Pulling in on Chase's driveway I watched as he got out of the car. With a final look back at me, he said with a serious face
"Just remember to be nice...at the least?"
"I make no promises"
I smirked at him, he sighed and rolled his eyes then closed the car door.
I laughed to myself at his stiff demeanor,
"Aren't I suppose to be the one panicking here?"
Reversing out of the driveway I was back on the road, this time my destination was to a private place that I loved going to.
It was a place that no one else knew about, I called it my haven.
After all, a bookworm slash total anime freak needs a place where there is no one to disturb them.
Parking the car next to a shabby-looking car, its red paint slowly peeling off gave it an old-fashioned look. Ironically the car fits in well with the store out front.
Getting out I locked after myself, keys and phone in one hand I made my way to the store door.
Pushing it open the bell above rang out through the store, alerting the workers of a customer entering.
Immediately as I set my foot inside my nostrils were assaulted by the delicious aroma of freshly ground coffee beans and new pastries.
The old and musty smell of old and new books surrounded the area. Shelves upon shelves of novels and poetry books lined the walls.
Upfront was a small service table with a cash register and only two workers stood behind the wooden stature.
To the side were two wooden doors with random inspirational quips elegantly carved in.
The lighting was dim and the atmosphere was perfectly quiet and chill.
Mountains of booking the shelves were neatly packed against the wall.
This was my type of place. No loud noises, no crowd of hormonal teenagers, no alcohol, and most importantly just me and my thoughts.
Sighing out in contempt I slowly made my way to the very back where a lone bean bag chair sat. The corner was small and quaint yet it was the perfect place for a loner reader like myself.
Like a sack of potatoes, I lazily fell onto the chair and again a sigh of contempt left my lips.
Reaching back to the many books packed behind me I pulled out a heavy book between a violet-colored novel and the other a blood red.
Placing the thick aged book onto my lap I couldn't help but move my hand across the crimson dark, leathery cover.
Tracing my fingertips across the elegantly written letters I admired the golden color of the title.
Golden ivy vines ran from the headband to the front cover. They twisted and coiled around the title, then forming a heart at the end of the hardcover.
The cover of this book was elegant and alluring, yet it held a sort of eerie feel to it.
The first time I came across it was by accident. I was looking for a new novel to read when I accidentally knocked over a shelf.
Among the pile that had fallen to the floor, it appealed to me the most. Just at the corner of my eye, a golden light blinded me and there it was.
Intrigued I gave in to my curiosity and opened it. Due to my haste, I'd forgotten to read the synopsis and just dived headfirst into the first chapter.
And I must say that at the end of just the first page, I was already hooked. I read chapter after chapter without a care for my ever-drying eyes and kept my eyes down on the yellowing pages.
It was only after the tap of an employer informing me it was closing time that I looked up from the novel.
I was shocked that I had been reading for hours on end without a break or even eating any of the food I had ordered.
All I did was look at the book I had in my hands with a look of desperation. The employee must have seen my pitiful state because she promised to keep it for me and ensure no one else would take it.
She even arranged my current seating and now I can read this wonderful work of art any time I come.
Since that day I've come back here as often as I possibly can and lose myself in the world of words and imagine drawn in my head.
The title of this book is "The lost", it's about a dystopian world where the world is divided into four sectors.
The main character, Laguna, was born on a continent placed between the other sectors. It stays neutral, never siding with anyone, and protects a single gem that could either bring peace and prosperity back to the world or break and tarnish it into an endless abyss.
The plot is pretty basic like your typical dystopian world, but what draws you in is the journey the heroine embarks on.
How she ventures out into an unknown world to her and what emotions she goes through as she fights for her survival.
It is an amazing and heartfelt novel that captures the true essence of a world lost of hope.
And it has captured my heart. I spend hours here reading and reading it.
Even after almost a month, I have yet to reach the middle of it, that's just how big this thing is!
Finished with admiring the soft intricate design of the cover as well as reminiscing over our first encounter, I opened to the last page I left unread and once more embarked on a journey of self-discovery and uncertainty.
About an hour in the tap of a finger on my shoulder pulled me out of my hypnotic state.
Looking up at an employee with a green, cotton Polo shirt with black pants and apron tightly wrapped around the hips.
Long, frizzy, pink hair cascaded down slender shoulders in a curtain. A bright smile decorated the slim face with two grey orbs shining through to my heart.
"Hey, Reign!"
I gave her an equally wide and friendly smile and replied with as much enthusiasm as I could muster.
"Connie, hey!"
Ugh, I sound dead.
"You sound like death!"
She laughed placing a plate on the small rectangular table sitting in front of me.
"Here's a little pick me up. Sugar always helps me think after all."
That's her solution to everything. I gave her a smile as thanks.
"What no caffeine this time?"
I sarcastically asked with a tiny smirk, brow raised.
"Not this time. Alright see ya later"
She winked and turned her back to me with the service platter in her hands, placed against her thighs.
I softly laughed at her reply and turned to the plate she had placed on the table.
Nicely placed on the snow-white plate was a bright yellow frosted, carrot cake.
A single icing carrot was placed on top as decoration. Next to the piece of baked good was a pink note written with a blinding green pen were the words, " enjoy and take a break, you'll age with all that standing still."
At the bottom corner was a smiley face with its tongue stuck out. It made me smile and I couldn't help but roll my eyes at the little note.
Connie was a worker I've known for a really long time, in fact, she's been here since the first time I came to this place and she's been taking special care of me since our first encounter.
Placing my book face down on the floor, which wasn't that far from where I sat. Since you know, I was on a bean bag chair?
Yeah, anyway I reached out for the plate and with the fork, in hand, I took a big chunk out of the piece of cake and slowly brought it to my lips.
Closing my lips around the eating utensil my eyes instinctively closed as I savored the delicious sweet.
Different flavors of sugar and a hint of sweetness burst in my mouth like an explosion of euphoria.
I hummed in content my eyes opening, with a smile on my face.
The smile soon fell and my eyes seemingly bulged outta their sockets, the second I saw a tall and green-eyed handsome guy outside the store.
My eyes widened even further when I saw him make his way inside the very same shop I was currently at.
And that's when I panicked.
"Welcome to Ready-Read, how may I help you?"
Asked an employee standing behind the customer service table. She was another employee I knew for some time and one thing I knew about her was that she was never this nice when talking to a customer.
It all made sense the second I saw her googling at Nicholi, drool dripping off the corner of her lips.
"Uh, yeah I'll have some black coffee, no sugar, and one coconut cake."
"Coming right up"
She chirped with a fake and indecently high-pitched voice. He didn't in the slightest seem interested in her attempt to seduce him with her siren voice.
But their encounter didn't bother me at all. If anything I wanted out of this place sooner rather than later.
Nicholi seemed to be checking out the store with an interest, the second he turned to where I was, I instinctively ducked under the shelves.
Which was unnecessary given the fact that I was in a faraway corner, in a dim-lit shop with not many customers in the first place.
So he wouldn't be able to spot me in my little space, however, it doesn't mean I'm staying here any more than I have.
On all fours, I crawled my way to the bathroom, which was gonna be hard to do discretely given that the bathroom was right next to the customer service desk.
Eyes stuck to the floor I kept my gaze down and watched as met as hit the hardwood floors.
Two feet in the ugliest sandals I'd ever seen stopped me in my tracks, looking u to the owner I saw Connie giving me a weird look.
Her hand was placed on her hip while the other held a silver platter. She raised a brow at me with confusion and asked,
"Uhm, Reign what are you doing?"
"Shhh"
I motioned for her to keep quiet and waved my hand up and down for her to lower her voice.
She just gave me a look of utter confusion, her eyes asking what the heck it is I was doing crawling around on the floor like some roach.
"I'm hiding from someone and trying to get away before he spots me."
I quickly explained whispering loud enough just for her to hear.
She turned her head to the counter where the only other few people were and asked with her eyes if that was him.
I nodded my head yes and she gave me a thumbs-up, in a way saying she had my back.
Moving to the side to cover my sneaking figure with her legs, she looked to the other side to cover for if anyone was to come this way.
I sent a telepathic thank you to her, hands together in a prayer gesture.
Crawling further I was almost to the door now. My freedom and ticket out of here were near.
"What're you doing?"
The deep, seductive voice of Nicholi stopped me in my tracks. I stood frozen in my spot, unable to move a single muscle.
It was like waiting for death, waiting for the inevitable. After all, it's something that happens without any notice.
"W-well I thought you wanted sugar in your tea, was I wrong?"
Asked the cashier her voice meek and still forcibly seductive. It grossed me out honestly.
"I don't know if you're doing it on purpose or just plain dumb. I never ordered tea and I said no sugar."
Oh, he sounded pissed. Hate to be her right now.
"I-I'm sorry I thought that-"
"You thought wrong. If you weren't so busy with flipping that fake blonde hair of yours at me, then maybe you'd have been a good customer service worker."
It took all of my strength not to burst out laughing at that. It really amused me to see the overconfident "princess" be talked down like that.
Connie's soft kick to my side brought me back to reality as she asked me what I was doing standing still.
I gave her a meek smile as I finally crawled into the bathroom.
I got up from the tiled bathroom floor and waited in a stall.
About thirty minutes passed with me doing nothing but staring at the wall and counting the tile blocks.
"Reign, you still alive?!"
Called out Connie. I stuck my head out the stall door and gave her a smile
"Yeah, I am."
"Well, Mr tall, dark, and very handsome left already. I think it's safe enough for you to come out."
Sighing out in relief I opened the stall door and got out of the small cubicle. I needed to get out of this bathroom, all this white is giving me a headache.
Walking past Connie she asked me with her hand on her hip
"Do I wanna know why you're avoiding him?"
"No, no you don't."
Honestly, not even I knew why I was avoiding him. I mean it's not like we almost kissed or anything.
I'm sure even if River didn't wake up nothing and I mean absolutely nothing would have happened.
.....Right?