Between The Pages (Perfect Date One Shot Contest)

Between The Pages

The washed-out yellow street light wafted into the dark bookstore.  The store, Between The Pages, was stuffed to the max with books.  There were so many that they had spilled off the shelves and now rested in random places around the cozy corner store.  It smelled of books, both new and old.  It smelled of adventures and lost love.  The smell was comforting to Emerson as she closed up the store for the night.  Between The Pages had always been her safe haven. The few hours she spent there everyday got her through all the hard times.  She dreaded going home, but she knew that the smell of brave heroes would follow her out the door and help her face the villains that resided in her home. 
Emerson hummed to herself as she stacked the remaining books on her cart.  She tried to wheel it back to the storage room, but it was all in vain.  The ugly orange carpet was littered with books.  She moved back to the counter.  Plucking the keys from their home in a hollowed out book, she was ready to start her journey home.  It helped Emerson to imagine she was the hero in one of her books. If she could be the hero in her imagination then why couldn't she in real life?  By pretending to be someone else, someone in a different world, she could always make it past whatever her monsters threw at her.
As Emerson reached under the counter to gather her blue bag, the door chimed.  She glanced up, her heart pounding out of her chest.  Someone was trying to rob them.  She cursed herself for her stupidity.  Sara, the store's owner told her all the time to lock the door when she was there after hours, but she always forgot.  Emerson braced herself for whatever evil lay ahead, a barbarian coming from the North to steal the kingdom's treasures.  Emerson was the fearless knight, ready to defeat anyone who dared get in her way. 
However, when she looked up there were no thieves awaiting her.  Before her was a young man, clutching a torn up paperback book.  He was dressed in ripped blue jeans and a dusty red hoody.  Emerson had seen him a few times before, he had come into the store on occasion.  He was no barbarian, he was a knight as well, in beat up dirty armor.  Her lips turned up in slight smile, "Sorry, we're closed, but we're open tomorrow."  The man looked at her with unease, his dark brown hair falling into his eyes.
"Oh, sorry, I just. Nevermind."  He looked down at his book.  Turning around, he moved towards the door.
"Wait." Emerson found herself calling out, "I can help you, I don't want to go home anyways." 
"Thanks, I was hoping to find a new book to read, I've read this one too many times."  He told her with a shrug, holding up his book to show her that he had read it until it started to come apart. Emerson laughed a little.
"I think I can help with that." She looked into the boy's wide brown eyes, thinking that he looked a little like the fictional boys she always dreamed of meeting.  She noticed she had been staring too long, and that he noticed as well.  In an attempt to break the awkward moment she reached out her hand. "I'm Emerson." 
"Caden." He took her hand and gently shook it.
"What kind of book are you looking for?"
"Something," Caden hesitated looking for the right word, "epic." 
Wordlessly, Emerson walked to the back of the store. She picked a book of the shelf and smiled.  "Try this one." 
"Knights In Dull Armour." He read aloud with a smile.  She walked him to the register and charged him for the book.  After paying, Caden, walked to a red chair and sat down. 
    "What are you doing?" Emerson questioned amusement lacing her voice. 
    "Well, you said you didn't want to go home, so I figured we could stay here and talk." He put his hand next to his mouth and whispered, "maybe I'll even let you call it a date." Emerson could feel her face redden as she took the seat next to him. 
    "So, what's your favorite book?" Caden questioned. Emerson chuckled. "What?" His eyebrows pulled up in curiosity and a grin broke across his face.
    "That's some dangerous territory, Caden, not sure you can handle it." She teased him.
    "Is that so?" She nodded in response, her smile growing wider.  "Trust me, I can handle it."
    "You asked for it." Emerson warned once more just before diving into the long list of books that had meant more to her than just being a story. 
    The two sat in the bookstore until the sun came up, talking about everything they could think of.  Not once did Caden ask Emerson why she didn't want to go home, which she was grateful for.  Emerson didn't ask Caden about the jagged scar that crossed from his eyebrow to his right ear.  The two stayed on light topics, ones that brought smiles to each others faces.
At the end of the night Emerson walked Caden to the door.  "Well, this might be the best date I've ever been on." Emerson grinned.
    "I guess I have my work cut out for me then, I'm going to have to top this if I want you to go on a third date with me."
    "Who said I would go on a second date?" She questioned him, challenged him with a raised eyebrow and daring look in her blue eyes. Caden smiled at her and leaned in.  Emerson held her breath, letting her eyes flutter closed.  As their lips met all Emerson could think was how this kiss topped any kiss she had ever read about.  After pulling away Caden finally answer her question.
    "I did."