You Can Run To Me

Ten

Natalie was sat in the library looking anywhere but at the book in front of her. If that meant gazing at the thousands of books on the plentiful shelves, then sure, she'd do that. But after ten minutes of reading all the different titles: "Great Expectations"; "To Kill A Mockingbird"; "On the Origin of Species"; "United States Supreme Court Reports 8"; "1984"; "Introduction to Psychology"...

She proceeded to stare up at the high ceiling, which had been decorously decorated by long-graduated art students. There wasn't much to see there, though, either. She eventually ended up watching the passing students in the large courtyard, and imagining where they were going.

Soon, though, even admiring the bare trees, their technicolor leaves and the general wintriness of the great outdoors, grew tedious. Nat figured it was about time for her to get back to her studying. She generally disliked libraries for the way the books got treated. She hated thinking about all the grubby hands that had touched them before her. Every tear in every book was like a personal insult, and it made her reluctant to touch the neglected tomes.

However, sometimes there was no option but to use library books. She had to make notes on each chapter of this book before the end of the term, and there was no way she could order it online in time now. She had tried finding a copy of it on the internet, but inexplicably there was not a single copy of "The Principles of Law in Seven Countries and Two Centuries" (not even any illegal copies). So here she was, reduced to using library books. Luckily, this one wasn't too bad, really.

She had been hoping that her friends would join her at some point, but they hadn't yet. They hadn't exactly arranged to, but since they all had a free, it made sense that they would. So where were they all? Nat had the creeping feeling that she must be missing out on some serious beef. That's where they must be, right? Doing something interesting?

She was still looking out the window when she felt a presence behind her. Her breath froze up – who was it? Slowly she turned around, expecting to see... Who? But, of course, it was just Rachel and Simone. Nat felt unaccountable degree of disappointment when she saw them behind her, instead of... Again, who did she even want to see? It made no sense. She would have been seriously creeped out if it had been someone else. She shook the thought from where it clung at the edge of her mind.

"Hi! Long time no see."

"Sorry," said Rachel, grinning in a very unrepentant way, "we're not staying."

"What?"

"We came here so you wouldn't miss out on what's going down," whispered Simone, equally excited.

"Um... thanks?"

"Come on, then. Quick! We don't want to miss any more of this than we already have getting you."

Simone had grabbed the Nat's bag and started walking out. Rachel, on the other hand, was trying to pull Nat up by the arm. It hurt, and Natalie couldn't help but protest.

"Hey!"

"You can come back for your book in a minute. This is more important."

Natalie tilted her head to one side a little, dubious. But then again, it wasn't as though she was getting much done here anyway. Maybe she'd actually concentrate after a nice little break. She wasn't sure whether or not she regretted leaving this so late, but surely five minutes more wouldn't make much of a difference?

They went so fast that Natalie was practically running to keep up with them, but she was too out of breath to tell them to slow down. The other students milling about in the corridors stared at them balefully like wet cattle as they were forced to shuffle to the side. Natalie was beginning to lag behind a little, but Rachel's hand clamped around her wrist kept her stumbling on.