"You're kidding! I only brought in three dollars." Mike, who was sitting at a nearby table with a science fiction novel, turns to look at the red-headed girl standing at the front counter.
"Sorry, miss, but I cannot let you check out any more books until your fine is paid. You were three weeks late." The old librarian peers at her above the rim of his glasses before looking down and checking other books for their return card.
"All book lovers should understand the need to read the book twice before being able to give it up. You can't just read it once and be over. I wanted to see the details I missed after the initial read!" She threw her hands up as if she were begging the librarian to let it go.
"I would give you a warning, but according to your account, you've already had three. You have to pay the fine this time. He disappears from the counter and into the back room. The red head begins shuffling the contents in her purse. After a minute of searching, she flips the opening of the purse over and dumps it out on the counter. Mike still sits there, watching her move the contents and drop some on the floor. The librarian comes back out and slaps a hand on his head. "Young lady! What are you doing?" He walks over and motions to the mess laid out on the counter. "This is ridiculous!"
"I'm looking for your seventy-five cents. I have to have it somewhere. I need to read the third installment of the Bachelor Boyfriends. If I don't find out if Chad breaks up with Derek to be with Austin or if Derek breaks up with Chad first for Dillion, then I will go crazy!" Mike stands up, chuckling to himself while reaching in his pocket. He pulls out a handful of change and walks up to the counter.
"Here. Keep this. I hate change and hopefully you'll have some sense to have enough money next time." Mike hands the girl his pocket change while chuckling to himself about the pun he made. He quickly turns on his heel and walks back to his seat, sitting down and crossing his leg. He picks up his book and continues to read about robots taking over the world. She peers over at him. He walked away before she can say thank you.
"Well?" The librarian prompted, holding out his hand. She counted out seventy-five cents, pouring the rest into her purse, then shoveled the purse's contents off the counter and back into the bag. The librarian scanned the book, handed it to her, and said, "Due July. Thirtieth. Do not forget." He rolled his eyes before disappearing to the back again with a pile of books in hand. She began to walk towards the door to leave. She went to push it open but then paused. I guess I should thank him, she thought. Turning around, she walked over to him and stood above him.
His eyes slowly trailed from the book to her. He looked at her, an annoyed expression on his face.
"Uh, hi. I'm Sarah. Thanks for the cents. I probably won't gain any sense though." She pauses. "I'm Sarah."
"You said that already... Mike." He nods.
"Pleasure. Um... Is anyone sitting here?" Sarah was bold. Confident and bold. And Mike was attractive. She wanted to see what could happen.
"No, but I would like to finish this chapter." Mike stated. He hated being interrupted when reading, yet a library couldn't even stop the interruptions.
"I'll be quiet until then. Promise." She quickly sat down at the other end of the table. She didn't have anywhere to be tonight and she figured she could wait until he was done. Maybe she could convince him to get dinner. She stuck her nose in the book she just checked out.
Mike rolled his eyes internally. He wasn't sure what she wanted, but he did know she was starting to get annoying. First, she was loud in the library. Now, she's sitting at his table when all of the other tables around him were empty.
A hour or so bad passed when Mike closed his book, his lightsaber bookmark marking the next chapter. He stared at Sarah while she read. Her face was close to the book and her eyes intensely read each word. Cute, Mike thought before clearing his throat.
She looked up and smiled. "Sooooo..." she trailed. "What do you do Mike?"
"Oh, uh..." His hands became clammy and his mind went blank. What should he say? Kill people for a living? That's the one thing that popped into his head. "I... uh. I work for the government." Good save, Mike.
"Cool. I do too! Can't say what though. Top secret." She winked.
"Me also, uh, too. Me too." Was he serious? If he was working in a top secret government agency, she should know about it. They all knew each other. She wondered what he could be hiding that she wasn't aware of. "Are you from around here?"
"No, just moved here." That explained the accent.
"Oh. I've been here my whole life. Born and raised. Living in Virginia has its perks though. The tourist spots are beautiful and you can really learn a lot about history, if you're into that kind of stuff." She rambled. And kept rambling for a couple of minutes while Mike just looked at her with a distant gaze. She was beautiful. Her long red hair made her brown eyes pop. "And anyways, have you ever seen them?"
"American history isn't really my thing." Mike stated plainly. He held up the science fiction book and tapped it. "Action and Sci-Fi keep my interest enough"
"Hm well I'm a romance gal. Can't really relate." She held up her book and he read the title: Boys Before Boys. Sounded like a stupid book to Mike. "What if we switched. I give you a book to read and you give me one. Your favorite. And we try to change each other's minds about the genre." Sarah grinned. An excuse to see him again.
Mike thought about it for a second. He hated romance books. Romance wasn't real. Love was only sex. And that only lasts until one person gets bored. But, he could make it interesting. "Only with a consequence if one of us doesn't change their mind."
"Like what?" Sarah asks. "It's be impossible to know if you're cheating too. You could just say you don't like it to spite me."
"Whatever you want. And let's just put it on trust. I will tell the truth about liking it or not liking it if you do." Mike smirks. The truth would be the same no matter what she chose, according to the book she was currently reading. He'd get revenge for being interrupted by being involved in a simple bet.
"Okay. Loser buys the other a meal." Sarah smirks. She's get a real date out of him yet. Mike thought for a minute. She never said she had to be there when she lost. He stuck his hand out and they shook on it.
"Deal."
