Prompt Writing

A Pile of Books

I hate the library. My advisor told me that if I wanted to graduate I needed to spend more time on my classes than partying. I have one semester left and I just want to get out of this place, there is nothing left for me here but don't tell my father that. I only decided on a business degree to shut him up. I want to travel but my father has other plans for me. I searched the room for an open table when I saw a moving pile of books, making their way to the only open table.

When I first saw her I didn't really see her, just the pile of books she was holding. There must have been 20 books in her arms, all looking as if they would fall if she took one more step. But she somehow found her way to the table and I'm not sure how because I can't even see her eyes so I'm curious as to how she even found the table. But in one swift motion she placed them on the table. Even while holding a stack of books there was a gentleness to her movements, it was hard not to watch her. A gentleness a man like me should never have but exactly what I need. Just as I was about to move away she looked up, meeting my eyes. She brushed away a stray lock of hair that managed to escape her bun and fall in her face. She shrugged at me in embarrassment and forced a small smile.

I made my way over to her and she started to fidget nervously. It was cute. Oh yeah, I can't have her. "Are you doing some light reading or your senior thesis?" She shook her head and laughed.

Her laugh flowed out of her mouth like a beautiful song. "A little of both I guess." She straightened the stack of books in front of her so that they were all aligned and straight. I resisted the urge to grab her hands and stop them from fidgeting. But if I'm being honest with myself I just want to touch her in some way. God, she's beautiful and she doesn't even know it. Girls that look like her flirt and use their bodies to get a man's attention but this girl doesn't flirt or even try to get close to me. But damn if I wanted her to.

"I see, well good luck with that," Smooth, Nash, smooth. With all my will power I turned to leave because leaving is the smart thing to do. Leaving is the safe thing to do.

"I'm Kenna." She muttered in an effort to keep me from leaving. I stopped in my tacks. "Its short for McKenna but I like Kenna better. The only time I'm called McKenna is when I'm in trouble and thats usually only by my mom. Oh and teachers who don't know to call me Kenna instead of McKenna." Her babbling caught me off guard but I wanted to hear more. I wanted to know more about her. I know I should walk away but the sweetness and innocence in her voice draws me in and surrounds me like a blanket. My past and who I am would wreck this sweet girl.

But I can't help myself. "I'm Nash, its short for Nash." I turn back around with a genuine smile on my face. But its the smile that she gives me in return that sends my heart racing. Her smile makes the darkness of my past fade away and she makes me feel like I can be the man she needs and the man I so desperately want to be.