CLOSER | H.S.

07.

Scarlet's pov.

"You made me scream, but then I made you cry."

Ed Sheeran — Little Bird

-

"This is so boring, V", Lara stated as we sat together in the public library, being shushed by other readers that were among us.

It hasn't even been two weeks since we started to spend our afternoons here and she's already giving up. I knew this would happen sooner or later.

"I quit, fuck this", she slammed the thick book between her hands shut.

"Are you sure it's not just the book? Maybe if you pick another one-"

"I've been through three books that I couldn't not fall asleep after the first chapter. Let's face it, I'll be happier if I accept the fact that I wasn't born for reading", she got up, making her chair squeak and people look at us killing her with their eyes.

Me, on the contrary, found everything interesting. I've been reading a book for a while and now I've just started another one that was filled with conspiracy theories about the 9/11. I could just swallow that book whole 'cause that shit was mind-fucking. I wanted to stay here more.

"Wanna meet up at Starbucks?" Lara stared at me with puppy eyes. Damn.

"Uh- yeah, sure. I'll be there in twenty, let me just finish this chapter."

She left without making another sound.

I was just reading about what a physicist had said about the aircraft- that the impacts and resulting fires could not have weakened the buildings sufficiently to initiate a catastrophic collapse- when I looked at the clock and realised I was already late to meet Lara.

I swiftly placed the book into its right shelf and literally ran out of the library, making the noise of when my feet met the floor echoe in my ears, alongside car horns and tires. I felt so free running like this with a stupid smirk on my face in the middle of downtown in London. No one was looking at me, they probably saw people rushing through them everyday. But I didn't need to rush, I just wanted to.

But then the familiar green logo shone in front of me and I had to stop, resting my hands on my knees and catching my breath for a few seconds. I felt my legs and face burn, but it felt good. I love the burn.

"Fucking finally", Lara didn't bother to hide her impatience while she sat down. "I already ordered, I'm only human", she brought the cup of tea in her hands to her lips.

"Alright, wait."

I turned on my heels and got into the big line in front of me, glaring at a blank spot on the floor, getting lost in my own thoughts, still sweating and trying to catch my breath from my run.

I was looking at a pair of shoes, from a man waiting for his order. He was wearing a tuxedo. Does everybody wear tuxedo in this town?

I saw those feet turning around and my gaze curiously went to his face.

Oh.

I think I might've stopped living for a second.

"Oh, hi!" He seemed as surprised as I was. Today his hair didn't have a strand falling, it was just perfectly combed back. And his dark skin glowed in the natural light. He looks even better.

"God, hey!" I shook my head, noticing it was weird to stare at someone for several seconds after they said hello.

"How've you been?" He kissed my cheek nicely and his beard accidentaly scratched my face. I didn't mind.