Harry's POV
I ran my fingers along the spines of the books on the Young Adult shelf. Yes, I do read and no, I'm not going to claim I am an avid reader of classics and start quoting Pride & Prejudice. I haven't even ever in my life been within a 2-metre radius from a copy of one. I read once in a while, when life gets boring and I want to be someone else for a few days. Mind you, that doesn't happen very often. But yeah, sometimes I do feel like I should be living something way more interesting than just what I'm doing right now. Working doesn't even seem all that interesting. Yes, I did plan out to start working as soon as I finished my studies, but that was only because deep down I knew I shouldn't dream too big and then be disappointed later on. So I decided on life's most basic definition of success: having a good paying job from 9 to 5 and settle down after a few years, with two kids. Coming to the island did change the plans a bit, so I'd see where that one would go.
I stopped my fingers at one of the books. The Virgin Suicides. I had read that book three or four years back and I remembered feeling quite frustrated after reading it. All throughout the book my emotions were so confused; I was angry at the girls for letting the darkness surround them but deep down I knew I was struggling to understand them, to get a glimpse of what went on in their minds. I took the book from the shelf, heading back to the reception desk.
Behind the glass separation, I saw Katie at the desk, her back to me, blocking off the frame of someone talking to her. Was my mind just playing tricks on me or were those wisps of silver hair I saw? This part I'm pretty sure I was imagining in that moment but everything seemed to slow down- I approached the desk and just at that moment, the girl turned away, eyes on the ground, walking in my direction. It was her. The broken girl. I don't know what that must've looked like to Katie, but I just froze in place. It couldn't be... Well, it could be, since the island was so tiny you'd be sure to cross every single islander twice going round the corner of the city centre, but...
I was vaguely aware of my book slipping from my fingers and falling to the ground. In that moment, which probably lasted for a total of 4 seconds in reality, I was acutely aware of everything about her... The way she kept her eyes glued to the ground, her demeanor suggesting that she wanted to make herself as tiny and invisible as she could. As wisps of silver hair fell in her face, she brought her hand to her face to hold them back and her hand rested there, hiding her even more. She was deep in thought, her eyebrows furrowed together. The loose fitted dress she wore hugged around her as she walked, revealing curves that she hid. She was beautiful, but what stroke me was that everything about her exubed fear. I couldn't quite put my finger on what exactly scared her yet. Yes, it was the fear of people's eyes, but it was also more than that. I'm going to find out, I promised myself. I don't know where that determination came from, but it was stronger than me, the will to find out what went wrong and to fix it.
As she bumped into me, a gasp fell from her lips as blue eyes looked up at me in panic.
"I'm sorry."
"I'm so sorry," we both said at the same time.
"It's okay," she said at the same time as I said, "No, it's me." I smiled at her and she nervously looked down again.
Poppy's POV
The boy smiled brightly at me and I knew instantly that he wasn't from the island. Not only because I hadn't seen him around before but because of the genuine smile I got, with no hint of sympathy? I looked down nervously because... well, because, when did I ever in my life make eye contact with someone for more than five seconds? Never, that's when... But you did once, my subconcious reminded me but instantly my whole body numbed at the feelings my brain kept trying to ask me to feel. No, my mind isn't going to get the best of me, I thought as I ignored the voice in my head.
