"I'm surprised you don't already know" He rebuts. His voice grows huskier while his head lowers as he crosses his arms over his chest.
I raise both of my eyebrows in an attempt to convince him that I don't.
"Should I?" I question. My voice heightens...
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The train ride to the library was draining, but as soon as I walked through the doors I felt at peace. At home. I could most definitely stay here forever.
As it is, I already lose track of time so easily. I get so caught up in the literary world that I have trouble being pulled out of it.
I settled down into a seat at the end of the fiction isle, isolating myself away from those that didn't appeal to me in my time of leisure.
I began to read a book that Noah recommended people read in one of his interviews for a brand that I can't recall.
Don Miguel Ruiz's The Mastery Of Love was a wisdom book I took into consideration to read as it was something that I needed. Growing up and finding yourself on a journey of self discovery is something a lot of people struggle with, especially at the fresh, young age of 18. Everybody is in the same boat and is trying to identify the kind of person they are or who they want to become.
For me personally, I struggle with being a good person. I constantly put myself under scrutiny and question each of my decisions prior to making them. I've never intentionally wanted to be a bad person, have any toxic traits or hurt people. But I guess it just happens sometimes and there's just some things and people, that you can't control. Sometimes you have to give up driving to enjoy the ride.
There's a certain quote in this book I came across that speaks volumes.
"The way we think, the way we feel, and the way we act become so routine that we no longer need to put our attention on what we are doing". This implies that if bad behaviour is practiced repeatedly, it becomes a habit, which becomes a cycle, which eventually shapes who you are as a person. But, the same thing applies to the positive side. You receive what you put out into the world. So, if you are optimistic and generous and good to people, you shall receive the same back one way or another.
My calming thoughts were interrupted by loud thuds on the libraries main doors at the entrance.
As I peered over the top levels balcony, nobody was in sight except for a small man with curly hair, standing there banging on the doors. My earphones left my ears as I decided to intervene to ask if he needed any help.
"Hi. Is everything okay down there? I raised my voice as it echoed throughout the building, indicating that little, if any people remained present in the library.
The male swiftly turned around and I gulped. Viciously. There was no way, that Noah Centineo was standing down there and that we were only separated by three levels of stairs.
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His smile greets me.
"HI!" He yells back, slightly giggling and scratching the back of his neck with his right hand.
"Could you please help me? The doors won't seem to budge" He continues.
I don't reply. Instead, I nervously chuckle and make my way down the flights of stairs.
The time had come. It was here. And it was now.
What was I going to do? How was he here? NOW? Why was he here? How did I not know he was here?
This was the last thing I thought would happen.
Reaching the bottom of the stairs, I began to hesitantly approach him. With every step he grew taller and I grew smaller. My height of 5 feet was absolutely no match for the whole 6 foot male standing in front of me.
It was like I was a deer caught in the headlights and a lost puppy all at once. I blinked with skepticism and tilted my head upwards to meet his gaze. His kind eyes slightly squinted with sincerity pleading for my assistance.
"What seems to be the problem..." I waited, indicating for him to introduce himself, acting as if I didn't know who he was. Though in reality, I knew him all too well.
"Noah. My name, it's Noah" He replies with a nervous cackle.
If anything, I was the one who deserved to be nervous. Not him!
I offered a kind smile as he continued to express his concern.
"They just won't open. I've tried everything but they just won't budge".
His American accent was thick, and somehow different to how it sounded through a phone screen. Softer.
"Well, Noah. Let me see what I can do".
I pull out my phone from my bag to see texts from the group-chat. Though, I disregard them to check the time.
My angst begins to grow and reside in my clammy palms.
"It's 7PM" I say, my voice shaking.
Noah notices my change in tone and places his hand on my shoulder while tilting his head to the right, questioning what that means for us.
"That, my friend, means that we're locked in here. Overnight".
He began to grin while I began to hyperventilate.
"You've put me in the friend zone already? Damn, harsh" He places his hand over his chest and furrows his brows with his crinkled his eyes
What the fuck was I supposed to do? There's no way I was going to stay here. With HIM. This can't be happening, I kept repeating to myself, closing my eyes in an attempt to recollect my thoughts and brainstorm ways to wriggle myself out of this situation.
I fantasised about this kind of thing happening, especially while reading fan-fiction about him. But now that the opportunity is in my grasp, my apprehension is convincing me that i'm in for a hell of a ride if I don't find a way out.
But most importantly, how would I approach the situation? What was I going to do? How was I going to act? What was going to happen in the 12 hours we were about to inevitably spend together?
