Chapter 3

A week later I've all but forgotten how I impulsively handed out my number to a stranger.

"Okay, so why am I being dragged along?"

"You just finished your final presentation right? You should have time, come one." I heave a sigh as I'm hauled forward by my taller friend, his afro flopping behind him.

"Did Naya tell you what happened?" His expression darkens and I hold back a chuckle.

"Don't even mention it. She's been gripping about that non stop." Josh and Naya are siblings, twins actually. They're supposed to be fraternal but there's a striking resemblance, both of them being tall good looking African Americans with similarly proportioned features.

"Wait, so why are you volunteering at a book fair? I thought a med student would be too busy for that sort of thing?"

"Well...there's this girl..." Ah, of course. This time I let out my chuckle.

"Hey! What's funny about that?"

"Well it's always about a girl with you."

"It's not!"

"Well, how about that time when you dressed up as a clown for th-"

"Let's not talk about that stuff!" I chuckle again.

"Anyway, we're here." I look up. There's three or four white tables spread out on the lawn in front of the dorms. A handful of students are rushing between them, carrying boxes and table cloths.

"Why are we holding a book fair anyway? Isn't that an elementary school thing?"

"Well...it's not a book fair exactly."

"Then what is it?" Just as he opens his mouth to answer a petite brunette makes her way over to us and he shuts his mouth with a snap.

"You came!"

"Yup, yup we're here to help!" I squint at him, "yup, yup", Really man?

She turns to me, "and this is?"

"Hi, I'm Ram." I introduce myself in place of my distracted friend.

"Hi Ram! So right now we're just unloading the books and stuff before Sensei and the others get here. Then, you can either stay or leave during the actual event-oh no, not there. Sorry I have to go-" she hurriedly gestures towards some students before rushing off. Sensei, what Sensei? My mind wanders to my third grade obsession with ninjas.

"Hey, I'm going to see if Mimi needs any help." I look up but before I can respond, Josh is off. Well, guess I may as well get busy myself. I make my way over to the largest pile of boxes.

"Hey, do we just unload the boxes on the tables?" I direct my question towards a skinny blonde guy at the side.

"The ones with blue tape go on those tables. Red with red. Black with black."

"Got it." I grab a box and start unloading books, noticing how there's way more of the blue than there is of red or black. Around twenty minutes later, we've unloaded almost all of them. In curiosity, I pick up one of the copies on the blue table.

"Siren's Song..." On the cover is a painting of a woman dancing on a piano. I finger the bumpy ridges.

"It's beautiful isn't it?" I whirl around to see a familiar Asian guy.

"Chen?" I inquire in surprise.

"Hello Ram." His smile is soft but tired looking. "Do you like literature?"

"Oh, I came here with a friend. I mean, I do like reading though."

"Friend?"

"Josh." His eyelashes lower as he tries to place the name.

"He's interested in Mimi."

"Ah, a lot of people are."

"Are you?" He looks up in surprise.

"Me? Why would I- Didn't I ask you for your number?"

"But you never called though."

"I - that was because -"

"Sensei! When did you sneak in here?!" It's Mimi. "Come on, get to your table! The event's going to start!" She rushes over and drags Chen away. He throws a pleading look towards me, calling "I'll talk to you after the event!" Then, he's dragged to the empty table adjacent to the two with the books, and placed in a seat with a pen in his hand. As if on cue, people start trickling in and lining up in front of him. I notice the skinny blonde standing to one side and I walk over and nudge him "hey, what's going on?"

He looks at me like I'm stupid. "It's a book signing. What are you doing here if you don't know that?" I shrug, fair enough. Then I point towards Chen and the other two individuals - two women - seated at the three empty tables, surrounded by books.

"So they're..."

"The authors, student authors who've already published their own books. This is their student held book signing, open to the community"

"Wow. And he's Sensei?" I point towards Chen.

This time he gives me a really dirty look "How can you not know Sensei? He is like a God, one of his books was on the New York Times bestsellers list and he's still a student".

"Wow." I look towards Chen and watch as he hands a little girl a lollipop from who knows where. She giggles and he responds with a soft smile.