This Love | ✓

Part 43

Zach offered me a packet of sour candy from the other end of the old purple couch. I accepted it with gratitude, wrinkling my nose as the sour treat exploded on my tongue.

"So, Dave and I watched this crazy movie yesterday," he gushed. "It's a mystery about a cabin in the middle of nowhere, but I was only watching it for Scott —"

I looked up from my lap when Zach's palm waved across my face.

"Are you okay, hun?" he asked, peering at me with concern.

"Sorry," I muttered, rubbing my eyes. "I've been better."

"What's wrong?" Zach inquired.

The soft, sad piano music that played in the bookstore matched my mood perfectly. I sighed, slumping down in the cushy seat.

Where do I start?

Suddenly, the door to Athena's Used Books was pushed wide open, sounds of the busy street rushing into the store. An elderly woman dressed in a pink cotton dress ambled inside, an oversized bag slung over her shoulder.

Throwing me an apologetic smile, Zach stood up to greet her. 

"Hey, Bonnie," he smiled. 

Recognition sparked in me as soon as Zach called out the woman's name. I walked over to Bonnie, giving her a polite greeting which she returned immediately. She squinted at me, her eyebrows shooting up and her smile widening. Confused, I continued to smile at her.

"Have you read all those books already?" Zach asked her, clearly impressed.

"Yes, dear," she smiled at him with the same adoration that I had observed when I first met her. With a shaky laugh, she added, "I don't have much else to do these days."

"Let's pick out some new books for you then," Zach enthused, leading her further into the bookstore. "Come on, Leena, join in!"

I followed them as they walked towards one of the tall bookshelves, the air growing colder as we neared the air conditioning unit. Zach and I took turns pulling books off the shelves, reading their summaries aloud to Bonnie. I couldn't help but smile at him — towering over the small, adoring woman — as he tried to persuade Bonnie to read steamy romances.

"Is that what kids are reading these days?" Bonnie wondered when Zach read the synopsis of an erotic werewolf-and-vampire-love-triangle romance.

"Yeah, it's the Wuthering Heights of this generation," I joked, feeling uplifted by the combination of Bonnie's wobbly giggles and Zach's deep laughter.

As we walked further down the aisle, my mood lightened and the room got even colder.

"Ooh, it's a little chilly," Bonnie shivered, wrapping her corrugated arms around herself.

"Sorry about that," Zach apologised, retreating to the front desk. "I'll change the temp now."

When Zach was out of earshot, Bonnie turned to me and asked very casually, "Having trouble with love?"

"I'm sorry, what?" I choked as I stared at her, dumbfounded.

"There's nothing quite like young love," she smiled knowingly. "It's written all over your face, dear."

Discomfited by Bonnie's words, I pressed one of the charms on my bracelet deep into my arm. Shuffling from one foot to another, I stared at the muffin-shaped indent on my skin. 

I didn't want 'young love' to be written all over my face.

Jason was finally close to where I needed him to be. In his own way, he had conceived a reason for my persistence to separate. But he wasn't fully convinced yet.