A Library Romance

Chapter 7: The Party

Eating with Lily became a common routine, and the days seemed to fly by until it was Halloween. When I texted and asked for her address, she told me to pick her up at the library, which just made me like her more. Typical Lily, always at the library. You'd think she lives there.

She tells me to pull up by the staff entrance, so I follow her directions and wait for her to come out. I see the door open a slight crack, and Lily peeks her head out, cat ears bobbing. I wave at her to beckon her out of hiding. She stays there for a moment and reluctantly steps out.

She looks as stunning as she did when she tried the outfit on at the thrift store, but this time she's added to the look with rosy cheeks, cat whiskers and a nose, as well as some other cat face features I could never draw. To only draw stick figures but be that good at makeup is quite impressive. She wasn't kidding about being the stage makeup master. She's got a small bag in her hand, and tosses it inside the car before getting in.

"That's the rest of the makeup. Pull over and I'll do yours," she says.

"Well, hello to you too," I joke. I find an empty parking spot on the public side of the lot, and as soon as I've put the car in park, she's grabbing my face, drawing on eyeliner. It's hard not to feel flustered with her soft hands on my skin. I hope I'm not clammy. She puts on concealer to make my face appear much paler, then adds the emo boy style of eyeliner, some fake scars, and highlights that are apparently supposed to make me look angrier.

"So tell me about this friend that's hosting the party," she says as I turn on the radio. This is new. She rarely wants to talk during car rides. I turn the radio down a bit. "Her name is Marcy. She's super over-the-top, just so you know, but I already talked to her about you so her and my other friends already know what to expect," I tell her. She nods, biting her lower lip.

"Is there going to be drugs and alcohol?" Lily asks. I shrug.

"Yeah, most likely. They like to get wild on holidays. Why?" I ask. Lily shrugs back at me.

"I dunno, just wondering. Not that I want anything. I've seen how that can change people. Just don't drink too much. I expect you to be my ride home," she says. I smile a bit and ruffle her hair a bit without messing up the cat ears.

"What, you don't trust me? I'll be with you the whole time, and I'd never drink more than, like, one drink. I'm not a huge alcohol fan, but Marcy's punch is pretty good," I tell her. She frowns a bit.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to make it sound like I didn't trust you. I'm just nervous, I don't really do this," Lily says.

"I know. But I really think it'll be good. You spend a lot of time in the library, you need to get out a little more," I say.

"I guess so. But if I get too anxious we'll leave, right?" she asks. I nod.

"That was the deal, and I'm a man of my word. I don't want you to feel uncomfortable. I just want you to meet new people, even if you hardly talk or don't talk at all. Plus, you look just as great in that costume as you did at the store," I say. She blushes, shoving my arm slightly.

"Whatever. Flattery will get you nowhere with me," she says. I smirk at her as we pull into the closest available spot on the street. Marcy's driveway was already full.

"Oh, really?" I ask. "Then what will?"

She leans in close like she's going to kiss me, only to reach over and move a strand of my hair out of my face.

"Guess you'll have to find out," she says. Just hearing those words come out of her mouth, despite them being quiet and almost inaudible, has to be the most attractive thing she's done so far. So shy, yet now she can flirt? She confuses me, that's for sure. Maybe it's just her real self shining through now that she's finally let her guard down. Why she did it for me specifically, I'll never be able to understand, but I'm happy.