Library

Chapter 4: Library

~ Loki ~

Then

I grew up with my mother. We live in a small village at the Euclid Avenue. My mother has a job for teaching kindergarten. And in between the weekends she spends time editing platform at Wahida Clark Publishing, an urban independent publishing warehouse. She enjoys reading, writing articles, annotating, and editing some of them.

That's one of the things I admire about by mother. She is eloquent, independent, and very passionate. Up until now, I can't believe how a man took her for granted, how a man didn't see how great she is, how a man hurt her and leave her like she's not valuable enough.

I swear if ever I would find someone like my mother, I would never do those things. I will cherish every little thing about her.

Anyway, she wakes up too early and went home by 8 o'clock in the evening. How self-discipline, right? She will make sure she has time to cook for our dinner, she's very good at it. That's how I got to learn how to cook. She taught me so very well.

I love my mother. She is all I have. However, her salary doesn't afford the tuition fee of where I want to go for high school. So, I decided to be enrolled at the local community high school. Princeton High school.

I rummage my backpack checking all my necessary stuff.

Afterward, I looked for Luther so that I get to ride with him to the university. His Mom, Aunt Tina, has old Mercedes car and she always drive Luther to the university since her work are flexible.

Luther has been my friend ever since we are on the 6th grade of middle school. Right now, we are in our senior high school years, Grade 11. It is the middle of school year, so far so good.

"Why are you always looking at her?" Luther said. We are currently eating on the cafeteria. I got all the greens which are vegies and fruits. I taught myself that healthy diet is very important. How will you function properly if you don't take your body seriously, right?

"What?" I faltered. I hope he didn't notice.

He laughed a bit. "Yeah, she's pretty." He simply said. "You know you two has resemblance, you have the same green eyes." He added.

I drank my water too fast, it somehow spilled. I cursed. Because my eyes suddenly fall on her, and she must saw how I spilled my water. I wonder if she knows that I always look at her. I hope not.

"Take it easy bro!" Luther who's sitting beside me is making fun of me. "Don't let her know you're stupid." He whispered. I eyed him coldly and then I look around to see her again, only to see her walking away towards the corridor.

I watched as her soft brown curly hair bounced as she walks slowly. She is Era, she's my classmate but I never had a chance to be friend with her. She's very timid, I can even count on my fingers how many times she spoke for a day. Most of our classmates thinks of her as someone who's lame and boring. But something inside me tells the otherwise.

...

"Dude, they want me to take their advance program." Luther said looking too problematic, he has his face slumped on the book which he's currently reading. The Science Theory.

I look around the library to see the time, it's almost 6 in the evening.

"Isn't it good news?" I asked while directly looking at him. He didn't budge to move. A second passed before he gets to speak. He lifts his head and whispers. "What?" I asked because I didn't hear him clearly enough.

"Nothing." He spoke. "You're right, this is good news. Mom would probably be happy with it." He added as he resumes reading. One word to describe Luther, nerd. He is totally into science since then. I don't even get surprised when he opens about his advancement. I don't doubt him at all.

"Aren't you supposed to be happy? C'mon man! It's a privilege. If they offered it to me, I would say yes right away." I sincerely told him.

Sometimes, I even wonder why it takes years to finish school. Others don't even finished school, but they are successful, has a lot of contribution to the development of technology for the world. Bill gates as an example. Maybe I should drop out too, sadly, I'm not him. I don't have a mind like him so I must graduate from college. I need the degree.

"I am happy." He replied tersely. I shook my head at him, not believing what he said.

As I resume reading my book, I heard the creek of a chair near me. I accidentally look up, only to see her. I was in awe. I don't know how to react. But no, I should not react. Not at all.

It is a marvel of accurate psychological knowledge to know that I'm attracted to her. I can't help not to look at her voluptuous lips coated with her pink lip gloss. It accentuated her narrow nose. As my gaze continued to her eyes, I can't help but to be mesmerized. She has green eyes just like mine.

"Is there a problem?" She asked in a pinch tone. I suddenly flinched, realizing what I did. Now, I can't barely look at her. Ashamed as I was, I look at Luther who is now silently laughing his ass off while shaking his head. I raised my eyebrows at him and put a scowl look like, stop what you're doing or else....

"No, there's none." I said it to her as I quickly grabbed my books, notepads, pen, and bag. She is still standing beside me, though. I can smell her flowery and fruitful scent. I made a quick glimpse to her but she's looking at my things that are now on my hands. She has her eyebrows crease. Probably wondering what the heck is wrong with me.

Yeah, what the heck am I doing?

"Let's go." I didn't wait for Luther, I want to get out of the library as quickly as possible.

I forgot to breathe.