Darkling

28| Cute

Chapter 28: Cute (Callum's POV)

We were looking around the library for the book she came here for and had been doing so for fifteen minutes but found nothing yet. 

"Is this book really here? What if someone already took it?" I asked, both of us moving to the next aisle and looking through the next shelf of books. 

"There's only one copy. The teacher said the poems were printed out for you," she huffed, scanning the shelf. She grabbed the stool, climbing on the second step, and started looking at the shelves that were too high. "What do I do if I can't find it?" she asked, trailing her finger along the books. 

"I probably still have the poems in a folder somewhere. We could look for those," I suggested, looking up at her. I leaned against the other shelf, folding my arms across my chest. 

She went on her toes, reaching on the shelf that was even higher. 

"Be careful," I warned. 

"Yeah, yeah," she mumbled, still searching for it. "Oh, is that it? No," she whined, reaching even higher. 

"Clara, be—" 

"Oh!" she gasped, the stool slipping out from under her. 

I pushed myself forward and grabbed her, steadying her on the stool. "I thought I said be careful," I huffed. 

"I thought I was, sorry," she cleared her throat and then tried again. 

"You know what, get down. I'll check." 

"No, it's fine," she said, brushing me off. 

I glanced down at the stool. It had two steps and she was standing on the second one. I shrugged, standing on the one right below hers. 

She froze when my chest brushed against her back. "What are you doing?" she asked without turning to look at me. 

"Helping," I mumbled, reaching up and starting to look for the book. 

She pulled one book out, nearly dropping it but I caught it, putting it back. "Thanks," she said softly. 

I looked around the room, trying to see if we could find the librarian and just ask her but she was nowhere to be found. Come to think of it, we didn't even see her when we got to the library. 

She huffed, retracting her arm. "I'm getting off. There's no way we can find it like this." 

I grabbed the waistband of her pants and pulled her closer. She froze again. "Just stay still for two seconds," I mumbled, reaching up higher. I found the book, my finger reaching the bottom of it. "It's right there," I huffed. "Take it." 

She went back on her toes, struggling but she pulled it out nonetheless. The books around that almost fell on her head. She squealed, covering her head and looking down but I caught the other books, putting them back in place. "You're good," I laughed, looking down at her. I stepped off the stool and she turned around, sighing in relief. 

"God, why isn't there another copy of this? Or why couldn't I just get print-outs?" she groaned, stepping down and kicking the stool away. "Stupid poems," she frowned, glaring at the cover of the book. 

I chuckled, looking at her as we walked to the front. 

"What?" She raised her brows, looking at me. 

"Nothing," I shook my head. "You're just cute, that's all." 

She abruptly stopped walking. "Huh?" 

I turned around, standing in front of her, and crouched down so I was in level with her, eye to eye. "I said, you're cute," I said slowly, tucking her hair behind her ear.