Don't regret this

9. the library

Today is my day off and I decided to go to the library. Ever since my job in the café I didn't get any time to quietly read to my own rythm.

I live a bit far from work and the heart of Barcelone because of how expensive it is, but I can't do anything about it unless I suddenly become rich sooo.

The bus is my bestie.

I got off my bus and walked approximatively 15 minutes until getting in the library.

I wonder if they have the new story called "Don't regret this." I told B I would read that book when I have the day off 3 months ago...

She said I would like it since the male love interest is a football player but I don't know.

I went to the second floor to go into the romance category, but someone caught my eyes on my way.

My customer is here. My mysterious masked customer.

Now that I had seen him, if he sees I did as if he wasn't there, wouldn't he be offended ? I will just tell him hi and let him read.

"Hello."

He got startled by my sudden appearance. I guess he was really into that book.

"We never met outside work, did we ?"

Silence.

He is the quiet type, huh.

Well now it feels awkward.

"Are you going to the library often ?"

"Yes."

"...am I bothering you ?"

"No. I just don't know what to say."

"I see... goodbye, enjoy your book !"

He caught my hand softly. The strenght was enough to hold onto me but as so I could let go if I wanted to.

"Stay please." He muttered.

Did I hear it wrong ?

"What did you say ?"

he cleared his throat and asked me another thing instead of repeating.

"Would you like to read with me ? You and me, both of us reading our own book, but next to each other."

"If you want to read alone, you can of course. Don't feel bothered."

Reading books together ?

Isn't that every book loving girl ever wanted to do with someone ? Doesn't he know how enticing this proposal is ?

"Sure !"

I didn't want to search for that book B told me to read in the situation I am right now, so I just took the first book I saw in the shelf.

'Forget the heroes.'

I sat next to my customer and glanced at his title.

'How to stop a lie'

"Are you lying ?" I asked curiously.

"...yes."

"And you can't get out of it ?"

"I can, but revealing it may make me lose someone I care about. Lose the secret routine I created."

"Why are you going on with your lie then ?"

"Just... something about them makes me feel free. I dont wanna lose that."

"... I don't understand, is it that bad ?" What did he lie about ? To who ?

"Maybe it is, maybe it's not. I don't think it's bad, for now. But they don't know the truth. I don't know what their reaction will be. We both feel more at ease like this I think. At least I do."

"It's not bad for now, but the day it starts to hurt you, it will be too late to reveal the truth, won't it ?"

"It's not a lie, technically. It's just something I didn't say."

I don't know how to help him. Since I didn't ask anything, it got very quiet for a moment.

My customer broke the silence this time.

"I talk online with someone. We are friends but I never showed my face. I hurt myself when I was a kid and now I have scars all over me."

"It looks bad. I hate people seeing it and asking me questions so I cover myself. But because I never shared a picture of what I look like, they think I am some 50 year old man and asks to see my face. But I'm scared to show them."

So that's why he has so much things on his face all the time...

I can't believe my colleagues surnamed him the celebrity because of how much he hides his face like a k-pop idol. But it's all because he doesn't like people's staring... it breaks my heart.

"Tell them to trust you. And if they really care about this friendship, they won't break it up only because of a picture. If they do, they aren't worth your worries."

"...thank you."

" and if the friendship breaks off. I would love to be close to you." I said to cheer him up a little.

After this conversation, we both didn't feel like reading anymore. My customer stand up and gave me his hand to help me get up too, and we took the stairs to leave this place.

I will come another time.

In this library, there's a wall where you can write something. People usually put their numbers, sweet quotes or trivial things. But this time I saw something funny.

'Who's better ? Gavi or Pedri ?'

I wanted to show it to him. But he couldn't understand what I was saying since we have to be quiet in a library. He couldn't read my lips or understand what I was pointing at.

Suddenly, he leaned over and put his ear next to my lips to hear what I was saying.

My brain stopped functioning.

Every girl has that weird thing that they find so hot when guys do it, right ?

Well for me it's guys leaning to hear what I am saying.

I find that incredibly hot. I don't know why, but I do.

When my masked guy understood what I was saying. He chuckled a bit, took the marker we use to write on the wall and wrote his answer.

"Pedri is superior, signed by Gavi."