After my conversation with Mom, I drift back to my phone, my head still swirling with everything she said. Mom and Dad's relationship isn't exactly something to aspire to, with him working more than he's home, and yet she somehow manages to balance it all. The things she shared left me with so much to think about, too much, maybe. Part of me wants to get out of my head.
I spot a letter Mom left for me, lying unopened on my desk. The envelope is classy, gold letters swirling across the front. I peel it open to find a neatly printed invitation:
Come to the Library at 7008 Hill Ave. Meet new peers and old friends! We hope to see you there.
I pull out my phone and type a quick message to Aadhi, hoping this is the break I need.
Theo: Yo, Aadhi. Are you going to the library thing that was sent out?
Aadhi: I was just about to text you that. Dahlia already invited Kiara [wink emoji] so you might want to dress up a bit if you plan on coming.
Theo: Shut up.
Theo: Fine, I'm coming tomorrow. See you there.
The next evening, I park in front of the library, glancing at the classic building in front of me. It's old, with tall, arched windows and dark wooden doors, somehow looking both inviting and slightly mysterious under the soft glow of the street lamps. I tap my hands on the steering wheel, adjust my hair in the mirror, and take a breath. It's just a library meet-up, not prom.
I grab my wallet, stuff it in my pocket, and head inside. The moment I walk in, a cozy aroma of worn pages and cinnamon wraps around me, the place somehow both hushed and alive. Toward the back, I spot Aadhi, Dahlia, and Kiara seated together, laughing over something in a book. It's the same laugh I remember hearing from Kiara on the tennis courts. She looks up, spots me, and waves, a smile lighting up her face. The gesture gives me déjà vu from the first time we met, and it throws me off just for a second.
I shuffle over to them, and Aadhi stands to pull up a chair beside him—right next to Kiara, of course. I roll my eyes internally, suspecting the setup is no accident.
"Hey, man," Aadhi greets, and we do a quick dab-up that turns into a hug. I give a quick nod to Kiara and Dahlia, who both smile up at me.
"Hey, guys," I say, sliding into the seat beside Kiara. Her perfume drifts over, jasmine and vanilla, instantly clearing my mind like a reset button.
Kiara hands me a book, her eyes glinting with excitement. "This is Dahlia's and my favorite book."
I take it, flipping through the pages while she watches me with this eager expression that I can't help but want to indulge. The book is about two people who start out as friends, only to fall in love. It's simple, but the writing makes it feel personal. Guess Kiara's into romance—somehow, that feels like a surprise and exactly what I'd expect, all at once.
For a while, we sit in companionable silence as I read, and then Dahlia and Kiara suddenly hunch over a paper, scribbling as if their lives depend on it. Every now and then, Kiara pushes her hair back with a focused look, lost in the world of their sketch.
I glance at Aadhi with a what-the-hell's-wrong-with-them face. He shrugs his shoulders before leaning to meet their eyes. "Are you two... good? You seem really... tense?"
Dahlia looks up at me and Aadhi with her big brown eyes. "I'm planning to intern at a fashion boutique just across town," she says, flicking small eraser flecks off the table. "I'm designing a dress, and Kiara is helping me."
She hunches back over her paper, shoulders stiffer than a statue. I stare at them for a moment before an idea pops into my brain.
I smirk and rip a small piece from a sticky note. Catching my drift, Aadhi does the same, and we flick the tiny paper balls in their direction. Kiara barely notices until one hits her square in the arm.
She looks up, narrowing her eyes playfully. "Oh, you're in trouble now."
Dahlia lets out an exaggerated sigh, although there's a mischievous smile on her face. She rummages in her bag, pulling out two straws, a water bottle, and some fresh paper. "Kiara," she mutters, handing her a straw. The two share a look, then both turn to us, straw-tipped missiles in hand.
A wet wad of paper sails through the air, grazing my shoulder as I duck under the table.
"Are you kidding?" I gasp between laughs. "You guys brought ammo?"
Kiara grins. "Never underestimate us."
Aadhi and I huddle behind our backpacks, grabbing any scraps of paper within reach to defend ourselves, laughing so hard I nearly drop my phone. The back of the library turns into a mini-war zone as wads of paper fly in every direction, and Aadhi's half-gasping for air between ducking and retaliating. Kiara's laughing so hard she can barely aim, her eyes squinting shut as she launches another paper missile.
But then there's a soft, insistent "ahem" behind us.
We all freeze.
Standing with her hands on her hips, the librarian glares down at us, her lips pursed, the stern look on her face enough to silence all four of us in an instant.
"Would you care to explain what exactly is going on here?" she asks, voice laced with icy calm.
For a second, none of us dare to move. Aadhi looks like he's about to break into laughter again, but one glare from her silences him. Dahlia, usually quick with an excuse, stumbles for words. Kiara hides her smile behind her hand, her cheeks pink.
"Uh... we were just, um, doing some... literature-inspired activities?" I manage to stammer out, and Aadhi snickers behind me. I give him a small kick in the shin.
The librarian's eyebrow shoots up, and she glances at the table littered with wet, crumpled paper balls. "Literature-inspired, is it?"
She starts collecting our "ammunition," shaking her head as she holds up one of the soaked paper wads. "Next time, keep the creativity to the pages, not the furniture." Her tone softens slightly. "And please, keep it down. Other people are here to read."
We nod vigorously, trying to contain our laughter until she walks away, giving us a last, pointed look before heading back to her desk.
As soon as she's out of earshot, Dahlia bursts into giggles, and the rest of us follow suit, our muffled laughter filling the silence. Aadhi claps me on the back, still grinning, and Kiara leans in, shaking her head.
"We're terrible," she whispers, but there's a light in her eyes that says she wouldn't change it.
I grin as Aadhi drapes a hand over my shoulder casually, and for now, I just let the moment sink in.
