Barbara's Book of Fire

Chapter 16

The silence was comforting, and so did the gentle luster from the lights that glowed on the ever-still rows of bookshelves. Dry smell that came from the many books that wouldn't be far too off than antiques blended well and swirled along with the sweet, fluffy air that lingered afront the tips of our noses.

"P-promise me you won't tell anyone about this?" Said the timid girl, quivering.

When all I wanted was to explore the slightly abandoned corner of the history section, Filtiarn and I found a small plump girl that we recognized in a heartbeat. She didn't realize that we were there as she got too engrossed in reading, albeit it all changed minutes later.

Thus, she was begging me about something, but I am not quite sure of what precisely she begged us not to tell. Honestly, I didn't know whether I was the weird one or she was anymore...

"Um..." It was as if we were playing a game of our own. "About what exactly?"

"About this." She pointed frantically at her eyes. "The glasses! I only wear it when I'm reading; it's not like I need it all the time, really. Look-look, I'm perfectly fine even without it."

'What is up with this girl and the glasses?' I winced back at Lia's relentless words. "S-sure. I'll zip my mouth shut, so chill out already."

"Promise?" Lia stepped forward. "Promise-promise?"

"Triple promise! Not enough yet? Fil, promise her." I took her for a timid and easily clumsy girl that got easily scared on the outside. However, to our surprise, Lia had an unexpected stubborn side to her. It sure caught me by surprise.

Maybe she saw how exaggerated I acted or because she realized that she didn't have a choice. Either way, Lia finally relaxed her tensed shoulders and sighed in defeat.

"And...? What's with you and the glasses?" Lia's eyes snapped back like they had found the long-lost prey once more. 'Ugh, damn me and my mouth!'

A good three seconds passed by before her eyes dropped down gloomily.

"Ever since I was a kid, I never had any friends." Lia wiped her glasses with her beautifully embroidered handkerchief.

'What is up with the sudden narration?' I commented inside, peeking confusedly at Filtiarn.

"They always called me names like; grandma, old-girl, big-eyes, and some other stuff. All because of this." Lia held out the shabby-looking glasses in her hand.

"My parents were both scouts, and they were each other partners. I used to wait for them to go home as I read the stories in books, but one day someone came and told me both of them won't be coming home anymore. They said y parents sacrificed themselves so that the other scouts could escape and make sure to deliver their present back to their daughter. A glasses because of how much I like to read, and a handkerchief to keep it clean."

Lia was smiling, but she could not hide the sorrow beneath it. "I know it must've sounded awful. I mean, this is the last thing they left me, but here I am, hiding because I am afraid that people might bully me again because of it..."

"You know—" I called out. "Kids used to call me an abandoned kid, or lucky orphan, stuff like that. Some even went way overboard at times because I didn't look like my Pa or Ma. One day, I just had enough of it. I hated everything about myself and wanted to wreck it all, so I fought with some of the older boys in the village. Covered with mud, swollen eyes, and bruises all over my face, I went home. Thinking that, rather than when they called me lucky orphan because my face didn't resemble Pa or Ma, maybe it was better to not be recognized at all."

Lia's eyes flickered in interest as she began to study my face.

"You know what my Ma did when I got home?" I giggled when the images of that day flashed by. "She spanked me brutal a couple times and handed me to cry my eyes out to my Pa. This is when things get interesting...After that, Ma went to the bastard's house and to the rest of them, who watched the brawl. Man, Daisy Travis had remarkably delivered carnage on their home that day."