The Street Racer's Loner

THREE

Chapter 3: Library

Ezra Rivera

It's Friday.

Unlike most kids my age, I despise weekends. While for them it meant parties and going out with your best buds, sitting at home relaxing and watching movies, all that good shit. For me it meant being cooped up in a two story house with father for three whole days without escape. Well except for that blissful 4-hour shift on Saturday afternoon.

I dreaded this day as it meant the beginning of torture.

Classes went by in a blur, a girl in my AP history class got in trouble for watching a Netflix series on her phone during class but she's a prodigy child so no matter, she was going to pass that test on Monday. On Friday afternoons and Monday afternoons I usually helped out at the library mostly assisting the librarian Mrs Matthiessen by shelving books and manning the checkout counter.

Today, I was rearranging books by authors in the non-fiction section of the library. As I was sorting out the books with the authors names that start with F; Arther Ferrell...M.I. Finley...Robin Lane Fox, I was startled by a slightly familiar voice from behind me.

"A librarian by day and a mechanic by night huh?" I chose to ignore her and continue with my work, I walked towards the trolley where the pile of books I was to shelve were and I could hear her little footsteps following me slightly hurried as if to keep up with my pace.

You'd think by my choice to ignore her previous statement that she would get the message that I don't want to talk. I stopped after reaching the trolley and grabbed a stack of books turning to go back to the shelf I was currently sorting and the person followed once more. When I stopped, they went around me and stopped in front of me.

"So Ezra how have you been?"the girl spoke again and I decided to look down only to be met with curious forest green eyes looking up at me. It was then that I realized it was Mike's niece.

Urgh not her again.

Is she stalking me?

I quickly rid myself of that ridiculous thought, why would she be stalking me. Even if she was, she wouldn't be the first.

"Fine," I replied to her question distractedly turning back to the books not bothering to return the question back. I was planning to finish up my work in good time so I could start working on my English assignment as well as my physics work. She continues to follow me and I continue to ignore her presence.

After finishing up in the non-fiction section, I move the trolley onwards to the religious section and once again her hurried footsteps trail right behind me. Now I was starting to grow irritated with her. Is she really that dense?

"I'm Rikayne by the way,"she spoke probably attempting to start a conversation. "I don't really care," I replied with indifference. "Mmhm okay, so Ezra do you come here often?" She asked and I remained silent as I went through the books in alphabetical order of authors.

A few moments of silence pass by and she speaks again, "Do you have selective muteness? Because it's a real thing, you know my cousin Priscilla suffered from it for eight whole years." Not that she needed to know but no I don't have that, I just don't like talking to people.

And for the rest of the time I did my work, she continued to follow me everywhere and every now and then she'd attempt a conversation which I would immediately shut down.

*
*

I got to the desk where my bag had been placed when I first came into the library. I was finally done with shelving and that too with an hour to spare. Since Mrs Matthiessen was at the checkout counter, I took the opportunity start on my physics homework. I took out the textbook as well as my notebook and flipped to the right page. With pen in hand I got started.