Short Stories (GirlxGirl)

Smile For Me

She smiled.
I was at the one of the most famous bookstores in the city. It was not my first time there but I'm not often there, too. I was walking along the aisles, looking for something I could read - or play with - for the night approaching. I though it only happened in the movies: there was soft music playing, the atmosphere cool and in the distance, some high school students chattering about the new book of another promising New York Times #1 Bestselling author. I picked up a random book from the classics section when this girl picked up the same book at the same time. I looked up to see the girl who might really know and care about the random book I - or we - spotted.

She smiled.
Okay, I might get a little cliché and cheesy about this but... She's got the brightest smile I have ever seen. It was not a close-up commercial kind of smile, it was a smile that any person who happened to have a camera at the moment would've dropped the camera and missed capturing the picture-perfect scene, but wouldn't regret savoring every little second the moment offered.

"Hi..." I said awkwardly. I don't even know why I said that. I should be walking away by then.

She looked at me with confused eyes. Oh, there, I made the smile go away.

"Hey", she answered, "Nice choice of book you got there."

Again, she smiled. I tried to look away and just shifted my eyes back to the forgotten - or never known - book I randomly picked.

"I..." I continued, trying to catch the title or the author of the book and maybe make a wild guess about it, in hopes of continuing this awkwardly lovely conversation.

She laughed. "You don't know it, do you?"

Great. I am that obvious.

I finally got the book successfully. "Emily Brontë's Wuthering Heights. Yeah, of course I know this."

And I do. I swear.

She raised an eyebrow. I noticed that her eyes looked dead tired. Her hair was badly bleached that was made evident by the ends of her chopped hair, which was only long enough to frame her beautiful face.

"I mean, this was what Bella Swan kept on reading on that first vampire book Twilight, right?"

She laughed again. Her laugh was loud enough to have other people look at her with sharp eyes. It didn't help that she was wearing the shortest shorts I could imagine and a sleeveless Tribal tank top that was small enough to fit a child. It was unusually hot out, though, and I didn't care what she was wearing.

Now, I smiled.

"Well, yes, you're right. It's my favorite book and I'd gladly let go of it and have you buy and read it. You'll see why Bella had a hard time stopping from reading that."

She was staring at me the whole time she said that. I was not used to being talked to with eye to eye contact. Well, I'm not used to being talked to much at all.

I consciously fixed my hair, which was still a lot shorter than hers.

"You know what? I'll do just that. Thanks, stranger." I answered. I got my phone out, hoping to get her contact information. You know, just in case I have a hard time understanding this book on my hand.

She seemed to have notice my plan and immediately said, "I want to get to know you, but I can't. I have to go."

My heart sank. I really wanted to get to know her. To talk to her. To know her name.

She turned away.

"Wait", I began, "to whom do I say my thank you for this recommendation?"

Still slowly walking away, facing me, she was greeted by a big, old, American man.

Oh.
She faced the man and was harshly "hugged". "Where have you been?! I told you to meet me at 5PM!"

She began explaining to him softly while rubbing his back - or tried to - she had this big backpack with her and man, the guy was huge.

I stared at the book. I guess I am stuck with this.

"Hey!" Shouted a familiar voice. "It's Catherine! You'll have to add my story there! You'll understand!"

I nodded excessively. The huge guy was also looking at me rather amusely.

I waved goodbye to the both of them.
She smiled.
She smiled that smile.

Catherine. I sighed. With that smile, I wouldn't be worrying about you anymore.

I paid for the book and ripped the plastic covering the moment I reached my car.

I turned to the first page of the story, ignoring the acknowledgements and what not. If I am going to read athe book, I'd rather not see what the author or some other people's explanation for writing it.

"The First Catherine", I whispered. It was the title of the first chapter.

I laughed softly.

I started the engine, eager to get home and read the book.

That first Catherine of the book definitely is not the first, I thought, thinking of the smile that mesmerized me just moments ago.

Fin~