Okay, two things popped into my mind simultaneously. One, did he know I’d been staring at him, and two, he knew my name! I hadn’t thought he knew I existed, let alone my name.
“What?” I answered, demonstrating my outstanding ability with the English language. I wanted to melt into nothingness.
He looked at me with a deep frown and shook his head. “I’m sorry, didn’t mean to scare you, I… I just wanted to help. If you need it, that is? But hey, I understand.”
He turned and started back to his chair before I could get my brain back into working order.
“No! …. I mean yes, I could use a hand. Thank you.” The words came out without me processing all of the ramifications.
I knew I couldn’t let him walk away thinking I was afraid of him. The fact that he terrified me, not that I thought he’d ever hurt me, more on that stomach fluttery level that scared the bejesus out of me.
He nodded and stepped behind the front desk. Bent over – I won’t say anything about how excellent his jeans looked when he bent over - and placed one box on top of the other. He picked them both up and turned to me.
I, being infinitely cool, just stood there gawking. I could barely move one and he picked up two of them like they were puff cakes.
We stared at each other for a moment before I realized he was waiting for me to tell him where to put them. My face flushed red and I pointed to a clear spot on the counter.
He placed the boxes on the desk, dropping one next to the other, dipped a small nod with a charming smirk then turned and walked back to his book.
My heart raced a little, Okay a lot. I was pretty sure that it was going to beat right out of my chest and fall on the floor at his feet.
It was a silly smirk that said, ‘what you going to do, life sucks, then you die.’ Obviously, the boy got it.
We spent the rest of the period ignoring each other. I’d sneak a peek, hoping to catch him looking at me. But every time he had his head buried in his damn book. I noticed that he used a bookmark and didn’t dog-ear the page. Another major plus in his favor.
It wasn’t until the bell rang and his sister came in that I realized I’d never thanked him for helping move the boxes.
How much of an un-cool idiot could I be? He probably thought I was a self-centered airhead. Or worse, that I despised him and was just using his muscles to my benefit.
His younger sister was a freshman with long brown hair and a peaches and cream complexion. I didn’t know much about her other than she rode to and from school with her brother.
Her eyes creased when she first stepped into my library. I could tell she was worried about him, but she didn’t say a word as she waited for him at the door.
He gathered his book and joined her, then turned towards me and caught me staring. He gave me another nod and that death-defying smirk.
They both left my library and a quietness settled into the room.
I watched them go and my mind drifted to what could have been, to what my life should have been like.
Shaking my head to clear it of cobwebs, I placed a new book into my backpack and zipped it shut. Once I had closed it all the way, I immediately opened it and closed it again. Three times I did this before I could leave. Sometimes it sucks being me.
Certain Rules
My Best Friend's Brother (Hometown Heroes Book 3) Page 21