Bookworms | ✔

three

"Are you eating in the library?" a voice asked, snapping Nicholas's attention from his reading.

His eyes narrowed at the Muslim girl. "Oh. It's you again," he said as he closed his book.

She rolled her eyes, tucking the stray hair back into her lavender scarf. She placed her books on the desk in front of Nicholas. "I have a name, you know."

"Obviously. It'd be a shame if your parents never named you," he paused and pondered over the thought. "Pretty sure they don't let you leave the hospital without a name."

"You could have just asked for my name," she smiled at him.

Nicholas felt his heart skip a beat at the beautiful smile that was painted onto her heart-shaped lips. Her mesmerizing brown eyes were shining with amusement. There was a spark in there that made him feel alive. Nicholas found himself getting lost into the sea of emotions. He saw her fiddle with the ends of her wool sweater, biting her bottom lip. His blue eyes zeroed in at the movement.

He cleared his throat. "Tell me your name," he said. His voice came out a little deeper than expected.

"Dina."

Her voice was soft like a hushed whisper wandering in the air. The name sounded foreign, but was beautiful nonetheless. She watched him carefully as if trying to figure out his reaction to such a name. His name sounded so plain compared to her. Dina, he tested. It suited her.

"What's your name?" she asked.

Nicholas averted his gaze, scratching his neck. "It's pretty damn white."

Dina rolled her eyes. "It can't be that bad."

He lifted his blue eyes to her. She was curiously looking at him, waiting for his response. He found himself staring deep into her brown orbs, wondering what was going on in that brain of hers. Her thick long eyelashes fluttered as she blinked. He noticed the twitch of her nose.

"Any day now," she muttered.

"Nicholas," he said.

She started laughing, breaking Nicholas out of the trance he was in. He narrowed his eyes at her shaking form. She gripped the counter as she doubled over in laughter. Nicholas leaned back against his seat, crossing his arms over his chest. He blew the blonde hair away from his eyes.

He scowled, "Shut up."

"Oh my God, that is the whitest name ever. It doesn't help that you look like a stereotypical white guy either."

"I do not," he scoffed.

She grinned, "Blonde hair. Blue eyes. Definitely stereotypical white boy."

Nicholas's lips cracked a smile. He couldn't stay mad at her even for a second. Her bubbly laughter echoed off the library walls. It was contagious. He felt himself warm up towards her as he watched in amusement. How did such a small girl make the world around her smile with just her laughter?

"Hey, white people have privileges," he said as he pushed his glasses up the ridge of his nose.

Her jaw dropped, halting her laughter. "Holy crap that was the most honest thing you've ever said."

He shrugged, "I try."

Dina pushed her stack of books towards him. Nicholas wasn't even surprised that she finished all those books at once. He put the books on a cart, before turning towards her. He plopped a chocolate covered popcorn into his mouth. His tongue savored the sweet chocolate taste as it melted onto his taste buds.

Dina raised a brow. "For a librarian, you sure know how to break rules," she muttered.

"It's called finding loopholes not breaking rules," he countered as he threw a piece in the air and caught it in his mouth.

She stared at him for a bit, making Nicholas feel nervous.

"What?" he questioned.

"You remind me of Nemo."

He deadpanned. Did he hear her right? She thought of him as the clownfish from Finding Nemo. Her dark brown eyes were mischievous as she glanced at him. Her grin widened. She was serious.

"I remind you of a fish from Disney?" he slowly questioned. "I'm missing something here."

"You don't listen to rules. You touched the butt. You're Nemo!" she exclaimed.

Nicholas blinked. "I'm so confused right now."

"It's okay. Just keep swimming," she winked.

Nicholas groaned, "Stop with the quotes."

"Never."

"Dina," he warned.

"Nemo," she smiled.

He mumbled, "I liked the shark better. I could have killed Nemo and Marlin."

Of course, Dina heard him. She gasped, "Nemo! Fish are friends not food."

"How did I walk into that one?"

She giggled. Nicholas leaned his cheek against his palm, silently watching her. She continued making more references to Finding Nemo. For some apparent reason, Nicholas was not bothered by it at all. If it had been anyone else, Nicholas would have murdered them, but not with her. He didn't care that she was comparing him to a little kid's movie.

He was just too absorbed in watching her animated facial expressions. He found himself chuckling with her. No matter how hard he tried to suppress the smile, she forced it out of him. Nicholas forgot about the years of loneliness and solitude he felt. Instead he focused on the hyperactive Muslim girl in front of him, feeling an emotion he thought didn't exist. Happiness.

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Aren't they just so adorable together? Good news though, ADII is currently at third place for the Fiction Awards! Keep voting so we stay up there! Spam vote the hell out of the comment section. Link on profile.

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