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Description
I scanned the wall of books in front of me, letting my fingertips skim along the covers. My eyelids felt particularly heavy that morning and I had to fight to keep my concentration. I blinked several times trying to wash the sleep away before picking out a random book from the shelf. The small synopsis on the back of the novel flew past my vision and I shrugged to myself, figuring I’d give it a shot. I glanced down the aisle and nearly jumped out of my skin. A tall boy with short, scruffy hair was coming up the walkway.

In my startled panic I ended up violently smacking my hand against the nearby shelf and dropping my book. The boy started at my sudden jump and stumbled backwards with apparently enough control not to fall flat on his back. After a few moments of struggle he’d actually managed to steady himself into a half crouch. He stared up at me. I was mortified and couldn’t bring myself to do anything accept stare back. He cleared his throat and looked away. He picked up the book I’d dropped, analysing it.

“So uh, is this any good?” he asked.

“I haven’t read it.”

“Ah...that would make sense,” he laughed.When he finally stood up he felt startlingly close but maybe that was just the illusion of being face to face. It was like someone had pressed a pause button to leave me frozen with only the sound and unsettling awareness of my own heartbeat. The boy shifted awkwardly on his feet and cleared his throat again. Once again, I didn’t say anything until he quietly pushed the book back into my hands. My face flushed and I quickly made to escape the situation.

When I passed him I murmured a short “Sorry. Thank you.”

I stalked over to the counter where Olivia was leisurely reading a magazine. She looked over the pages and glanced at the boy, who I was still nervously peeking at now and again. “What?” she asked.

“What is he doing here?” I whispered.

“What, do you know him or something?”

“Well...no.”

Olivia’s eyelids lowered lazily to the point I wasn’t even sure she could really see anything. Eventually she completed her slow blink and asked, “You know we get other customers, right?”

“Yeah I know! But not like him. Only weirdos come in here.” I narrowed my eyes suspiciously as I said the last sentence and brought my book up as cover to hide a small smile.

“Firstly—are you calling me a weirdo?” I nodded at this but Olivia was undeterred. She continued, jabbing her pen in the boy’s direction. “Secondly, he could be a weirdo, you don’t know.”

I furrowed my eyebrows, debating this statement in my head. While my mind was busy I didn’t notice the boy coming up to the cash register. I barely kept myself from jumping and hurriedly scooted out of the way. Olivia started checking him out no problem, making small talk as usual, though she was blissfully aware of my awkwardness. I fought a glare but was frowning critically behind my book. The boy finally glanced over at me.

“Oh. Hello again,” he said.
“Oh, hey,” I replied. Olivia impatiently crinkled the bag she’d put his book in. He turned back to the counter and thanked her with a smile. He gave us a quick wave before leaving the shop. Eventually I lowered my book a bit and gazed out the door after him.

Later I was still thinking about this incident up on the balcony, distracted from my books right off the bat. I softly tapped my pursed lips with my pencil and stared out at the city. I spoke quietly to myself. “A weirdo, huh?”

Description
I scanned the wall of books in front of me, letting my fingertips skim along the covers. My eyelids felt particularly heavy that morning and I had to fight to keep my concentration. I blinked several times trying to wash the sleep away before picking out a random book from the shelf. The small synopsis on the back of the novel flew past my vision and I shrugged to myself, figuring I’d give it a shot. I glanced down the aisle and nearly jumped out of my skin. A tall boy with short, scruffy hair was coming up the walkway.

In my startled panic I ended up violently smacking my hand against the nearby shelf and dropping my book. The boy started at my sudden jump and stumbled backwards with apparently enough control not to fall flat on his back. After a few moments of struggle he’d actually managed to steady himself into a half crouch. He stared up at me. I was mortified and couldn’t bring myself to do anything accept stare back. He cleared his throat and looked away. He picked up the book I’d dropped, analysing it.

“So uh, is this any good?” he asked.

“I haven’t read it.”

“Ah...that would make sense,” he laughed.When he finally stood up he felt startlingly close but maybe that was just the illusion of being face to face. It was like someone had pressed a pause button to leave me frozen with only the sound and unsettling awareness of my own heartbeat. The boy shifted awkwardly on his feet and cleared his throat again. Once again, I didn’t say anything until he quietly pushed the book back into my hands. My face flushed and I quickly made to escape the situation.

When I passed him I murmured a short “Sorry. Thank you.”

I stalked over to the counter where Olivia was leisurely reading a magazine. She looked over the pages and glanced at the boy, who I was still nervously peeking at now and again. “What?” she asked.

“What is he doing here?” I whispered.

“What, do you know him or something?”

“Well...no.”

Olivia’s eyelids lowered lazily to the point I wasn’t even sure she could really see anything. Eventually she completed her slow blink and asked, “You know we get other customers, right?”

“Yeah I know! But not like him. Only weirdos come in here.” I narrowed my eyes suspiciously as I said the last sentence and brought my book up as cover to hide a small smile.

“Firstly—are you calling me a weirdo?” I nodded at this but Olivia was undeterred. She continued, jabbing her pen in the boy’s direction. “Secondly, he could be a weirdo, you don’t know.”

I furrowed my eyebrows, debating this statement in my head. While my mind was busy I didn’t notice the boy coming up to the cash register. I barely kept myself from jumping and hurriedly scooted out of the way. Olivia started checking him out no problem, making small talk as usual, though she was blissfully aware of my awkwardness. I fought a glare but was frowning critically behind my book. The boy finally glanced over at me.

“Oh. Hello again,” he said.
“Oh, hey,” I replied. Olivia impatiently crinkled the bag she’d put his book in. He turned back to the counter and thanked her with a smile. He gave us a quick wave before leaving the shop. Eventually I lowered my book a bit and gazed out the door after him.

Later I was still thinking about this incident up on the balcony, distracted from my books right off the bat. I softly tapped my pursed lips with my pencil and stared out at the city. I spoke quietly to myself. “A weirdo, huh?”