Passion of their Hearts

Chapter 4

Nick's POV

After finding my way back to the corner of the stacks that has a sitting area set up around a fake fireplace I read the first six chapters of one of my books. Figuring that was a good place to stop I checked my watch for the time, as my stomach decided I had neglected it and voiced its out rage. Seeing it was almost quarter to 9 I thought I should head home and make a quick dinner before I hit the sack. As I walked up to the front desk, looking for a paper to leave Emillia a note that I was gone; I saw the pizza she had carried in earlier. She hadn't eaten, her pizza was cold and she had said earlier she had to leave here by 9. These facts made me wonder, 'shouldn't she be down here by now?' 'Is she alright or did she push herself to hard and collapsed while I am down here reading?'... At that thought I couldn't help it I had to go and check on her, I could always tell her I just wanted to tell I was leaving as I was time & needed her to check out the books for me.

Heading up the stairs I tried to remember where she had said she was going...'I’ll be on the 3rd floor in the last study room if you need me… and unless there is a fire; DON’T need me…' The way she had flown up the stairs after that was like she was running to the only safe place she had left with a psycho killer hot on her trail. But the spunk she had was undeniably cute almost hot, but defiantly cute.

As I reached the top of the last set of stairs I looked around, as I didn't hear any music... Or any noise at all, and that in and of itself had me concerned. I have seen a lot of dancers especially girls push themselves too hard and do damage that they never came back from. I had just hoped that Emillia was smarter than that. With a frown across my face I headed for the last door at the end of the hall.

The doors all had windows in them so you could see inside the study rooms. Looking in from about half way up the hall I could see the light was still on but that was all, I didn't see any movement. At this point I quickened my pace to a jog and didn't even knock when I got to the door, I was worried that she had collapsed. When I opened the door scanning the room I breath a sigh of relief when I saw her doing cool down stretches in the corner, and that's when I herd her music blaring.

She had Daniel Bedingfield's gotta get thru this blaring from and I pod dock in the corner. When I opened the door her head snapped up in my direction and the first thing I saw in her eyes surprised me, fear, but it quickly faded as she realized who had opened the door. Then her features morphed into a strange mix between curiosity and annoyance as she looked at me expectantly...

Clearing my throat I smiled my most charming smile, trying to push the question of why she looked so scared when the door first opened to the back of my mind; I said "so I know that you said not to bother you unless there is a fire, but um..." She used the remote in her pocket to turn off the music as she stud up and faced me with her arms crossed and her left hip popped out waiting for me to finish. So I continued, "I was getting ready to head out but I was hoping to check out one of the books I found, and since it's just about 9 now I was hoping you could do that on the way out. Seeing as you would be down there anyways. And I know that when people are really focused on a project sometimes time gets forgotten so I thought I would come check and see if you could do that for me before rushing out..."

The mention of the time was what got her attention as she looked at her wrist watch and cursed under her breath. She looked back at me as she started rushing around to throw all of her stuff into her bag. She quickly said "Take the book with you and just come back tomorrow and you can check it out then it's no problem, but I have to go like, now. I wasn't supposed to leave at 9, I was supposed to be home by 9 and it's a 15 minute walk. So we need to go!"

Confused by her statement as she rushed us out of the study room toward the stairs I asked, "ok, well why don't I give you a ride home so you don't get into trouble? I mean I was the reason you where running later as Suzan let me stay and you had to search the stacks for me, as I was so into the book I didn't hear you calling me..." I grinned. As I said this she turned to look at me from the base of the stairs where she had a look of disbelief across her face. Realizing how my offer could have sounded I quickly added "not in the stalker-ish take you home kinda way. I can drop you wherever you want, house, neighbor hood, well lit gas station a few blocks closer... Or ya know, nowhere... Your choice." At the end of my rushed babble trying not to look like a creep, she laughed. "That wasn't why I had the look I just hadn't figured you would offer me a ride. Being new, the blow up earlier, and now not only do you give me a decent reason to be running late but a ride to boot! Damn, my night is looking up, maybe my dad won't even be up when I get there." She said with a smirk. And rushed to drop her bag behind the desk, grab a set of keys, her hoody, and her pizza off of the desk as she heads for the door... She looks back at me still slightly stunned at her rapid turn in attitude from freaking out to happy and calm. "Come on or even that excuse won't work." She said leaning against the doors waiting on me to join her with a slight smile gracing her lips. Hearing her words I snapped out of my confusion. I went to join her at the door after grabbing the book I had started and my jacket from the counter. And with that we were on our way after she locked the doors behind us.

I unlocked the doors to my black ’95 Jeep Wrangler, I love this car! I climbed in and look over to Emillia as she shut her door and puts on her seat belt. "So where to, and please remember that I'll be needing turn by turn directions, because I only know how to get back home from here at this point... And even that could be an adventure." I said wanting to get her home by 9 only giving us about 8 minutes to do so. Emillia smiled and with a nod she started directing me. About 4 minutes later she had me turning on my own road and she said she was the fifth house on the left. I couldn't help but start laughing. She looked at me confused and asked a quiet "what?" I just shook my head and pulled into my driveway, the sixth driveway on the left...