Stormy Eyes

Chapter Two: Unpleasant Encounters

Despite the fact that it has only been a few days of my new life style, I'm exhausted. It's been a long ass first week at Uni, but I'm happy to say that I've made it to the end of Friday.

On my way home from campus I walked past a book store and couldn't stop myself from going inside. I have always had an obsession with reading. It provides and escape form reality, but it has always created unrealistic expectations. When I was younger I always dreamed of my perfect cliche romance, but of course it never happened.

I stepped through the entrance into the quite book store and took in the atmosphere. 

The store was massive. There was a long staircase that spiralled up allowing access to each floor and there were many windows lining the walls, between book cases, allowing large amounts of light to enter into the store. Almost every surface in the store was a dark (Almost black) wood and the shop smelt of coffee and book pages - Heaven. 

You know that feeling after finishing a book and a while later you take it down from the shelf and open it, the smell reminds you of the feeling you had when reading it? It brings back all the love you had for the characters and forces you to relive the plot in your head, reminding you of every detail. 

That is the best feeling.

I continued through the store and walked up the steps of the staircase to explore each section. Each floor was divided into two different genres and was packed to every corner with books of different kinds.

I skimmed my fingers along the spines that lay on the edge of the shelf, just enjoying the vibes of it all. 

Other than the sounds looming through the window from the street outside, there was not a sound around me. The air was still and there was no-one around. 

I walked all the way up to the top floor and found the romance section, which was placed next to the stores fiction inventory. This is how I would've set out the store, exactly like this. My two favourite genres placed together at the highest floor, with the bay widow overlooking the city. A secluded place to enjoy a book and the coffee that they sold down stairs. 

"Can I help you?" A lady said from behind me. Startling the shit out of me, might I add. 

The lady seemed to pick up that she had given me. "Oh dear, I'm sorry. I did not mean to startle you."

I laughed awkwardly, "Don't worry. I was in my own world, I didn't even hear you coming."

I took a good look at the older lady that stood before me. She wore a smart outfit with a name tag that read Olivia. She had grey hair that was cut to so that the ends sat at the top of her neck, dark blue eyes and a smile that reminded me of Nora from back home. 

Nora took care of Chris and I when we were growing up, she was basically a second mom to us.

"That's understandable." She said. "I too get lost in another world when I'm around all these books."

"Reading is another story I'm sure." I said with a light laugh. 

"Oh, definitely." Olivia agreed.

"I'm Espen." I said after a moment of silence passed.

"Olivia." She reached out her hand for me to shake. "Lovely to meet you, Espen. Though I must admit, you have an unusual name." 

"I know." I thought to what my mom had once said. "My dad liked the name, so my mom went with it."

"Well it's lovely." 

"Thank you."

She nodded.