Corrupted

6

"Alright..." Jaelyn said, stretching her arms out. "I have to go soon... If I stay in here any longer, the silence is going to kill me."

"That's what a library's for," Raven commented. "So, people can work."

"They don't have to constantly shush you though, it's rude."

"Then maybe you shouldn't be playing pop music out loud," Raven answered, shooting her a look.

Jaelyn returned the glare. "I didn't know my earbuds weren't connected, so excuse me."

Raven rolled her eyes. "Whatever... I'm almost done here anyway."

"Cool!" she said with a little too much enthusiasm. "Meet me at the car, alright?"

Before Raven could answer, she shot up off the chair and darted outside.

Raven let out a long sigh, looking back to her Algebra homework that rested on the library's computer in front of her...

She tapped her pencil against her notebook while reading the next problem, and scraped her lead into it, solving it.

After she boxed the solution, she went to the last problem, staring at the numbers for a moment before copying it down onto her paper.

"Library's closing in thirty minutes," a librarian commented from beside her.

Raven looked to the clock on the side of the wall...

Sure enough... it was 9:30.

"Thanks," she said back, going back down to her paper when she left and solving the last problem.

After about five minutes, she finished, closing her notebook, powering off the computer and stuffed her spiral as well as other school supplies in her backpack, standing up and starting out the door.

"Hey," a voice caught her mid-step, making her turn to find Malachi standing a couple feet away from her.

She swallowed down cold air. "Did you follow me?"

"Not really," he said, raising a copy of Othello in his hand. "Just wanted to check out this copy. I finished the first one."

His smile said otherwise... he followed her... but just needed an excuse.

"What was the first book?" she questioned, deciding to continue with the conversation.

"Romeo and Juliet," he answered.

Raven blinked. "You don't seem much of a romance guy... And not really the reading type either."

"I'll take what I can get." He smiled, though not innocently.

"Othello kills his wife," she said, smiling as she spoiled the ending.

Malachi just looked down to the book, not lashing out like she expected, but still didn't look particularly amused. "Well, that ruins it." He tossed the book onto the side table across from them.

She only shook her head.

"You want to come help me find another book?" he wondered casually.

"I can't," she answered, pointing a thumb to the doors, "Jae's waiting for me."

"Come on," he said, smile tilting. "You ruined it for me. You owe me."

She rolled her eyes. "Fine, but don't go trying to kidnap me, alright?"

He nodded. "Deal, but you have to find me a book. I don't really know what's good here. I just like old stuff."

She walked with him to the fiction section then, holding her backpack over a shoulder when her fingers traced the bindings on the shelves until she pulled one out. "Here," she said, holding a book out to him. "A Tale of Two Cities is a pretty good novel. It dates back to the 1800s. Seems like your style."