Burn the light

Chapter 1

Hello, I would like to announce that English is not my first language so I apologize in advance for any mistakes that may appear in the book. 
I hope you will enjoy reading this book.

☆☆☆

If I am grateful for one thing on this Earth, it is books. The knowledge they hold, the emotions they carry, the adventures they recall.

Books are the reason I am still happy to this day. I can always find a cure in them whether it is a real one or a fictional one.

Time seems to freeze when I am surrounded by books. Maybe because they are not human beings and thus, do not hold the invention of time.

I slip my fingers through the shelves, wondering which one it would be today. Sometimes I have an idea of what I am looking for, other times I let my instinct choose for me. It never deceives me.

My attention is captured by the cover of a book and I make my way towards it.

I stand on my tiptoe to elevate myself and capture the book who kept my attention. Fingers touch mine and time seems to return.

I retract quickly my hand and try to balance myself on my feet but the sudden movement causes the opposite. I take a step back and my back collides with a strong chest.

Gosh, this is embarrassing.

I make another movement to escape. The stranger holds firmly but gently my wrist and has the amiability to take a step back. My face looks at his tanned fingers around my wrist. I free myself of the grip and he lets me do so.

"I apologize." I say quickly.

Why do I always create embarrassing moments? Poor man, I stumbled upon him and made a fool of myself.

I order my brain to forget about the encounter but it is no use. The more you want to forget something, the more you will remember it. Thus, it replays the moment in my head, making it a little bit more awkward every single time.

I know it's added to the list of embarrassing moments I have in my life which are quite a lot because I get embarrassed by everything.

A car honking at me, falling on the ground, saying a wrong answer confidently, saying a wrong answer not confidently...

"No need to apologize. I should be the one to do so."

His voice is deep. I look at him and his eyes seem to study me. It makes me feel uncomfortable, as if he can read my thoughts. He looks at my eyes as if he is trying to pierce through my soul to discover its deepest secrets. His eyes are so dark, I wonder if they are black.

His hair is also dark as well as the clothes he is wearing.

I take a step back to add more distance between us. One of his eyebrows slightly raises.

"Here." He says, handing me the book I was about to reach. "You can have it."

"No you should keep it. I can take another one."

"So do I."

"I come here often, I can ask them to order it." I say, but he is still extending his hand which holds the book.

"Please, I insist."

I take the book reluctantly.

I know how I will feel once I have purchased the book. Bad. I will keep thinking about how someone else wanted the book but I ended up being the one having it.

Sometimes I hate how I feel. But that is the way I am. I feel. Too much.

I read the title of the book that had seemed to entice me 'The Alchemist'. I wonder what it is about.