Velveteen Heart

Chapter One: Where the light lands through the colored glass

Chapter song: Wasteland, Baby! - Hozier
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Goosebumps began to form on your skin as the building's ac unit whirled to life, filling the room with a dull hum. You shuddered at the sudden discomfort, pulling your fingers into the sleeves of your brown fuzzy sweatshirt to block some of the cold air. A few other library patrons made it a point to acknowledge the shift in the atmosphere by glancing up from their books momentarily before going back to reading.

There weren't many people this late, especially on weekends, most students were either in their dorms sobering up from the night before or just getting off work. Roughly five people were individually scattered across the rows of rectangular tables opposite your own, with the exception of two freshmen harshly whispering to each other over the textbook that sat between them.

The brunette girl and the boy with a buzzcut were acting as though they've never been taught library etiquette, everything they did drew attention to themselves. From scuffling in their chairs to tearing through chapter pages, they were hard to ignore. We're they a couple? No, they were way too rowdy with each other to possibly be that intimate. Siblings maybe? The pair were more amusing than annoying, you found yourself eyeing them every so often anticipating what they'll do next. They were new.

You and the other three members had unofficially established yourselves as a bookclub of sorts, during the week each you all would arrive and sit in your silently designated seats apart from each other. The assemblies first began over the course of syllabus week, and were purely coincidental. Perhaps what drew you all together was a shared appreciation for the building's interior aesthetic.

    The main room contained rows of rectangular desks surrounded by tall dark wooden bookshelves that gave the wide space a cozy feeling. This was paired with a number of large arcing windows stationed on both sides of the room, that provided the light moving through them with an amber hue. Along the back wall was an open ended entryway that led to a smaller seating center kept divided from the rest of the establishment by bookshelves. Though secluded, it was large enough for a number of people to lounge inside without being perceived as a unit. This perfectly suited the little arrangement between you and the others.

The first one to start showing up was Hitch. The two of you had interacted a handful of times, but not enough to be friends. You and her would sometimes exchange glances of confusion at the questionable teaching methods of professor Erwin and would give each other small waves in the university's halls. She was funny and nice enough so it wouldn't hurt to try to become close to her.

Next was a lean man with brown eyes and dark hair. He always had a stack of books at his table that covered a range of topics. Sometimes on your way over to your seat you would peer over his shoulder to see them in mysterious languages. Though the two of you never spoke you had an admiration for his disciplined academic nature.

The blonde was last. He was the only one who wasn't consistent in the seating arrangement.
Each week he managed to slowly creep a desk closer to the colored glass window that was behind you. You and him didn't know each other well at all, the only thing you knew was that you lived in the same coed dorm: Maria.

   Blue eyes darted to meet yours as you realized you caught yourself unintentionally staring. The boy offered you a subtle smile, causing your ears to go hot.

" M-my bad. " You give him an apologetic glance. He provides you with an aloof nod before returning to his book.

Hitch chortled across the room from your awkwardness, you leered at her in response. The twelve rectangular tables were spit into two rows, positioning Hitch in the middle left row adjacent from you. She began gathering her textbooks slowly putting the in her grey sports backpack. Through the establishment was open til midnight, most students left in the early evening on school night.