When Adleigh walked into her first day of work 4 hours after her incident with Fionn, she no longer wanted to be there. Not only was she embarrassed that she even thought they were friends, or acquaintances at least, but she was sad that someone didn't like her. Adleigh tried her best to be nice to everyone, and normally they were nice back. She put on a brave face and stepped into the cozy store with books lined everywhere. Mr. Trodd, an older man with graying hair, stepped out from behind the counter greeting Adleigh warmly as if she were family.
"Hey kiddo, you excited for work?"
Adleigh feigned a smile, "Yes sir, I am! What would you like me to do?"
"Ah that's what I love to hear! We just got some new books in that need to be put on the shelves, please could you put them up?"
Adleigh nodded and grabbed the large box of books walking over to the aisles. She glanced up to the loft. There sat Fionn writing in a leather book surrounded by copies of what looked to be first edition copies of Fantastic Mr Fox by Roald Dahl. She began placing book after book on the wooden bookcases that had been painted light blue to match the rest of the store.
She made a mental list of books she wanted to read. Every so often, she'd peer back up to the loft, where Fionn was, with a frown displayed on her face. They never made eye contact, but it felt as if he was burning a hole through her skin. Anger bubbled under her skin. Maybe she was just blinded by some sort of hope and she actually disliked him too.
As her shift came to an end, she and Fionn were the only ones in the bookstore. Her anger had reached the point where she could no longer hold it in. She stomped up the stairs to the loft, ready to give him a piece of her mind, but to her misfortune he was asleep. The leather book was propped open on the floor among the pile of books he had yet to organize. Suddenly, as if a lightbulb went off in her head, she had an idea. 'I could take that book. That'll screw him over big time.' She carefully scooped the book off the ground.
"Nice one, Adleigh," she whispered to herself.
/\/\
Back at her flat, she plopped herself down on the bright red couch they had finally built and got ready to read Fionn's journal.
"Laken West! Get your booty into the living room! I have something secret to show you!"
Laken scurried into the living room and slid on to the couch.
"ooo girly, you know I love secrets. Spill."
Adleigh pulled the leather book out of her satchel and sat it in between them. Laken's eyes went wide when she saw the engraved initials on the cover, F.W.
"You did not?!"
"Oh but Laken I did."
"I knew he was a dick to you but I didn't know he was that bad."
"He wasn't that bad, but I wanna know why there was such a change."
"Well, let's find out."
Laken reached over and opened the book. On the cover the words 'for my jumbled thoughts' were scribbled in a half-cursive/half-regular handwriting. They turned the page eager to see what his 'jumbled thoughts' were. The first page of writing was dated April 24th, 2017. The girls glanced at each other before continuing reading.
"It's happening again, the panic attacks. I know I should take my medicine. After all it's supposed to help, but I don't feel like me when taking it. It's almost like I'm numb and slipping under waves. Without it, I have the same feeling but enclosed inside a wall of anxiety. Why did the past come and ruin me? Maybe if it hadn't, I could just be. That's all I want."
Adleigh was confused yet intrigued. They continued turning page after page until they reached the most recent one. Adleigh's adrenaline built as she read the date, August 10th, 2017.
"Do we read it?"
"Obviously we read it!"
'With my luck, of course Adleigh Creed has waltzed into my life. God, she reminds me so much of the past. Of everything that ruined me. Now she has to come into my safe place and sprinkle her stupid personality everywhere. I can't help but feel as if I'm suffocating. The panic attacks stopped for so long, and now they're seeping through the cracks I tried repairing. I don't want to know her, but my eyes continue to wander towards her. What's happening to me?'
Their reading was interrupted by a call from Elsie. Adleigh pressed speaker.
"What is it, Els?" Laken questioned.
"Something's happened."
"What's the something?"
"The something is a someone and that someone is Fionn."
/\/\/\
OKAY YALL I UPDATED!! it's mediocre per usual. This chapter is something else I'm telling you guys and gals. I'm currently at the beach and loving life though!! As always leave some feedback and suggestions bc I really really appreciate it!! Have a nice night/day/morning. I love y'all!
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