After Midnight

4

Sighing, I placed my head in my hands. It had been three hours. Three hours of nothing but silence. The library was usually quite vacant, with my only company being the other workers or little old Mr. Demphry who would come in just to say hello to everyone. Two of my other co-workers, Jonah and Leah, were sick though, and Mr. Demphry was away on vacation so things were going a lot slower than usual which didnt help with my current situation. Today I was restless, itching to get out, to just go home. I had tried to text Darren and see how he was doing this morning, but he still hadn't answered, he was probably still sleeping his hangover off. The boy was going to be in for a rude awakening when he did wake up though. Dad had decided to punish him by putting him on dish duty for the next three weeks and Darren hated dish duty more than he did hangovers, we all did.

Drumming my fingers on the table, I sucked in a breath.  I had mixed feelings about the library. Although I loved the place, with its smell of old books and quiet nature, sometimes it got a little too quiet, a little too dull. As I wandered around the aisles, fingers gliding along the various  leathery spines of the books, I wished for something to happen, anything to happen.

And that's when I learned that you should be careful what you wish for.

Trouble had a name and it went by Aiden Cage. He entered the library, his aura oozing confidence. I felt my jaw drop as his leather-jacket-wearing muscular frame entered the double doors. He stood for a moment and assessed his surroundings, the muscles underneath his shirt bulging as he moved. Then all at once he stood rigid and strode down the aisles, as if he knew what he was looking for.

The scary part? I knew exactly what he was looking for.

And I knew it was me.

Quickly, I spun on my heels, trying to find the nearest exit. A deep chuckle echoed through the building as I quickened my pace.

"Oh, love." He called out "You know how much I love a good chase."

I didn't have time for this. I didn't have time for him or his games or-

I had crashed into something hard. My body went hurling to the ground and I cringed because I knew I hadn't run into a wall, table, or bookshelf. I knew this place like the back of my hand, too well to do any of that.

I knew I had run into him

Another musical laugh bubbled from his lips and slowly I brought my gaze up to his. The large frame of his body towered over me, his  brown eyes concealed by wisps of his dirty blonde hair and dark sunglasses. He tilted his head down, jaw set, extending his arm out to me.

"Need some help there, love?" He asked, his pink lips pulled into a smirk.

I scowled at him and ignored his hand, getting up all on my own.

"What the hell are you doing here?" I hissed, trying to be as quiet as I could. Although the library was pretty empty today, I had caught a glimpse of some of the town's gossipers around here somewhere and I did not need anyone knowing my business, not with him.

"Oh c'mon, love" He pouted. "Don't be like that. I-"

"We agreed that this was done, I was done. No, I am done. You're not supposed to be-"

"I don't care what I'm supposed to do." He stated firmly. "I don't follow the rules, remember?"

"Of course I remember! how could I not?!" I said. "If you would have just followed the rules I wouldn't be a part of anything, I would have-"

"Lived such a boring life." He finished, cutting me off. "Now, enough about reminiscing about the past, love. I've come to talk to you. It's serious." He said while bouncing on his heels, stuffing his hands in his pockets. "I need your help."

"Oh no." I said backing away. "Oh no no no. Listen here Aiden, you don't get to just waltz into my life again. You don't have the right. I'm done talking to you, for now and forever. Now if you excuse me-"

"I want a library card." He blurted out.

"What?" I questioned. "Do you even know how to read?"

"Ha ha. Wow Lily I'm so glad you haven't lost your amazing sense of humor." He stated sarcastically while probably rolling his eyes. "Now as an employee it's your job to give out library cards, and as a customer I'm saying I want one. So how about you do your job and help me get the paperwork started."

I glared at him.

I knew it was a trap, he knew it was a trap, and I was stuck.

I was stuck because Mrs. Deria, the head of the library, had stuck her head out from behind the counter to inspect the situation, and if I did one thing, anything that was deemed 'un-librarian' of me she would have me fired on the spot.

Without a word I turned around, my shoulders slumped in defeat. I didn't even get a chance to make it to where the paperwork was kept when Aiden had pulled me into the storage room, locking the door behind him.

"Now." He breathed out, pushing his hair away from his face. "As I was saying before. I need your help."