absquatulate (v.)
/əbˈskwɒtʃʊleɪt/ to leave abruptly.
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the library was quiet.
some of the only sounds audible were the soft turns of old pages, or the thrumming of minghao's fingers against the check-out counter.
he could also make out the faint noise of a clock ticking continuously. adjusting his glasses, he watched it with not interest-- but sheer longing.
minghao was bored.
sometimes he wondered why in the world he resorted to being a librarian, yet he kept his mouth shut when words like that attempted to slip out. the pay was decent, the job was far from stressful, and he was earning enough to get by. in the end, that was all that truly mattered.
so without a whisper, he continued to stare at the time-keeping contraption hanging off the wall.
two twenty-four. he would be able to leave soon, but not soon enough.
there was another fellow in the library, so he wasn't completely alone. the boy was sat on a nearby couch, legs propped up on a coffee table, book in hand. it was a rare sight, as he worked in a library that was linked to the town's school district. students would only come and go when necessary. the occasional fee was needed, but who could blame them? people have better things to worry about than how much money was owed on their cards.
basically, seeing kids genuinely enjoying a good book was surely a miracle.
he appreciated it. the book was almost pressed against the bridge of his nose, the sleeves of the boy's wooly sweater covering the fingers gripping the bottom of the novel. at further inspection, you could note that the student was rather small; able to mistaken for a freshman at the least. his hair was a cute, cotton candy pink, and his skin was fair and light. it made minghao smile.
suddenly, the wooden doors of the library swung open. there stood an average sized boy, black locks looking slightly damp due to the light rain dripping outside the building. that was all minghao could make out before the figure raced from the bookshelves to the counter, shoving a hand down his pocket and retrieving a library card. minghao, startled, quickly took the card. he scanned the book with ease, then inserted the card before handing both items back to the flushed boy. he hugged the book to his chest, card finding its place in his pocket. the boy sent minghao an embarrassed smile, giving a little wave before stumbling out of the library just as fast as he arrived. the door shut with a loud thud, leaving both the librarian and the boy resting on the couch staring.
well, okay.
