𝙨𝙖𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙣'𝙨 𝙨𝙪𝙣

𝒕𝒘𝒆𝒍𝒗𝒆

Saturn
• • •

It was a dismal Saturday when Calvin finally returned. His exterior matched the weather. Dark, dismal, with a clouded expression.

Outside of the old rounded windows of the bookshop, I watched as rain formed puddles across the stone pathway. It was a grim day, and it matched my grim state of mind. I did not have any company this afternoon. Zaire had worked the morning shift today, while I'd allowed Alice a day off after all of her training during the week.

When I saw Calvin depart the four o'clock bus, I grinned. Not only because I was happy to see him, but because I had the pleasure of watching him jog through the rain. When he reached the shop door, his dark curls were matted to his forehead. I gave him a welcoming smile. He did not bother to acknowledge my presence, but merely stormed into the backroom of the shop.

Disappointment swarmed my chest. I had finally accepted the fact that I wanted Calvin to return, but he clearly was not eager to see me. I wasn't sure what I'd expected. Perhaps a small hello at the very least. Or maybe for him to say something along the lines of, "Thank you for taking care of my shop while I abandoned you for a week." I let out a sigh, then returned to my window watching.

When Calvin emerged from the back room at last, he wore new, dry clothing. I could tell he had made an attempt to return the life to his curls, with little success. His expression had morphed from agitated to neutral, so I thought it safe to speak.

"How was your trip?" I asked softly.

Calvin looked away from me, shaking his head slightly. "Lovely," he muttered. He paced the shelves, searching for any damage I may have caused in the past week. When he stumbled upon Alice's cart of books, he paused.

"Who's Alice?" he asked softly.

"A friend of mine," I replied. I couldn't bring myself to make his dismal mood even worse, nor did I feel like receiving a lecture after being overworked all week.

Calvin proceeded without another word. He sat down at his desk and closed his eyes for a moment. I wondered what was running through his mind. He pulled his computer closer to him, and began his work. I assumed he had plenty to catch up on.

What if Calvin really was a vampire? His eyes appeared to be sunken in slightly, with deep bags beneath them. He looked otherworldly. I wondered if I followed him home and peered through his window if I might see the coffin where he slept. Perhaps that was too stereotypical; he may have resembled the modern notion of a vampire who fed on animals and did not sleep at all.

As I watched him, he glanced up at me and met my gaze. "You may leave," he said, remaining expressionless. I nodded, then turned and left the shop.

For some warped reason, I felt disappointed. Calvin's return had been severely underwhelming. I expected him to be grateful for my dedication to the shop, at the very least. Or perhaps for him to ask me what he had missed in this week's Literature lectures. But no, Calvin was even more irritable than before his departure.

When the bus arrived at my stop, I hesitated at the exit. The clouds were as purple as Nova's eyes. I would need to run to my dorm if I wanted to escape the coming storm, but I did not. Instead, as the rain began to fall and the clouds changed from purple to black, I walked. I heard once that you get more wet running through the rain rather than walking. Whether this was true or not, I still chose the latter.

In the safety of my dorm, I shed a single tear. Was it even worth working at the shop anymore? Half the time Calvin didn't show up, and the other half of the time he was an ill-tempered, stuck-up, prick. I considered sending him a frustrated text message, but thought the better of it. I couldn't bear to move any further onto his bad side. I may not have enjoyed my job anymore, but I certainly did not wish for Calvin to fire me.