Saving Wishes

Saving Wishes Part 3

6. Charm

Six days was all it took for my pre-Adam life to fade. Spending time with him made everything else pale in comparison, which became painfully obvious when I considered the number of uncompleted school assignments I had due the next day.

This knowledge took none of the shine off seeing him waiting for me after school. Adam picked me up every day, always ten minutes late. It was the only sure-fire way I knew of avoiding the Beautifuls.

"Good afternoon, Coccinelle."

I repeated the word, botching the pronunciation so badly that he laughed.

"You haven't worked it out yet?" He pretended to be surprised.

"I don't speak French," I grumbled, shifting my stack of books from one arm to the other.

"Oh, that's right," he said, drawing out his words.

"You could just translate it," I said hopefully. He smirked, and I knew he had no intention of translating anything for me.

His strong arms wrapped around me the second I was within reach and I pressed against him. The stack of books separating us kept the embrace polite.

"I'll tell you one day," he breathed, landing a quick kiss on my lips. "Meanwhile, what are we doing today?"

I wanted to tell him we were going to the beach, or back to my house to watch a trashy movie that, from past experience, neither of us would pay attention to. But I couldn't. The road Alex didn't want me to travel was getting long and winding. Adam's knack for taking my mind off anything other than him was making me crazy, and my inability to get my homework completed was making me stupid.

"I have to go to the library," I said grimly.

Adam's face lit up like I'd just invited him on a trip to the moon. "Wow," he said, astonished. "I didn't see that coming."

I nudged my armful of books into his chest. Taking the books from my grasp, he pulled me in close again. My fingers laced through his as I stretched up to get closer to his ear.

"I hear they have books and stuff there," I whispered.

Adam laughed softly. "You're impossible."

"I know," I agreed, composing myself instantly by pulling him across the car park by his free arm.

"Is it going to be open?" he asked. "The whole place looks deserted."

"Mrs Young is always there. I think she lives there. She's a scary woman, Adam Décarie."

I knew he was intentionally lagging behind me. Changing tack, I let him walk ahead of me.

"I'll charm her," he teased.

"You won't be able to. She's un-charmable," I replied, prodding him in the back to hurry him along.

"Superb use of the English language, Charlotte," he mocked.

The library was deserted. Adam waited near the open door while I paced the end of the aisles looking for signs of life. I jumped when Mrs Young appeared out of nowhere and called my name.

"I don't think I've seen you in here in two years, Charli," she said gruffly. She was probably not exaggerating.

"I know, but I have a mountain of work due," I complained. "I just need a couple of hours."

Mrs Young shook her head so severely that I thought her wire-rimmed glasses would fly right off her face. She played the part of spinster librarian perfectly. Her ivory blouse was crease free and stiff, matching her upper lip. The heavy tweed trousers she wore probably played a part in keeping her posture so rigid. "I have a committee meeting in ten minutes," she said, tapping her watch. "Come back tomorrow."