Library Girl

chapter one

CHAPTER ONE

LOCKED IN

Dear Ms. Robinson,

Thank you for your application. After reviewing many applicants similar to yourself, we have decided to pursue other candidates whom we feel-

Emilia carefully folded the letter once more and tucked it safely into the jagged-edged envelope.

"What's up? Who was that from?" Olivia asked, her hands tucked under her chin, her legs crossed in the air.

"It was nothing, just, uh- a family thing."

"Oh, that reminds me, I should really check my P.O. box."

"Mhm."

Olivia started humming a song under her breath as Emilia glared a hole into the envelope. The address embedded itself into her skull. She reached across her cluttered desk and dropped it into the trash.

"I'm headed to the library, I'll be back later," Emilia hastily said, gripping her backpack. Her shoulders sagged lower and lower with every step, so low that they nearly hit the pavement.

The library was fairly close to her residence hall. It was only about a five minute walk, and she found herself there most evenings. Especially because most of the time, Olivia and her boyfriend occupied the dorm room. Days where they were especially heated, Emilia had to find shelter in her floor's common room. It wasn't that Olivia was a bad roommate, just hard to live with. That's practically the definition of a bad roommate, you idiot.

The library was her safe haven. No Olivia and Jeremy, no drunk people, just librarians and stressed students. Exactly the kind of environment Emilia thrived off of. She fed off of their frantic typing and the nail biting. Emilia gave a toothy smile to the librarian at the front desk and headed down the spiral stairs to the basement, huffing and puffing towards the bottom. Her usual spot was just beyond the fifth row of shelves where a small rest area was displayed. The round table coupled with chairs and colorful bean bags entered her vision. She settled for the third chair and pulled out her laptop.

Opening her college's website, she searched for the very class she vitally needed for even a chance in the real world; Creative Writing 200. It required a writing submission of at least fifty pages and in no way guaranteed her spot in the class. She couldn't take another rejection this year. No way. However, if she wanted to make it in creative writing, she needed this class. If she didn't get in, well... Goodbye, cruel world. No, it wasn't that serious. But it did mean that she was unfit to succeed in the profession she'd dreamed of pursuing since she was five, and not even a professor would be able to help her write with even an ounce of creative talent. So still, pretty serious.

The due date for the submission was May fifteenth. May fifteenth. She could handle that. Only one of the most important things she would write, and it was due months from now. It was only October, so she basically had all year to finish one little story. Just fifty pages.

She reached for her notebook, wiggled her pencil around in her fingers, and inhaled deeply. One of the overhead lights slowly flickered like a flash of lightning.

Chapter One

She looked even more angelic in her pale blue, lacy sundress.

Her long, golden hair flounced around her face as she bent over a stack of books. Her bright, blue eyes sparkled with joy as she smoothed her hand over the cover.

Sighing happily, she laid (stomach-down) on the white, furry rug with her mile-long, tanned legs crossed in the air. Her dainty, slender finger tucked back a strand of curly blonde hair, which had been covering her beautiful face, behind her ear. She bit lightly into her rosy red, bottom lip and-

Emilia paused. This sucked ass.

The sudden sound of footsteps down stairs made her break her gaze from her laptop. Usually she was alone in the stacks, most kids studying on the main floor. Peeking through the books, she noticed a tall man with floppy brown hair walking closer and closer to her. He was kinda cute, with a rounder face, a baseball cap perched on his hair, and scrunched eyebrows. She bit her lip and watched as he passed her, giving her a quick glance. She smiled shyly at him and he looked at her, disgruntled, and kept walking.

Emilia blinked, furrowing her eyebrows. This day really had it in for her.

The clock tapped louder and louder. The minute hand spun like a top, yet this top only grew faster and faster with no plans of stopping. She felt herself grow entranced by the circular motion, her eyes growing heavy. Emilia's chin met her chest, and her tight, corkscrew curls fell over her face and tickled her cheeks. The pencil in her hand grew hazy and she tried to lift it to write just one more word, one more line, yet her hands were glued to the wooden table. Her eyelashes brushed against her skin and she felt her chest rise and fall, rise and fall...

She felt a tap on her shoulder. Emilia opened her eyes to nothing. Am I blind? Is this the end? She lifted her head and felt a crack in her vertebrae, her neck stiff as a board. She tried to swallow, but her throat was too dry.

"Hello? Where- where am I?" she whispered, clenching her hand. Something hard was resting tightly in her fist. A pencil? The library.

"The library?" A deep voice said. "W-"

"Why can't I see? Is something wrong with me?" Emilia squeaked, letting go of the pencil. She felt around the table and clenched onto her notebook, prepared to hit the strange voice.

"The lights are off, dumbass."

"Dumba-?" she began to bark, before he cut her off.

"My phone died and I need a flashlight, I can't find the lightswitch anywhere. I've been trying for, like, thirty minutes. Can I borrow your phone?" The strange voice got closer.

"You just called me a dumbass, why would I help you?"

"Because I believe we've been locked in the library together, dumbass. Nice to meet you, I'm Nick."

a/n

hi! those of you who don't know me, i'm Sophie! this is my new book that i am ENTIRELY finished with, and will be posting a new chapter every other friday (despite today's post being on a tuesday, because aug. 18th has always been my lucky day)!  by the time i post this, i'll be a sophomore in college studying creative writing, like emilia :) this story feels really embedded into my heart already, and i hope it does the same to you. there will be swearing, drinking, drama, romance, tears, and more. there are 23 chapters, so stick around with me for the ride! i welcome any and all constructive criticism, and do tell me your thoughts, predictions, hopes, fears, anything! i'll be responding to as many comments as i can!  best comment gets a shoutout/dedication next chapter! :)) 

this is a goal just for myself so i can see how much the book grows overtime!

goals:
100 reads total
20 votes
40 comments

missed you guys :)

- s.c