A Library Romance

Chapter 1: Mystery Girl

As I walk into Ansel Public Library, I am overwhelmed by the scent of coffee and worn books. While I want nothing more than to buy a hot drink to rid of the lingering chills from the outside, it's far too busy and I don't feel like waiting. Instead, I make my way to the 800's section to find some quality literature or poetry before I have to start my volunteer work. Being a scruffy-looking guy with loose jeans and flannels, you wouldn't take me as the guy to like proper literature and poetry, but I really enjoy some Ernest Hemingway or E. E. Cummings.

Being a library regular, I notice lots of things. For instance, I notice the shady secret society that congregates in the back corner by the atlases to share forbidden snacks, as well as the woman who comes in every Friday with her Chihuahua claiming it is a service animal. The woman is allowed to return or check out her books before being asked to leave.

But the most intriguing thing I've noticed because of my frequent visits is a girl of a very peculiar and mysterious nature. I see her lingering in the aisles every single time I come in to the library. I once did an experiment where I came in every day for an entire month (I've been laid off recently, but my parents are more than well-off, so I've been mooching off of them until I have the motivation to find another job. I'm not working in a fucking McDonalds.) And besides the library being closed on Sundays, she was there every single day.

She's quite a looker, with long honey-colored locks and a petite yet well-defined figure. I never got close enough to see what color her eyes are, but the creativeness in me imagines they might be alluring ocean blue, or captivating emerald green. Or, if she really has green eyes, it could be both, seeing as green-eyed folks have changes in their eye color according to the light and weather.

Now I love the library, but what kind of person would want to go there every single day? I thought that perhaps her home life could be hectic, and she needs a place to study, but that still wouldn't be a reason to come every day. Even more mysterious, she has worn the same three outfits each day that I see her. A dinosaur sweater and jeans, a floral short-sleeved dress and leggings, and a purple flannel (my favorite) and what looks like a slightly different pair of jeans. With each of these outfits she's wearing the same pair of worn-down black converse, even with the dress, which I admit looks a little funny, but in a cute way.

Mystery girl also never speaks to anyone or comes with company. She's always there before me, even when I swear I got there right as it opened, and she sits in the same lounge chair by the high school section. If it wasn't for the fact I've watched her sit in that same spot almost the entire day until the library closed, I'd think she's still in high school, but she must just like young adult novels. But anyway, no matter how hard I tried to find her after I'd left the building, she was always nowhere to be found.

And the other weird thing: Mondays through Thursdays, and either Friday or Saturday depending on the week, she would go up the elevator and disappear for four hours exactly, and the times were exactly the same. Mondays and Wednesdays she would go after she had dinner at the cafe, Tuesdays it would be first thing in the morning, Thursdays after lunch, and on the weekend it was after a slightly earlier lunch. On the days she went after dinner I wouldn't see her again by the time the library was closing up. I've never been up there, either, so I have no idea what's up there. It's not like it's forbidden. I've seen more people than just her go up there, but I don't want to weird anyone out by nosing around up there without a reason.

I probably sound creepy as it is, having so much knowledge of where this girl is at what time of the day, but I can't help myself! People seem not notice her or pay her any attention, so I'm wondering if she's a ghost.

Today, however, the tides have changed. A few days ago, I may or may not have been speeding to try to get back home to have dinner with my folks. My mom gets extremely upset when I'm late, and I had spent a little too long watching mystery girl peruse through a book of poetry. It was the first time I'd seen her looking in the 800s section, so the nosy child in me took over.