Uncommon (Shawn Mendes)

Chapter 1

Shawn's POV:

I lock the door of my apartment and look at the scribbled list in my hand.  My mom's birthday is just around the corner and she has requested quite a few things.  Most of them are cheesy romance novels thet I've never heard of.  I'd made the big move to New York not too long ago so going out instead of unpacking iss a relief.  The nearest book store is only a few blocks away so I set off on a brisk pace in the morning haze.  

The city is already buzzing with activity as I weave my way through the crowd.  I stop at a small cafe and down a coffee and chocolate croisant.  With so many people around I'm lucky no one has recognized me just yet. It is also a bit lucky that my scruff is coming in nicely.  There are hundreds of guys who look very similar to me and for that I am thankful. 

 I finally arrive at the bookstore and take it in. The facade is worn and the front glass is nearly completely covered in books.

BOOKS OF ALL KINDS -TRADE & SELL-

I push open the painted green door and a little gold bell tinkles above me.  The store smells like glue and coffee beans, and books are stacked to the ceiling.  I navigate myself to what looks like the romance section and crane my head to read the titles.  

My brow slowly furrows, "Can't find them," I mutter to myself looking at my list once more.  To my right I hear the sound of a rattling and I just see a book cart being pushed by someone.  The person starts humming the tune obviously made up but nice.  I sigh again and bend down to look at a book with a dramatic beach scene.

"That one had such a sweet ending," says a voice behind me. Startled, I straighten up quickly.  I turn and the girl jumps as our eyes connected.  Her eyes are a robin's egg blue but hidden behind thick round rimmed glasses.  Long mousy brown hair falls loosely past her shoulder almost brushing her hips, bangs clipped back with a bobby pin.  She see the crumpled list in my hand and makes a motion.

"Oh!  Are you looking for some novels?" she asks, "do you mind?"  I hand her the note and our fingertips brush momentarily.  I look back at her face as her eyebrows furrow and she bites her lower lip.  She looks back up at me and flashes me an incouraging smile.

"You're in luck we have all of them," she says handing back my list.  She moves a little down the aisle and without a pause picks out all of the books.  "It's so nice to see a man reading romance novels," she says handing me the stack of books.

"Oh these aren't for-" I triy to defend myself but she cuts me off.

"Romances are my favorite," she says happily then she bends down to pick up a small book with a single rose on the cover.  "This is my all time favorite though why don't you borrow it?"  She hands the novel to me and something stops me from saying no.  

"Sure thanks I can't wait to read it," I answer as I follow her to the cashiers desk.  She rings up all the books and slips them into a paper bag. "Thanks um..."

"Oh silly me my name's Jade," she says her cheeks going pink as she reachs across the scratched desk.  We shake hands, I can't stop thinking about how soft her hands are.

"Um...my name's Shawn," I stammer and give her a sloppy grin.  She giggles and waves to me as I leave the shop.  

I walk as slowly as possible back to my apartment my head full of blue and roses.  When I finally get back I pull out the novel she had given me and turn it around in my hands.  I open the cover and see in scribbly green ink a name surrounded by little hearts.

Jade Rischter 

"Am I actually going to read this?" I wonder outloud in my silent apartment.  Sighing, I turn on some lights and kick off my shoes.  "One chapter and then I'll stop."  

I sit on my couch for nearly three hours reading that tiny novel.  Half way through I begin to feel emotional as the two main characters suddenly stop talking to one another and I nearly throw the book across the room after the antagonist gets with the protagonist.  By the end I'm a crying mess.

"Why didn't he see how broken she was?" I ask into the silence wiping away tears, "why did he bother with that woman and not his true love!"  This book has punched me right in the feels a cool guy like me isn't supposed to cry like this.

I lie back on my couch and stare at the ceiling, I'm getting roped into the world of romance novels all because of a beautiful girl with glasses and a single book named Uncommon.