Locked Up Together

5: "Please Finish. You Were Doing So Good."

5: Locked Up Together
        The main library was bright during the day; plenty of windows brought in slanting rays of brilliant sunshine. I carried the two foam coffee cups over to Alexander and held out one for him to take.

        "You found coffee?"

        "Sprite close enough?"

        He took one of the cups from my hand and then I held out the apple wrapped in a napkin.

        "What is it?" he asked without taking it.

        "It's half of an apple."

        "You found half of an apple?"

        "I found a whole apple. I ate half of it. I can still eat the whole thing if—"

        He plucked it from my still outstretched hand.

        "You're welcome."

        He raised his cup to me and took a large sip.

        Not even a thank you. "One of the librarians must be an apple thief. The bag where I could it was owned by someone who was accustomed to having their food stolen. We have now added to that distrust."

        "I'm sure that you'll replace it later."

        "I may. I may not." I made my way back to the couch I had slept in. His sleeping still at the floor. I stared at it for a long moment really not wanting to have to use it, but the goosebumps on my arms kept coming rapidly, so I swallowed my pride and picked it up. I draped the sleeping over my shoulders and sat down, holding my cup between my hands, wishing there was some sort of hot beverage inside.

        Once this soda was gone, we could share some cake later as well as a mystery dish. I could practically feel my stomach shrinking. Unless . . .

        I looked at the large bag by his feet.

        When I glanced up, he was staring at me. "What do you have in there?"

        He must have known exactly what I had been looking at because he answered, "Not much."

        "Any food? If you were planning to stay the entire weekend, you must've brought something to eat."

        "I wasn't planning on staying here the entire weekend."

        "Where were you planning to stay, then? Why did you end up here?"

        "I was planning to stay somewhere else."

        I waited for him to clarify, but that was the extent of his answer. "You're not a big talker."

        "I talk when I have things to say."

        "Was that supposed to be even the tiniest bit insightful?"

        "It wasn't supposed to be anything but an answer."

        Dang, this was really going to be a long weekend.

        He closed the book and placed it on the floor next to him, then leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees. "Why are you here?"

        I wanted to give him a snarky answer to compete with his short responses. Something along the lines of, I wanted to devour stolen apples and expired yogurt and read books all day and night this weekend. But I held my tongue. Maybe if he learned more about me, he'd realize I just wanted to leave. I wasn't in here to ruin whatever plan that he'd had of coming here. "I had to use the restroom."