Confected Castles : Of Cards and Dreams

𝓒𝓱𝓪𝓹𝓽𝓮𝓻 𝓕𝓲𝓿𝓮

She moved to the other side of the rack, where she was standing a few moments ago; where she had just broken a filled ink bottle. Where her mind was lost in the trails of the musk and mint, where she found him staring at her. Where he called her Oshobbo!! How dare he call Priyala Thakur uncivilized?

"Jerk!!" She clenched her teeth.

She was now haphazardly seizing the book from the arranged pile and slamming it back with a thud, without even reading the blurb. This man will make her crazy, for sure. Her palm gripped the brown coated book. She sensed someone gripping it from other side. She struggled to snatch the book. She now observed the adjacent book moving to other side, making a gap in between. She peeped through the gap, to see those familiar brown orbs. Those perfectly carved doe always fascinate her. She could stare at them for a day long, reading the emotions that she couldn't understand. The eyes blinked for a nanosecond and she immediately seized the book, taking it as a win opportunity.

She heard an audible sigh and sensed the figure moving straight without pausing. She was in no mood to let him take that book. After all, it was 'The Priyala Thakur' he messed up with. A victorious smile formed on her lips.

"Pagol!" She uttered to herself while chuckling, her cheeks tainting a slight pink.

Her eyes again roamed through the shelves, this time a little peacefully since she was finally contented after making him taste the bitter medicine. She raised her toes to reach the topmost book when she heard the librarian calling her.

"Miss Thakur!!"

She stumbled, but regained her balance immediately.

No more mess Priya. She mentally scolded herself.

She rushed straight towards his table, with few books in her hand. Her steps halted when she found the man with his hands in his pockets. She was closely observing him now. He was wearing the olive green shirt, styled up with creamish pants, the suspenders hanging from his upper body. His sleeves were rolled up and his palms were painted with the blots of dried ink. She stared at his muscular arms, straining under her gaze.

"Miss. Priyala!"

The voice bought her back in senses.

"Ye- Yes.." She stammered.

"Give that book to this handsome man!" The old man ordered.

She stared at the book in her hand and then at the handsome man the librarian was referring to. She stared at his face. Something on his face she couldn't decipher. His features softened when the librarian called her name, him gazing intently at her, his orbs submerging into hers.

"Actually dada, I picked it first. So it's mine for the time being. Once I am done, he can take it." She said sternly, her gaze shifting between her librarian dada and the man.

"Oh!!" The man exclaimed.

Her gaze temporarily fixed on his. Her brows creased into a v again, not understanding the meaning of Oh! Ignoring his weird look, she continued.

"I am done with my books. Will return them soon." She mocked.

She moved towards the exit after lightly pushing him by her shoulder. A victorious smile appeared on her face, which immediately vanished after seeing the gate empty.

I'll be back after some time. You can wait here or visit the town till I come. The words echoed her mind.

"Shitttt! The driver must be in town."

She sighed. Now she has to face the Oshobbo guy again. Her gaze lowered, her heart sank down. With a heavy heart, she dragged her feet back to the librarian's desk. She saw the man, still standing in the same position she left him, his face adorned with a smirk.