Lust Tonight, Love Tomorrow (On Hold)

Chapter 9

*thuh-clunk*

A grape soda dropped into the collection tray from the drink machine located downstairs from the library. Marcelo had enjoyed his weekend but the reality of college had finally caught up to him Wednesday. While he waited for his drink to be dispensed he saw a short girl braced against the wall with her attention in her phone. Her small frame held a couple text books that seemed enormous for her size, the way she slouched against the wall was adorable to him. Taking his drink from the machine he looked her over once more before walking away, wiping the can's lid and breaking the seal.

"Aw come on!" He slowly turned on his heels seeing the short girl bend to receive her money back from the machine. What he definitely noticed was the near unnatural curve of her behind. He felt rude staring in concentration at how a petite girl could have such a perfectly full butt. Clearing his throat in self-forgiveness he returned offering assistance.

"May I be of assistance to you?" The perfectly spoken gentleman. She looked up astonished then embarassed in recognition that it was him.

"You didn't have to come back you know. I'm fine, really." She defended quickly. Marcelo looked on smugly switching the lollipop from one side of his mouth to the next, he really didn't have to help her but something tugged him to persist.

"Are you sure? I was just going to say it sometimes depends on how you put it in." He did not grasp the double meaning of his words after seeing the blush and soft bitten lip of the girl. Embarassed he asked for the bill and straightened the edges before attempting to put it in- rejected. He tried again and got denied again. By this time the girl was getting inpatient having a stranger deal with her money but the way Marcelo went about it made her laugh. He held up from the machine and looked at her while fishing in his pockets, handing back her bill and an extra three dollars in change folded in it. He smiled before walking off when she unraveled it and sipped his can soda.

"Wait! What is this?" She asked causing him to turn.

"A good deed. Don't think on it too hard." He smirked walking off again up the stairs to the library. She didn't say anything after but if she did Marcelo was already out of ear reach.

Finally reaching the library after weeks of promising himself that he would, the first place he checked out were the fictional shelves for what the college had to offer. It wasn't what he totally expected; they were mostly fictional books on Caribbean literature and folktales. Grabbing one that was titled 'Tales of Anansi' he took a sat at one of the cubicles to read. The image on the front of the book had a humanoid spider on it- leaving him to wonder what kind of tales from the Caribbean were these.

He looked around the library taking in its quaint, quintessential architecture. It seemed to mimic those home libraries one would see in movies that belonged to large estate owners who collected rare books and one print manuscripts. Yet a touch of the technological ages with devices that showed it was a college library, the students around seemed to shuffle silently going from shelf to shelf with books in their hands and others sitting at single carousels with a barrage of books opened and jotting notes.

They reminded him of the office workers at his dad's joint partnership company, moving around swiftly and silently as basic programmed robots that had work to be done. He switched the lolli in his mouth once more before steeling his jaw and looking down at the book reminding himself on the business he was on in Barbados.

"Excuse me, sir?" Marcelo looked up at who he figured was a librarian.

"I understand you may love to read and it would do us a huge favour if you could register at the assistance desk." She held a handful of books that looked heavy enough while maintaining her professionalism. Marcelo didn't realize what he said sounded rude after the words left his mouth.