Pucker-Up

Chapter Nine - Gaby

The library is full of silence.
To be expected, but it's a weird silence where you can still hear the aircon pumping the cool air through the large open space. Gentle rattle sounds echo from the vents up in the roof, almost like you can hear the breeze whirling around you. You can hear the staticy sound of the fluorescent lights and how there's a quiet buzz of energy. Each table you walk by which has someone sitting at it, you can most likely hear the music they are listening to through their earphones.

But the silence is disturbed with every step I take.. squeak squeak squeak squeak.
My brown coloured Converse make sounds with each step, as if I were wearing thongs with wet feet. I keep my head low, looking down to my phone to message Mathew. Thats until I hear someone clear their throat, causing me to look up and lock my eyes onto Mathew, who's already sitting at a booth waiting for me. "Oh I didn't know you were already here." I walk closer towards him and place my tote bag down on the table before taking a seat at the opposite side across from him. He places his phone into the table next to his laptop "Yeah I was just about to message you— but figured you were nearby because I could hear your shoes when you walked in here." He grins teasingly and turns his laptop in my direction so I could see the screen. "I've made a document so I'm officially up to date" There were paragraphs upon paragraphs of information which we had researched over lunch the day prior. Everything he had written down yesterday, he had now organised it all and copied it onto his computer. "Oh wow, hopefully it didn't take you long." I look at him and watch as he shakes his head with a smile. "Only an hour, got here nice and early." His focus draws back to his computer, but I'm now interested in just.. talking.

My hands take my laptop out of my bag and begin opening it, typing in my password. "I'm guessing you live on campus?" I ask as he looks back up to me and nods, dropping his voice into a low whisper. "Yeah, it's easier that way so I'm only ten minutes away from the rink. More training to fit in." I keep watching him, my eyes struggling to look away. He moves his hand up and readjusts his grey beanie, almost in a nervous matter. "Speaking of- I have a hockey game next week. It's a pretty big one and it'd be great if you'd come along." I go to speak and just smile. "I can probably make time for it. I'll get back to you about it-"
Suddenly there's a pair of hands slam down onto the desk between Mathew and I, causing us to both startle.

There stands a young guy who's wearing a hoodie and a cap, staring down to Mathew. If looks could kill... Mathew would be dead. "Ethan," Mathew greeted awkwardly, his eyes also locking onto this so called 'Ethan', not even looking back in my direction "Sorry Gaby, this is my mate, Ethan." I go to speak up and am suddenly interrupted by Ethan. "What the hell man, you didn't tell me you were suddenly the new captain of our team." He huffed angrily and removed his hands for the table, immediately getting some random person in the library shush him for talking too loud. Ethan looked back behind his shoulder like a crazy man.. then looking back to Mathew, who then spoke up again. "Hey man, are we able to talk about this after? We are just trying to catch up on some work at the moment." He answered safely and looked back to me with a nod. Ethan looked between us, then seeming a bit embarrassed as he turned on his heel and walked back off into the library. I let Mathew and I sit in silence for a moment, so we could absorb whatever just happened. "You're the hockey captain huh?" He avoided my eye contact and nodded a little. "I'll be sure to come to your game. Message me the details." I add, his brown eyes meeting mine as a corner of his lip curled into a faint smile.