Maybe in another lifetime

Chapter Two

I grab my house keys as we both make our way out the door. "Where are we going?", he asks. I don't even know, is what I don't tell him.

I decide we should go to the public library, since that's the place I go to the most, until I figure out what to visit next.

~

H

e makes a hand movement, in a way of saying 'after you' and I can't help but visibly blush.

"I figured, because you love books, we should visit the public library", I suggest, having to look up at him to meet his gaze.

"You actually do know a lot about me".

"Well- I did read the books like about eleven times so-", stuttering, I manage to mutter a few words out of my mouth as I feel my cheeks heat up from embarrassement.

He just looks down at me and smiles warmly.

Trying to avoid the awkwardness, I speed up my pace and greet the lady at the check out, as we both make our way to the shelves in the fantasy section.

Even though I have a whole library in my house, I still visit the public library almost daily - it gives me peace.

"What else do you know about me?", he asks, looking through the shelves.

Everything. Is what I don't tell him. I definitely don't want to sound like a creep.

"Considering I read the book eleven times, I'd say a lot", I let out a soft chuckle.

"And you never got bored of it?"

"Not really", I shrug.

"What makes you read the book over and over again?", he's now looking directly into my eyes. I avoid the eye contact that would have definitely made me become as red as a tomato, if I hadn't looked away.

You, is what I think but I can't say that.
I like the way It's written, is what I do tell him.

While he studies the multiple covers of the books, I just keep following him around, until I see the book that I have at home - it was a romance novel.

I try to grab the book from the shelf, but what I don't realize is that he also tends to grab it, until our hands meet. We both almost imediately back our hands away. "Sorry", he says and offers me the book. I gently smile trying not to make it too obvious that I'm blushing.

~

We both got ice creams now. He loves ice cream and I know that very well. I try to remember details from rhe book so I know where to go next.

"You're seventeen right, do you go to school still?", he asks, licking his ice cream.

"Yeah I do, I'm currently in my last year".

"What do you want to become?", he starts biting the cone. Oh how I wish to be that cone. I quickly shake the weird thought away as I turn my attention back to him talking.

"I don't know", I sigh with a shrug.

"You have to have at least something in your mind".

"Realistically, I want to become a doctor", I say.

"Unrealistically?", he tilts his head, his face full of curiosity.

"An author".

"Why is that unrealistic?"

"My parents", I shrug. "They want me to become a doctor. They say I can't find future in writing".

"You should be able to do what you like, not what your parents want".

I just blankly stare in front of me, not knowing how to respond to that. A part of me agrees with him. I know that I should be able to follow my dream. Not my parents' dream. But reality soon hits me like a wave of sadness.
It's not as easy as it sounds. Telling your parents you want to write for your future career.

"Let's go that way", I point to the park with my finger as I change the direction of our conversation.

~

We're walking through the park, now blossoming with pink and white flowers. We've already been talking all day long and getting to know each other. Or at least him getting to know me.

I wander my own thoughts; If you told me a few weeks ago, that I'd now be walking next to Charles Winston, my favourite book character in the whole entire universe, I would have laughed in your face.

"Are you hungry?", I ask, hoping he says yes, because I'm starving.

"Yes kind of".

"Want to go get some food down the street?"

"Actually, could we go to your house?", he asks, "I could cook us something". He says with the sweetest smile.

One thing I know for sure, is that he is the best cook of his family - according to the book.
"Of course", I return the smile.

"I like your smile". I'm now blushing way too much, too stunned to speak.

I'm not really used to people complimenting me, excluding my mom. I turn my head away so he doesn't notice how red I've gotten.

"Let's go", I say, avoiding any more eye contact.