CHAPTER 2
It has been two weeks since that encounter with the beautiful, mysterious man at the library. Normally, I would have long forgotten about him by now, but there was just something different about him. Something…off. It was a bit unsettling to say the least. I gathered my going-out bag and rain jacket to make my daily return to the library on yet another cold, rainy day.
It seemed like any other day in my relief, except part of me still hoped he would be there. Something unexplainable pulled for his presence again. Just once more. Part of the reason I wanted to have a conversation meant I got to be closer to him which should help me to figure out why he is having such an effect nobody has ever had on me.
Just as I lost all hope he would be back, I heard the front door open. Overly excited and anxious I bounded around the aisle to see if it was him. To my disappointment, it was one of the younger school girls dressed in her yellow rain jacket and blue rain boots returning a few books at the counter. Sighing, I shook my head laughing to myself thinking how silly I was behaving and to get my head out of the clouds. Then I heard the door open again. I told myself not to turn around but my heart began racing nervously. I didn’t hear any footsteps so I assumed it was another customer returning a book. I sat down in the beanbag fumbling through the pile of books I left on the side the other day.
“I was hoping I would find you here.” I hear a silky voice say with a slight chuckle. My tongue got caught in my throat.
“Gah! You startled me.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Well I…well you…you let’s talk about you! You didn’t show up for two weeks and now out of the blue you think you can walk up silently on me like that?” I was so flustered I couldn’t comprehend what I was saying.
“You kept track? I wasn’t here the past two weeks because…well if you must know. I was looking for you. You told me you go to the other locations to prove some point to me – which I thought your dorkiness was adorable – but you were never there. I also went out of town for a few days. But I am back now, and I thought I would try here again assuming the ‘cycle’ had passed through the other locations, considering there are only 2 others and one is quite the drive from here for a library.” It was then that he stepped into the dim lighting just enough for me to see his warm eyes staring back at mine, messy bronze hair covered in raindrops and his black jacket hung over his shoulder neatly. My heart raced. I didn’t know what to say. Instead I just forced a smile on my face and tried to giggle jokingly, but that turned out to be horrifying.
“Tehe...tehehehe!” Utterly embarrassed, I covered my mouth, face boiling red. He just looked at me, tilting his head slightly to the side confused.
“Wow, um.. ahem. I’m really sorry about that. You caught me off guard when you said you went looking for me?”
“Yes.”
“Alright,” I drug the word out in hopes he would go on but, he kept it short. “Well, if I must be honest I was lying to you. I didn’t want you to know I come here every day in case you decide to stalk me because I don’t know you. I also thought it sounded quite pathetic like I have no life by coming to the same place, at the same time, every day.”
“Why would you care what I think?” He stepped closer.
“I don’t know, maybe because I know it sounds really pathetic.” I looked down. My heart sank a little thinking about my daily life.
“Don’t you work?”
“No. I live with my aunt; she takes care of me and insists I do what I love most, which is this. I’ve thought about getting a job at the small diner two blocks from here.”
“That is a rather cute place. We should go sometime.”
“T-to see if I think it’s a good fit,” I stuttered cautiously.
“Yes, to see if you still think it would be a good fit for you.” He reached in his pocket and took out his phone.
“My, time does go by fast when I’m having a good time. I need to get going. Will I see you here tomorrow?” There was a hopeful tone in his words.
“Maybe.” I rolled my eyes. What a silly question.
“I look forward to it then.” He smiles. Just as he turned, I reached my hand out to him and unconsciously said, “Wait!”
He turned sideways to face me, listening.
“I, um… I didn’t get your name. Mine is Violet. Violet Williams.”
“That is a beautiful name. I am Victor Knight.” He smiled once more and gracefully walked away.