right there. It says, ‘The War of 1812 was fought in 1218.’ You totally messed up there.”
“Mr. Slade, I did not mess up. It says ‘1812’.”
He groaned. “It does freaking so!”
She took off her glasses. “Perhaps ask your little friend here, then.”
He turned around and stopped short. It was Damon, of all people. His eyebrows raised, a smile growing on his mouth. “Hey.”
I will not blush, I will not blush! I chanted in my head. “Hi.” It came out a squeak.
Well, I was excited to see him. “Sup,” Aaron said, his arms crossing over his chest. I rolled my eyes.
“Why hello there,” Josie said, looking him up and down. I wanted to be a shadow just then.
“Hi,” He said, glancing at each one of them. I was blushing. Of all the things I could’ve been doing, I was blushing. I could’ve been kissing him. I could’ve been walking away. I could’ve been introducing them to him – but I was too busy blushing. Fuck my life.
“Um, yeah. This is Josie, that’s…that’s Aaron.” I bit my lip, staring at him. I noticed Josie was staring at him too. You couldn’t see his abs (thank God for that – I hated trying my best not to look at them). He had on a blue plaid button up with a white t-shirt under it, so you couldn’t see those abs.
“Cool.” That’s all I would’ve said, too. He then turned the paper he had in his hands so I could see it. “Does that say 1218 or 1812 to you?”
I laughed, staring at it. The twelve looked like a twelve. The eighteen looked like an eighteen – but they were switched. I nodded. “1218.”
He whirled around, slamming the paper down on her desk. “Basoom!” I giggled. Fredrick looked it over one more time, and turned her back on us. I knew who I wouldn’t be going to for help.
After the two went, I grabbed a cart, getting glances from Fredrick as I steered it to the children’s books. I picked up Lady and the Tramp, a new version apparently. I mean, wasn’t that just a movie? Why do they have to put it in new versions for two year olds? Is that even necessary?
Damon started to shove books into random shelves. I stopped on a history book that was lying in totally the wrong section. It was really worn out. The spine felt like it was literally broken beneath my fingers. I flipped through it, scanning the pages as the flew by my face. I talked on and on about the Roanoke colony – how they disappeared, why they disappeared. I studied one word then – over, and over, and over again. It was a shock to me.
“You alright there?” he asked.
I nodded, closing the book and blinking. He was staring at me. I met his eyes. “I’m fine.” I forced that same smile I did the other day.
“Liar.”
I raised my eyes, chucking the book to the table beside us. “I’m a liar?”
He looked over at me, chuckling. “Obviously.” Him and that word. It could’ve been a hobby to count how many times he said that in an hour.
I sighed. We put the rest of the pile away silently until he pulled out his iPod. He offered me an ear. I hesitated. Damon’s music selection…I couldn’t think of the right genre. I preferred pop, rock, indie rock mostly.
“What-”
“Shut up and just listen to it.” He had a teasing grin on his face, but I took it anyway. When he pressed play, all I heard was loud, angry music and that buzzed my head with sudden angry emotion. I ripped it out of my ear, taking a couple steps back.
“What the hell is that crap?” I said, rubbing my ear.
He just laughed. “Screamo, metal…whichever one you prefer.” He was still grinning at me.
“What…what’s the point in that music?” I asked, trying to move my jaw so my ear felt normal again.
“I don’t know. I don’t understand how people like it, or how people hate it. Anger management people might like it.”
“Yeah, when they just assassinated their fucking world or something.” I gazed up at him again. He was mouthing something, and when I turned around, I noticed Fredrick was glaring at the both of us. Well, well.
I turned back around. He had both of the earbuds glued to his ears. I cringed. He laughed. “You know what, maybe I’ll just make you enjoy screamo music. Know it?”
I shook my head. “Nothing will help me. You can count on it.”
“Try it sometime,” he encouraged. “Try Brokencyde. Their a good band.”
“What was the shit you just deafened me with?”
“Slipknot.”
“Aaron likes them. Again, I cannot see why.”
“Why do ladies like you enjoy Miley Cyrus?”
I raised my eyebrows, playfully slapping his shoulder. “How old are you?”
“Apparently older than you.” He wiggled his eyebrows. “Obviously.” I realized something then. He knew it annoyed the hell out of me when he said that. Bastard.
“No, really. How old?”
He sighed, sliding the book into the shelf. “Seventeen. Eighteen this Sunday.”
I cocked my head. “You look older than seventeen.”
“And you look younger than twelve.” I kicked his leg, which made him drop the book on his other foot, which made me yelp with laughter, which made Fredrick stand up on her brown old lady sandals. I covered my mouth, erupting with laughter. He was also laughing, and wow – I couldn’t believe how it made me feel to see him laughing.
*~*
When I got home that night from Josie’s, I walked into the living room, plopping down on the couch beside my shirtless older brother, Holden.
“Why is it you think every day is going to be the worst, but when your actually live it, it seems like it’s just the perfect day?”
He stopped his little soldier on the TV, the pause sign showing, then fading. He looked at me. “What happened?”
I shrugged. “Nothing. It’s just…I didn’t think libraries could be so much fun.”
He laughed. “Is it that Darien guy?” I stared at him. “The one that Aaron told me about?”
I groaned. “What the hell?! Why is it a big deal that I met a guy named Damon at a library, who is really hot, funny, but definitely not someone who I want to date! Why is that so hard?!”
His face suddenly became serious. “You do remember how you were when Terrence died, right?”
I swallowed. Terrence was the last thing I wanted to think about. I just had a good day – but of course, Terrence had to come up. He had been the boyfriend after Logan – my life. We did everything together. It was only last year. After his leukemia won, I was depressed for four months. Not even Josie could get me out of my room.
It was then that made me realize.
People want me to get a boyfriend. They want me to move on. They want me to get over Terrence – to try to run away from the past.
But not even my new buddy could take the pain that still stuck in that cage since that day.
To Be Continued
I didn’t know what to expect at the library. Would he even be there? He might not even remember me. I mean...we seemed to be some type of friends. But are we really? I’ve only known him for a day. And I can’t stop thinking about him.
As I walked through the heat to the library the next day, I couldn’t help but wonder how I would act around him. It’s usually impossible for me to not blush around anybody. I even blush when Aaron pinches me on my arm and Josie slaps him. Well, not him – just his hand. Oh no, she couldn’t touch his precious body like that.
“What’s his name again?” Josie asked as we rounded the second block.
I groaned. “Why is it so hard for you? It’s Damon. Only Damon. Nothing else. Just Damon. It’s not like we hid in the closet together or anything.” She giggled her awww-that’s-so-cute giggle. Annoying, much? “Anyway…I don’t care if I do see him or not. He’s just some really hot guy who happened to be fun and at the library.”
“He’s probably a stalker,” Aaron announced, grabbing for Jo’s swinging hand. I sneered and looked away. It was gross when they held hands – it was just disturbing when they kissed before your eyes. Ew.
“He is not!” I protested. “He didn’t even ask my name. I had to tell him.”
“So? He’ll ask today,” he replied, shrugging. I was getting really pissed at them.
We walked in silence the rest of the way, and when we got there, they followed me in. I just rolled my eyes and went straight to the desk. The whole library is freaking huge. The recourses, history, and porn books are in the back. The teen and children fiction are right in front of them. The really, really, really small picture books are right beside the desk. The other side of the library holds the adult fiction and non-fictions. I was to remember all of that. The walls were colored a faded yellow color that actually looks really pretty in the sunlight. The floor was really boring grey hard carpet, but the walls were nice at least.
“Ah, Ms. Eich.” Mrs. Fredrick stopped scribbling, looking up at me over her glasses. “You brought friends. Again.”
I put my hands up in defense. “No, no, um…well, the man yesterday wasn’t a friend, you see. It was…a new friend I made just then.” It really was the truth all scrambled up so I said it as a lie.
She stared at the two who were probably giggling at eachother, then back at me. She looked behind me. “Let me help the one behind you first.” Bitch, I tell you!
I shoved the two to the right. The man walked up in front of us. He was tall. Not very tall, but tall enough that I couldn’t see Fredrick anymore. He set down his notebook and showed her his book.
“See, right there. It says, ‘The War of 1812 was fought in 1218.’ You totally messed up there.”
“Mr. Slade, I did not mess up. It says ‘1812’.”
He groaned. “It does freaking so!”
She took off her glasses. “Perhaps ask your little friend here, then.”
He turned around and stopped short. It was Damon, of all people. His eyebrows raised, a smile growing on his mouth. “Hey.”
I will not blush, I will not blush! I chanted in my head. “Hi.” It came out a squeak.
Well, I was excited to see him. “Sup,” Aaron said, his arms crossing over his chest. I rolled my eyes.
“Why hello there,” Josie said, looking him up and down. I wanted to be a shadow just then.
“Hi,” He said, glancing at each one of them. I was blushing. Of all the things I could’ve been doing, I was blushing. I could’ve been kissing him. I could’ve been walking away. I could’ve been introducing them to him – but I was too busy blushing. Fuck my life.
“Um, yeah. This is Josie, that’s…that’s Aaron.” I bit my lip, staring at him. I noticed Josie was staring at him too. You couldn’t see his abs (thank God for that – I hated trying my best not to look at them). He had on a blue plaid button up with a white t-shirt under it, so you couldn’t see those abs.
“Cool.” That’s all I would’ve said, too. He then turned the paper he had in his hands so I could see it. “Does that say 1218 or 1812 to you?”
I laughed, staring at it. The twelve looked like a twelve. The eighteen looked like an eighteen – but they were switched. I nodded. “1218.”
He whirled around, slamming the paper down on her desk. “Basoom!” I giggled. Fredrick looked it over one more time, and turned her back on us. I knew who I wouldn’t be going to for help.
After the two went, I grabbed a cart, getting glances from Fredrick as I steered it to the children’s books. I picked up Lady and the Tramp, a new version apparently. I mean, wasn’t that just a movie? Why do they have to put it in new versions for two year olds? Is that even necessary?
Damon started to shove books into random shelves. I stopped on a history book that was lying in totally the wrong section. It was really worn out. The spine felt like it was literally broken beneath my fingers. I flipped through it, scanning the pages as the flew by my face. I talked on and on about the Roanoke colony – how they disappeared, why they disappeared. I studied one word then – over, and over, and over again. It was a shock to me.
“You alright there?” he asked.
I nodded, closing the book and blinking. He was staring at me. I met his eyes. “I’m fine.” I forced that same smile I did the other day.
“Liar.”
I raised my eyes, chucking the book to the table beside us. “I’m a liar?”
He looked over at me, chuckling. “Obviously.” Him and that word. It could’ve been a hobby to count how many times he said that in an hour.
I sighed. We put the rest of the pile away silently until he pulled out his iPod. He offered me an ear. I hesitated. Damon’s music selection…I couldn’t think of the right genre. I preferred pop, rock, indie rock mostly.
“What-”
“Shut up and just listen to it.” He had a teasing grin on his face, but I took it anyway. When he pressed play, all I heard was loud, angry music and that buzzed my head with sudden angry emotion. I ripped it out of my ear, taking a couple steps back.
“What the hell is that crap?” I said, rubbing my ear.
He just laughed. “Screamo, metal…whichever one you prefer.” He was still grinning at me.
“What…what’s the point in that music?” I asked, trying to move my jaw so my ear felt normal again.
“I don’t know. I don’t understand how people like it, or how people hate it. Anger management people might like it.”
“Yeah, when they just assassinated their fucking world or something.” I gazed up at him again. He was mouthing something, and when I turned around, I noticed Fredrick was glaring at the both of us. Well, well.
I turned back around. He had both of the earbuds glued to his ears. I cringed. He laughed. “You know what, maybe I’ll just make you enjoy screamo music. Know it?”
I shook my head. “Nothing will help me. You can count on it.”
“Try it sometime,” he encouraged. “Try Brokencyde. Their a good band.”
“What was the shit you just deafened me with?”
“Slipknot.”
“Aaron likes them. Again, I cannot see why.”
“Why do ladies like you enjoy Miley Cyrus?”
I raised my eyebrows, playfully slapping his shoulder. “How old are you?”
“Apparently older than you.” He wiggled his eyebrows. “Obviously.” I realized something then. He knew it annoyed the hell out of me when he said that. Bastard.
“No, really. How old?”
He sighed, sliding the book into the shelf. “Seventeen. Eighteen this Sunday.”
I cocked my head. “You look older than seventeen.”
“And you look younger than twelve.” I kicked his leg, which made him drop the book on his other foot, which made me yelp with laughter, which made Fredrick stand up on her brown old lady sandals. I covered my mouth, erupting with laughter. He was also laughing, and wow – I couldn’t believe how it made me feel to see him laughing.
*~*
When I got home that night from Josie’s, I walked into the living room, plopping down on the couch beside my shirtless older brother, Holden.
“Why is it you think every day is going to be the worst, but when your actually live it, it seems like it’s just the perfect day?”
He stopped his little soldier on the TV, the pause sign showing, then fading. He looked at me. “What happened?”
I shrugged. “Nothing. It’s just…I didn’t think libraries could be so much fun.”
He laughed. “Is it that Darien guy?” I stared at him. “The one that Aaron told me about?”
I groaned. “What the hell?! Why is it a big deal that I met a guy named Damon at a library, who is really hot, funny, but definitely not someone who I want to date! Why is that so hard?!”
His face suddenly became serious. “You do remember how you were when Terrence died, right?”
I swallowed. Terrence was the last thing I wanted to think about. I just had a good day – but of course, Terrence had to come up. He had been the boyfriend after Logan – my life. We did everything together. It was only last year. After his leukemia won, I was depressed for four months. Not even Josie could get me out of my room.
It was then that made me realize.
People want me to get a boyfriend. They want me to move on. They want me to get over Terrence – to try to run away from the past.
But not even my new buddy could take the pain that still stuck in that cage since that day.
To Be Continued
