Lia was glad to finally be at the bookstore. The smell of freshly brewed coffee had her feeling much more comforted than she ever could have imagined. After staying up all night studying for that math test, coming to find out that it had been rescheduled, really irritated her . . . but she was pleased she was here now, able to escape her stressful life-even if it was for only an hour or two.
Heading over to the section with the SAT and ACT books, she picked the one out that she needed. Glancing through the book, she could tell it was a good guide for getting an even higher score than she already had. Lia only spent a few minutes in the section before traveling over to the young adult section. Though Lia was very intelligent for her age, she was one that enjoyed a good love story here and there-like every teenage girl. After searching for one she picked out a book from the Mortal Instruments series, and sat on the nearest leather chair. Setting the book on her lap, Lia took her jacket off and pushed the sleeves of her long-sleeved shirt up, beginning to read. There was a lot of chatter for the small place, but Lia tuned it all out, too involved in the story she held in her hand to be overly agitated. It had been almost two hours by the time Lia had finished the story and placed it back on the shelf where she had found it. Lia knew that she had to be home soon, so she walked up to the front desk, the back of a curly-haired boy's head the only thing that she saw.
"Excuse me," Lia stated politely, albeit she was annoyed that the computer had always faced away from the customers. She waited patiently, and when the boy didn't turn around she said, "Could I get some help over here?" irritation was laced through her voice.
The boy turned around then, and she was taken aback by how attractive he was-even with dark circles under his eyes which she assumed were from a lack of sleep. Shaking her head, she took a deep breath, her eyes meeting the forest green ones in front of her.
"What do you want?" he asked, his voice rough and raspy. "I am busy at the moment."
That threw her off, Lia's eyebrows raising in shock. She was exasperated by the fact that he acted as though he could not help her. It was his job was it not? To help a customer when they needed it. Lia was fuming with the idea that he had said he was busy. There was absolutely no excuse for him not to help her.
"Busy?" she inquired, incredulous. "You work here don't you?" Lia slammed the SAT book on the counter, chatter ceasing in the café, but she did not care at this point. If her mother was here, she would have done the same thing-though she felt queasy with the idea of acting like her mother. "Aren't you here, being paid, to aid a customer when she, in this case, is in need of it?"
He chuckled, only adding to Lia's fury. She was about to cause a bigger scene when he said, "Christ, I thought we had taken those off the shelf . . ." the boy paused, and Lia could detect and English accent breaking through. "That test book is from last year." She looked down at the SAT book and, sure enough, it said 2013-2014 on it. "I will go to the back and get you the one for this year, love."
"Don't call me that," she scoffed, unamused by the nice guy he was now portraying.
"Call you what?" he questioned, seeming dumbfounded.
"Love," she stated, rolling her eyes and crossing her arms over her chest. Lia could see it was raining outside through the window and she disliked the thought of having to cross the street where she had parallel parked. "I am not some girl that you are friends with."
He shook his head then, coming out from behind the desk and headed toward the back. As he headed there, Lia admired his red plaid flannel, and the black jeans he wore, but still was not content with the way he the curly-haired boy had acted minutes before. She shook her head, playing with the end of her braid and looking at the computer screen across the way. There seemed to be a word document open-or maybe an email-but she knew it was none of her business, and turned her attention to the granite counter top. Lia loved this place-would come here at least once a week, but had never seen anyone like this boy working here. But her thoughts were interrupted when she felt a body behind here, and an arm on her right, while the other had placed book on the counter to her left.
"This," he began, not even letting her have a say in the way he was so comfortable around her, "is a SAT book. The one you want, but then there is the Premium version, which I have heard is much better than the Standard. Of course, getting a 2380 on your SAT, people believe that you are a genius, and should have gone to college, but why bother? It is not like you really want or need to do anything with your life." He was talking quickly, but he seemed like someone that should have talked much slower. Now, Lia had really lost track after the boy had told her-at least she assumed he was speaking about himself-that he had gotten a 2380 on his Sat. That beat her pre-SAT score by 26 points.
"Whoa, whoa," Lia turned around, her eyes wide when she realized how close she really was to the boy, but didn't bother with pushing him away-too stunned by what she had just heard. "You mean to tell me that you got a 2380 on your SAT and are not going to college?" Lia was bewildered, and knew her parents would really want her to improve her score if they knew about this boy. "That is absolutely insane."
He rolled his eyes. "Keep your voice down . . . I moved here from England to get away from that." He paused, his green eyes on Lia's before he continued speaking. "Well, that, and my parents travel a lot because they're authors, so I live with my aunt." He shook his head, sighing. "But, yeah," he continued. "Take the Premium one . . . you will do better."
Nodding, Lia pressed her hands to his chest, pushing the boy away. He was not wearing a name tag to inform her on his name, so that she could say she wanted him to move. After a few minutes, the curly-haired boy walked behind the counter, ringing her up. Lia took a deep breath, relieved that this was over with . . . at least she wanted it to be. Shaking her head, Lia was about to grab the book when the boy placed his hand on top hers, Lia's eyes meeting the boys.
"What are you doing?' she asked, pulling her hand away. "Do not touch me."
He rolled his eyes, scribbling something down on the paper that was her receipt. Lia gave him a dirty look, leaving as soon as the boy had given her the book as well as the piece of paper. Rolling her eyes, Lia jogged across the street in the light rain, getting into her sedan as soon as she could. Once again, her hair had frizzed and she was extremely furious. Lia set the book down on the passenger's seat, looking at the receipt that the boy had written on and reading the small message.
Dear Lia-well that was what it said on your card so I am guessing that's your name,
You seem like an interesting girl, and I hope you do well on your SAT test. Just one thing you could maybe do the next time you see me is not be so rude? Maybe? Thanks, love. ;) But anyways, please come back to Bookman's Bookstore. Have a lovely evening.
H xx
Raising her eyebrows, she was confused by the note. On one hand, Lia had no idea she was being rude, rather a female that was not interested in the curly-haired boy at the counter. And he had only signed it with the initial of his first name-at least she was guessing. Shaking her head, Lia started the car, wanting to just get home and not worry about anything. Though she knew the minute she walked through that door, she was going to get yelled at for something stupid, or that was not her fault. Sighing, Lia turned up the radio, hoping that she would, one day, make her parents proud enough. Though she knew the day as not going to come anytime soon.
xxx ~ Bacardi
