The Hidden Cabin: A Friendship Adventure

Chapter 2: The Library Mix-Up

Alex wandered through the halls of his new school, feeling like a ghost drifting through someone else's life. The kids around him seemed to know exactly where they were going, while Alex had already gotten lost twice trying to find his locker.

By lunchtime, he had decided to retreat to the school library, hoping to avoid the awkwardness of sitting alone in the cafeteria. The library was quiet and smelled like old books, which instantly made Alex feel a little more at ease. At least here, in the rows of shelves filled with stories, he didn't have to think about how alone he felt.

He was scanning through the books on the middle-school adventure section when he heard a voice behind him.

"Hey! You're blocking the best part."

Startled, Alex turned around to see a girl about his age standing there, her long black hair tied up in a ponytail. She was holding a stack of books, and her eyes were bright with energy. He stepped aside quickly.

"Oh, sorry."

"No problem," she said with a grin. "You're new here, right? I'm Tara."

"Alex," he mumbled, unsure what else to say.

Tara dumped her books onto the nearest table and flipped through them with surprising speed. "You look like you're lost. Need help finding something?"

Alex shook his head. "No, I'm just...looking around."

"Looking for a good adventure book?" Tara asked, not waiting for an answer before pulling one off the shelf. "This one's awesome. It's about a kid who finds a hidden world right under his town. Total page-turner."

She handed him the book, her enthusiasm contagious. Alex took it, glancing at the cover. It did look interesting.

"Thanks," he said, managing a small smile.

"No problem! If you need any more recommendations, I'm basically the library expert around here."

Before Alex could respond, a new voice chimed in from across the room. "Don't let her fool you. She's just here to check out the same book for the tenth time."

Alex turned to see a boy around their age leaning against the bookshelf. He had curly hair, glasses, and an easy grin that made it clear he was joking. He strolled over, giving Tara a teasing look.

"Shut up, Eli," Tara said, rolling her eyes but smiling. "At least I'm not here to sleep through another math class."

Eli laughed. "Touché."

He turned to Alex, giving him a curious look. "You must be the new kid. I'm Eli."

"Alex," he said, for the second time that day.

"You joining the library crew?" Eli asked, raising an eyebrow. "It's not a bad place to escape from the chaos out there."

Alex wasn't sure how to respond. He hadn't meant to "join" anything-he just didn't want to be out in the cafeteria, alone. But Tara and Eli didn't seem like the type to judge. In fact, they seemed...kind of cool.

"Maybe," Alex said finally. "It seems pretty peaceful in here."

"Well, you've definitely found the right spot," Tara said, plopping down in a chair and opening one of her books. "Stick around. You'll fit in here."