Paired With The Potterhead

Chapter Nine: Reading On Your Own

Everything She Wants - Saint Raymond

Chapter Nine: Reading On Your Own

We went to the bookstore like she wanted to do. It was a secondhand one but a bookstore all the same. Inside, she managed to haggle with the owner and got the first three Harry Potter books for $4.

"Why did you get them again if you already have them?" I asked her as we left the store.

"Oh they're not mine." She handed me the bag. "They're yours."

I was speechless as I took the brown paper bag from her. "Nora. You didn't have to do that...."

She smiled. "Yes I did. Now you have the first three books to enjoy on your own once you learn to read on your own."

We started down the sidewalk again. The bakery across the street smelled absolutely unreal and I suddenly had a craving for something sweet.

"Hey. Let's get some treats for ourselves," I nudged her as I pointed to the bakery.

"Oh....I kind of already used up the only bit of money I had on those books. Sorry...."

Seeing her frown made my heart sink. She honestly didn't have to use the only bit of money on me. It's time I returned the favor. "Come on. You bought me books so I'll buy you some goodies. My treat."

Nora's eyes widened at this. "Just because I got you the books-"

"I won't take no for an answer! Onward to the shop of fantastic sweets and treats!"

We raced across the road (nearly getting run over by a truck, mind you) and went inside the little bakery. From what I could see, there were cookies and cakes and other pastries inside the glass display that probably had a fancy name to them but I just couldn't remember what they were. Nonetheless, everything looked delicious and I wanted ten of everything they had.

"And for the record," I said before we got in line to place an order, "I can read just fine by myself."

The lady at the cash register smiled as we approached the counter. "Hello ladies! What can I get for you today?"

I turned to look at Nora. "Get whatever you want. My treat."

Nora's eyes passed over all the various pastries inside the display cases. "I can pick anything?"

"Anything," I nodded.

She smiled so big that her eyes disappeared behind her cheeks. "Well if that's the case, I'll get two of those..."

After we picked out our goodies we ate outside at one of the picnic tables that the shop had set up. It didn't take long for Nora to scarf down her chocolate chip cookies and her small bite size cupcakes. When she began to work on her éclairs, that was when she caught me watching her. She paused, cream from the éclair oozing from the corner of her mouth.

"What?" She asked. Her voice was muffled from all the food she had in her mouth.

"Nothing." I took a bite of my own cookie. "If you don't mind me asking....did you eat anything yet today?"

Nora paused from chewing. "No. This is the first thing I had since yesterday. My mom gave what's left of the oatmeal to Charlie and I didn't go to the Breakfast Club this morning. This is probably my meal for today."

She laughed but it didn't quite reach her eyes. Even as we finished eating our snack, whenever she smiled at something it wasn't really connecting with her eyes. In a way it made me kind of sad. At this point I was so used to seeing her with a broad smile and this positive attitude that it hurt to see her this way.