The Missing Book (TonTon - Identity V)

The Boy Behind the Bookshelf

Mike Morton, leader of the tennis club, goes to the library daily. Although, he does not go to the library for the books only. As he walks up towards a bookshelf, he peeks around the corner to look at a certain someone. That, someone, was Norton Campbell, the school librarian, and star of the baseball club. The raven-haired boy was always in the library during lunch, so Mike would be there too either pretending to look at books or actually getting one. 

There were some days where Norton wasn't at the library but, instead, practicing baseball outside. If he was practicing, Mike would look at him from the window and daydream about how it feels to be with Norton, maybe even TALK to him. Of course, that would never happen. The butterflies slowly started turning into goosebumps as he thinks about the bad things that could happen. Norton could hate him forever and he would be kicked out of the library, never seeing Norton again. The thought made Mike tremble in his shoes. 

He peeked over the corner to look at Norton again. As beautiful as ever, he sat in his chair organizing the books in perfect piles. It made Mike's heart skip beats, many, many beats. Norton really is handsome. The way he lightly licks his fingers to turn the page, the way he closes the book, the way he gets up from his chair, and the way he's walking over towards the bookshelf Mike is hiding behind. 

What?

Mike snaps out of his daydream to see Norton standing right in front of him. He slowly processed the situation and quickly positioned himself to stand up straight, hands at both sides. 

"I--" Mike started but he was quickly interrupted. 

"Mike Morton, is it?" Norton asked, "It seems you have a book that I haven't received." 

"Huh?" The smaller blonde boy ponders for a second. A book that he hasn't returned? 

"Ah, I'm very sorry about that," Mike he starts awkwardly backing away from Norton. Too close, he thought. "I'll get you that book immediately. Mind telling me what kind of book it was--?" 

As Mike finished that sentence, his back hit the bookshelf behind him. The interaction between the shelf and Mike caused the books atop to fall upon both Norton and Mike. The books were coming down and Mike quickly closed his eyes. He wasn't worried about if he got hurt or not, he was worried whether this was gonna be a fairly bad first impression in front of the cute librarian he would try and see every day.  

Surprisingly, Mike didn't feel any clashing of books. Instead, he felt a hand around his waist and a warm embrace. Norton had taken the hits from the books, saving Mike. 

"Ow," the book fell to the ground after hitting Norton's head. 

Mike stared at Norton in awe. His brain had completely stopped and he was not processing the situation whatsoever. 

"Are you alright?" Norton's voice came breaking through, fixing the stuck cogs in Mike's brain. 

"Huh? Oh, yeah. I'm good," he replied with a slight voice crack. The blonde boy was slowly turning red, so he decided to look the other way towards his shoulder. 

Defusing the situation, Mike quickly drops to his knees to pick up the books that fell on the ground. Norton followed after him and did the same. 

"So about the book," the librarian continued, "It's called 'The Last Day of Summer.'"

"Ah, yes. I'm very sorry about that," Mike quickly replied, getting back up on his feet with the books at hand. 

"I-I'll," Mike cleared his throat, "I'll return it soon." 

"Thank you," Norton smiled at him, "Good luck in your tennis match."

Norton took the books from Mike's hands and went back to his desk. "Thank you..." he mumbles at him. 

Mike stood silent for a second, then quickly dashed out of the library. 

Wow wow wow wow wow wow wow, what just happened? his thoughts started coming in as he was running in the hallway. 

THE Norton Campbell, the cute librarian, the star of the baseball team, the guy I have a crush on, talked to me. What? 

Mike suddenly stops in the middle of the hallway and stands there for a good second. 

"I.." Mike clenches his fist and puts on a determined face, "have to return that book!"