Under The Radar

Chapter 3

The school library was like no other library Margot has ever seen.

Her old school had a pretty good one. It was modern, minimalist, and very hip for a school library. It felt like something you'd imagine tech offices would look like.

Meadows Ridge High School's library looked like a really nice house that just so happens to be filled with books. Margot fell in love with it when she first stepped between library's front French doors. They said that it was supposedly meant to be some sort of boarding house for visitors but the school had changed its mind and decided to make it a library instead. She guessed they figured that they didn't host a lot of visitors.

The librarian's wide circular desk was the first thing you'd see as soon as you entered. Then the space opened wide on both sides. The rooms were evenly separated and aesthetically looked like spaces for rooms in a house. Instead of a kitchen or living room, there's an audio/visual room that doubled as a mini music room, study rooms, English Lit, Science, Math, The Arts, etc.

Margot nodded at Mrs. Holdridge, who smiled at her regular patron. She turned to her left and walked towards the familiar row of desks for students. She dropped her bag at the farthest table that practically had her name on it. There were at least six other people using the other desks. Three were a group of probably sophomore girls who seemed to be more intent on checking their phones than studying. Or they could be researching using their phones, Margot acquiesced. Who was she to judge as she brought out her book on modern design.

Yes, she was that girl. Besides her natural love for music, she loved art particularly architecture and interior design. This is why the library was a pleasant surprise. She felt that the point of it was to feel like you're comfortably studying at home without the distractions. From her favorite spot, she could see the sweeping staircase that led to some reserved study rooms that catered for more individualized tutoring as well as the Fine Arts section. It disappeared behind a beautiful low, wooden archway that led to the other side of the library.

It was a pretty background frame if one would take a picture. She remembered seeing someone from school who admired the same thing, posting a picture of themselves right between the arches like a picture frame.

A frame that Jacob MacGibbon emerged from.

What the...?

Margot quickly ducked her head. Since she's been coming to this school and been a regular in this library, this was the first time she's seen him in here during lunch period.

It's been a couple of days since he talked to her at the school parking lot and invited her to Andy Milton's party. She told Lauren and Reedley about it and they were as skeptical as she was. Not for the same reason though.

--

"Jacob MacGibbon invited us to a party?" Reedley asked, punctuating her disbelief by saying it like it had periods after every word as she was leaning against the locker beside Margot's. "When did this happen?"

"Yesterday? Before going home."

"Oh, is that why you left in such a hurry?" Lauren had to smile at Margot's dry look. Reedley just snickered in agreement. Margot ignored them while she made a show of replacing books in her locker.

"So, he asked all three of us to the party? That's what he talked to you about?" Reedley asked.

"Yes. And I thought it was weird too," Margot answered, shutting her locker close and turning around to face them.

Lauren rolled her eyes. "No, did he suddenly invite all three of us to go or did he ask you first?"

Margot didn't like where this was leading. "Well he was asking about the bumping incident. Then he told me about the party," she answered carefully.