Stealing First

Chapter 9

After a restless night, Charlie stood under the hot spray of the shower hoping that it would revive her weary body and heavy eyes. She towelled her hair dry and left it to hang loose about her shoulders, throwing on a pair of jeans and a black knit sweater before heading to the kitchen to make herself breakfast. As she sat down to sip her coffee and look over her kanji notes form the previous day, she heard her phone buzz. Charlie reached across the table and saw a message from Miyuki.

From: Mr Perfect

Morning, Saki!

Charlie could just picture the smug grin on Miyuki's face as he typed the overly cheerful greeting. She may have been tired, but she still had enough wit left to keep him grounded with her reply.

From: Murasaki

Saki? Is that any way to address your sensei? Especially before 7am...

Miyuki chuckled at her sulky response. He had just finished his morning run and had messaged Charlie as soon as he had got back to his dorm. He was in a particularly good mood today, especially since he had a rare full day off from official practice to rest as the team's hellish training camp was coming to a close.

From: Mr Perfect

Sorry Murasaki-sensei, I guess you're not a morning person, huh? :P

He could just imagine her scowl at his message. Miyuki enjoyed teasing his Australian friend and equally enjoyed her witty (often cutting) comebacks. She really was different to any other girl he had met, and he just found it so easy to be in her company. Was that an Australian thing, or a Charlie thing? he wondered. Either way, he found that he was actually looking forward to working on his English with Charlie today. He chose to avoid thinking too closely about why that might be as he opened her reply.

From: Murasaki

No, Saki is definitely NOT a morning person. Meet at the library at 9am?

The catcher smirked at her grumpy reply and sent back a thumbs-up. Miyuki tugged at the sweaty undershirt that was clinging to his chest and pulled it over his head, changing into a fresh shirt before heading down to the cafeteria. He wasn't sure if the strange feeling in his stomach was hunger or something else, but decided it was about time for breakfast anyway.

The library was basically deserted when Charlie wandered in later that morning. She had always loved libraries: the smell of aging paper, the cosy nooks and corners created by the stacks of books, and the deep quiet that seemed to settle in her chest as she breathed in the atmosphere of the space. It was a feeling she had picked up from her mother, who had been an English teacher and avid reader. Some of Charlie's favourite childhood memories were of her and her mum wandering around the library, browsing books, quietly assessing the promise of adventure or escape each of them held. She smiled at the memory and realised that, with all of her recent study, she actually hadn't read anything for herself for a while. She found a table by the window to unload her bag and headed off to the small but well-stocked English book section to see what it held.

Surveying the shelves, she discovered that most of the novels were titles that had been adapted into films. Makes sense, she thought to herself, though she was a little disappointed at not finding any of her usual favourites amongst the stacks. Charlie was about to give up when she spied the familiar spine of her mother's favourite book peeking out from the top row. She had fond memories of seeing a well-thumbed copy of the book frequently lying around her mother's preferred reading haunts back home. She spotted a wooden step against the wall nearby and dragged it over to give her a boost.

Charlie was on her tiptoes, at full stretch, when suddenly she felt someone leaning over her from behind. She let out a small gasp of surprise and, turning her head slightly to see who it was, she caught a familiar scent. Charlie froze, her heart racing in her chest. She became all too aware of the warmth of his hand over hers, gripping the book she had been reaching for. She could feel the strong shape of his torso pressed against her back and hear his slightly ragged breath just inches from her neck.