The bells to the bookstore sliced through the silence of the little shop. The old man at the counter peers over his spectacles, a smile spreading across his face as he sees his niece walk in. She smiles back and walks over to the front counter. The store was barren besides a middle aged lady who wore all pink. "April," the man says, his smile still there even as he talks. "I haven't seen you since last summer," the girl nods.
"Sorry about that, I got busy," she says, setting down her messenger bag on the desk.
"Ah, I understand. Have you come to get some books?" He pushes up his glasses and picks up a pen, filling in a box in his crossword puzzle.
"Yeah..." April trails off as the door opens and the sounds of bells ring through the shop once again. A boy who looks around her age enters. Thinking it was probably just someone from her school she turns back to her uncle. "I'll go look at some books," she says and walks down one of the aisles. She was in the fantasy book section. April loved reading, and dystopian fiction was one of her favorites. She sees a book that catches her eye and gently slides it out of its place on the bookshelf. "The House Of The Scorpion," she whispers to herself, running her fingers across the curved gilding that spelled out the title. She sensed someone next to her but ignores it and opens the book. It smelled familiar, like paper and something that she couldn't quite put her finger on.
"I loved that book," a voice says behind her. She jumps, holding the book tightly and quickly looks back. It was the boy who entered earlier. His hair was a dark brown and he brushed it back into a quiff. But the first thing April noticed was his piercing blue eyes. He smiles and she feels something course through her. Her heart beats a little faster than normal. He's kinda cute... she thinks to herself.
"Uh... I haven't read it," she stumbles over her words, making the boy chuckle. Out of all the years April has lived here she hasn't seen this boy yet, and it was a small town after all so she's bound to know everyone. "Are you new here?" She suddenly blurts out, blushing soon after. She wasn't the best at socializing, and it didn't help that this guy was pretty much a magazine model standing right in front of her.
"Yeah moved here a week ago, heard there was a bookstore close by and I had to check it out," he explains. He takes out a book called 'Delirium' and skims through it. The conversation seemed to have stopped completely now. April shifts uncomfortably as she keeps the book in her hands and looks in her wallet for some cash. At the front counter she pays for the book and thanks her uncle. It started to rain while April was in the bookstore. As she steps outside the smell of earth was more noticeable and everything seemed much darker.
She tucks her new book under her jacket and starts walking home, that boy still in her mind. She didn't even know his name and yet she felt something when he spoke to her. He seemed to like books, like her. And to make things even better, he was hot. Not like that's all I look for in a boy, she tells herself. Perhaps he would be going to the same school as her, and she could see him again. The thought makes her feel suddenly giddy and she has a bounce in her step all the way back to her house. April's dad wasn't home from work yet so she collapsed onto the couch and starts reading the book she got today. At around 6 PM her dad comes home and he prepares BLT's for dinner. Once the two sit down he asks April,
"So, what'd you do today? You ready for your last few weeks of school?" He smirks a little and then bites into his sandwich. April shrugs.
"I went to the bookstore today and got a new book," she says simply. Her dad nods, clearly engulfed in the food. "Did you know there's a new family in town?" She finally asks after a minute or two of silence.
"Yeah, they moved in next door," he replies. But the thing about their neighborhood is that the houses are spread out fairly well, and there are patches of trees here and there. And among the houses were some farms and the main road that cut halfway through that lead to town. "They have a son your age as well as a little girl. But that's all I heard." April nods and finished up eating and clears the table. Her dad goes into his office and she decided to start reading again. By the time she goes to bed it's almost midnight. She stares up at the ceiling. Her thoughts are consumed with school ending soon, she'd be a junior next year. The boy also appeared in her mind that night. His eyes that were so deep and vibrant and full of thought and a hint of curiosity and playfulness sparked in them. His voice was deep and soothing. Could she really be falling for a guy she just met? No, I just met him and I can't like someone just for looks... She thinks to herself and turns over to face the wall. Maybe if I got to know him better... And with that she drifts to sleep, fantasizing about how she'd talk to him again.
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Sorry this chapter is short but the others will hopefully be way longer. Anyway I'll probably be posting again on Saturday or Sunday hopefully
YOU ARE READING
Smells Like Teenage Runaways
RomanceApril Price's life was normal, she was a highschool student at Lincoln Highsghool, she had good friends, a caring father. Her uncle even owned a small bookstore in town. But one day, she meets someone that will change her life forever. He'll show he...
