Compassion and Oblivion

Chapter Seven: Meet the Town (Part Two)

The walk to the library was short, and a little awkward at first. You could tell that Penny was feeling pretty shy, but she still made an attempt to hold a conversation with you. You told her all of the people you had met or reconnected with so far, attempting to remember everyone's names.

As you walk past Mayor Lewis' extraordinary house, Penny sighs with a longing look in her eye. "He has such a lovely home. I hope I can have a house of my own someday. I'd love to decorate for every season and have a garden full of flowers."

You smile at her, that's a respectable long term goal for an adult to have. You admire that about her.

She casts her gaze down bashfully, "Sorry, I was just dreaming out loud."

"No need to apologize," you insist. "I get it! After living in a cramped apartment for the last five years, I liked to dream about what I would do with my own house, too."

She glances at you, and her expression softens.

"Besides, what's that old guy need such a huge house for?" you ask. "Did he ever get married?"

Penny giggles. "No, he lives there by himself. Although, people have reason to believe that he's been seeing Marnie in secret."

Your jaw drops. "Really? That seems like quite the age gap."

"Seriously," Penny confirms. "But she's obviously head over heels for him. It's kind of cute, actually. I wonder if it makes them feel young again, sneaking around with each other like that."

You and Penny approach the entrance to the library. You hold the door open for her, inviting her to enter first. You don't want to be bombarded by a bunch of stranger's stares again if the library were to be busy, like Pierre's.

"Good afternoon, Penny! Back for more books already, eh?" an older man calls from behind the checkout desk. He wore a matching cobalt blue button up shirt, pants and hat, and round wire-frame glasses. He was the third person you'd met so far with a handlebar mustache, and he sported a long goatee, along with his shoulder-length, maroon hair.

"Hello, Gunther!" Penny says cheerily. She really must spend a lot of time here. "Not yet, still working on the last one."

Penny and Gunther get into an involved conversation about the series she is reading, and you decide not to interrupt by introducing yourself to him. You head off to the back of the library, where there is an aisle of bookshelves that stretches across the back wall. You figure you'll start at the back and work your way forward.

Before you get started on scouring the bookshelves for farming guides or Gardening for Dummies, you need to send a text of utmost importance to Sam.

You:

You totally have a crush on Penny.

Sam:

WHAT? No way!

You:

Wow, I can't believe you'd just lie to your best friend like that.

Sam:

Hey, Sebastian is my best friend.

You:

First off, wow, hurtful. Secondly, don't change the subject. You like her!