A Kiss Under The Mistletoe

Chapter 7: Reading is LIFE

"Even now I'm not really sure which parts of myself are real and which parts are things I've gotten from books."

— Beatrice Sparks

"Oh come on! It'll be fun!" He said, encouraging me to go with him.

"You have to check on Merriam, lad, you have a different definition of fun." I blunted out.

"Oh stop being a buzzkill! I just wanna explore the school. It's in my bucket list before I graduate. I've never done it because I never had a chance. Now, the universe is giving me one."
After we had our mini-party and chitchat, out of the blue Luke suggested to meddlesome the school.

I snorted. "Don't include the universe here, Luke. I already explored this school more than twice."

"More than twice?" he looked at me, not believing. "Yes. My best friend, Esme and I did a little meddling here. She was Daphne and I was Velma, and I took that as compliment because Velma is pretty awesome. We believed when we were younger that this school has secret doors or passages. "

"Esme?" He asksed.

"You probably don't know her or don't remember her. She moved to another school before freshmen year started." I explained.

"You're right, I don't know her. Do you have any idea who I am?" He questioned me, eager to know.

I looked at him hysterically. "Why? Should I know that you're actually someone's important son and I had no idea you were?" I asked him, being sarcastic. I added, "you're Luke Gillepsi. The boy who distracted Weas-- I mean Ron and the boy whom I'm stuck with that has weird coincidental common things with me."

"Right. That boy," he said weirdly and continues to press on his idea, "anyway, let's explore the school?"

I sighed, rolled my eyes quickly, and started to walk, being ahead of him already. "Come on."

While we were walking, heading towards the Theater Auditorium because he never explored it before, he began asking me questions.

"Did you do any rebel stuff when you were a kid?" He asked eagerly.

"Well I read past my bed time, if that's what mean." I said, taunting him. I add, "You know a wise man once said that it's better to have your nose in a book, than in someone else's business." I informed him.

He ignored my wisdom with a shrug and continues to ask questions again.

"What are you most tired of?"

"Your questions are very easy, I'm most tired of hearing people -- well mostly my family -- kept telling me "I can't believe you've read the whole book already!" I mean, what're you supposed to do with a book? Just look at it? To show it off?

Oh that's the most annoying thing at all with people, if you'll ask, that people only reads the trending books or what's worst is that they carry books to show it off.

One time I saw a girl holding the book The Hunger Games, I was really dying to talk to someone about it -- my best friend wasn't done reading it so she avoided me for spoilers -- that I was desperate enough to talk to a stranger. I approached her and asked her what she thought of the book, and do you know what she said to me?" I asked him.

"No, but you were probably furious about her answer." He said, clearly listening to my ranting.

"More than furious! She said, "I only watched the movie. I'm just holding a friend's book." She said that! I was furious and obviously humiliated."

"Don't blame yourself. At least you tried to interact with real people." He said, trying to calm me. I would've thought that was an insult but I just shrugged it off.

"Now that that was cleared up, what do you think of school, kid?" Luke asked me, like we're in some kind of interview.

My face turned into a frown while I gave him an answer. "School? Oh, that's the annoying eight hours worth of reading that keeps me away from finishing a book." I said, causally.

He grimaced but still goes on with his interrogation. "Okay, how about this, when life gives you lemons..."

"When life gives you lemons, just get lost in a good book."  Looking beside him, I smirked.

He glared, clearly annoyed with my attitude. "You're crazy."

"Again, I'm not crazy. My mother had me tested." I said, pointing out the obvious.

"What's the best memory you've experienced so far?"

"Oooh! That's a good one," I tell him. "Well, hmm..." I think of the best moments that happened in my life.

The first time I could read by myself, that was a golden one.

Or the first time I started understanding the stories my parents told me when I was five.

Or the day I bought my first book online in Amazon.

Or the first time I met an author which was Cressida Cowell.

Or when I'm reading a book for the second time, and finally discovering all the hints for the ending.

So many best memories yet I said a different answer. "The day I met my best, well only, friend, Esme."

He smiled widely quickly. "Told you so." He said, stating out that there is something that doesn't connect in my life that are books.

"I wasn't done yet. The day I met Esme was the day I was reading a book which was Harry Potter and The Prisoner of Azkaban by J. K. Rowling." I said and he cussed in low volume yet I heared him. "Nobody at school ever wanted to be friends with someone like me so it was the best day ever in my life." I informed him and continues, "her intention of introducing herself to me was to fangirl Harry Potter to someone ever since she finished reading the fifth book, but at least she talked to me. " I said proudly.

He groaned very loud. "Oh come on! There's probably something in your life that doesn't connect to books."

Acting offended, I told him, "excuse me Mister, but reading books is what keeps me sane."

He groaned again in frustration. "I give up! You're impossible."

I corrected him. "I can't be impossible. As you can see, I exist. I think the appropriate word for your statement is improbable." He cringed.

"You do realize, that your question were really random yet kind of personal." I told him and he nodded for confirmation. I continue, "I thought that you would've asked me questions like, what's your favorite color?" I admitted.

He smirked and said, "well, I'm full of surprise, sport."

"It's my turn to question you now, I suppose." I stated out.

"Shoot."