As the silence grew, Trent's gaze lingered on Barbara, and he opened his mouth to speak. "Barb, I..." he began, but he trailed off, unsure of how to put his feelings into words. Barbara's cheeks flushed as she waited for him to finish his sentence. Finally, Trent said, "I like you. Like, I really like you." Barbara's heart skipped a beat, and she blurted out, "I like you too." Without another word, Trent pulled her into a warm embrace, and Barbara melted into his arms.
As Trent held Barbara in his arms, she felt a sense of warmth and comfort. But then, something felt...off. Barbara snapped her fingers in front of Trent's face, and he came to with a start. "What's going on?" he asked, confused. Then, he noticed he was holding a big pink stuffed bear, not Barbara. "Oh," he said sheepishly, realizing he had been daydreaming. "I must have drifted off for a moment." Barbara couldn't help but laugh.
"Trent, what on earth were you doing?" Barbara asked, raising an eyebrow. "You've been hugging that stuffed bear for nearly a minute now. Do you like it that much?" She couldn't help but tease him a little. Trent's face turned beet red. "I, uh... I don't know what came over me," he stammered. "I must have just zoned out for a second." Barbara tried to stifle a laugh, but it was no use.
"Trent, what were you about to say to me?" Barbara asked, still trying to hold back a laugh. Trent just looked at her blankly, unsure of what to say. "I'm not sure," he admitted. "I must have just drifted off for a moment." Barbara let out a chuckle. "Well, you'd better get freshened up," she said. "It's almost time to leave for the library." Trent nodded, still trying to process what had just happened.
After half an hour, Trent emerged from the bathroom feeling refreshed. He had changed into a spare shirt and pants he had brought from home - a blue shirt and black pants. As he stepped back into the bedroom, he was struck by how clean and tidy it was. The bed was made, the floor was spotless, and the curtains were drawn open, letting in a flood of natural light. How had Barbara managed to clean and organize the room so quickly? He was impressed.
Barbara walked into the bedroom and was surprised to see Trent already dressed and ready to go. "Finally!" she teased, knowing full well that she was the one who usually took the longest to get ready. "You must have set some kind of record." She smiled, unable to hide her amusement. Trent just shook his head, but couldn't help but grin back at her. "You know you're just as bad, if not worse," he retorted.
Barbara had a reputation in the family for taking the longest to get ready. She would spend hours in the bathroom, doing her hair and makeup, trying on different outfits, and doing last-minute touch-ups. Even her mother, Lucy, would occasionally poke fun at her for taking so long. But Barbara didn't mind - she took pride in looking her best, and she wasn't about to rush her routine just to appease anyone else.
"How do I sneak out?" Trent asked, turning to Barbara for guidance. Barbara smiled mischievously. "The same way you got in yesterday," she replied.
Trent nodded and made his way to the balcony. As he turned to leave, Barbara called out, "And Trent?" Trent turned back, curious about what she was going to say. "You really should go home," she said gently. "Your mom must be worried sick. Give her a chance to explain herself." Trent nodded, a look of understanding on his face.
As Barbara left the bedroom, she made her way to the living room, where her mother was sitting on the sofa, engrossed in her phone. "Mom, I'm heading to the library," Barbara announced, making sure to keep her promise from early this morning. Lucy dropped her phone, giving her daughter a quick peck on the cheek. As Barbara left the house, her mother couldn't help but wonder if Barbara was actually going to the library. "She never goes to the library," Lucy thought to herself.
As Trent stood outside the front gate, he realized he didn't know the way to the library. "Now what?" he thought to himself. Suddenly, Barbara appeared at his side, a library card in her hand. "I have a card, obviously," she said, a hint of smugness in her voice.
"What took you so long?" Trent asked, wondering why Barbara had been delayed. "I had to let my mom know where I was going," Barbara replied. "She gets kind of anxious when I don't tell her where I'm headed." Trent nodded in understanding, and they set off for the library.
After a few minutes of walking, they arrived at a fork in the road, one path leading to the local high school, and the other leading to the library. A large basketball court was situated nearby, and a group of boys were playing a lively game of basketball, the sound of the ball bouncing and the players shouting echoing through the air. Trent and Barbara paused to watch the game for a moment, enjoying the energy and enthusiasm of the players.
"So, Trent, is studying all you do?" Barbara asked, trying to break the silence that had fallen between them. "Well, I also solve puzzles," he replied with a grin. Barbara raised an eyebrow. "Is that it?" she asked, not convinced with his answer.
As they stood watching the game, a basketball suddenly rolled toward Trent, and he froze, unsure of what to do. Then, he heard voices from the court shouting, "Hey, you! Can you toss the ball back?" Before he could react, another voice called out, "Yeah, toss it here!" It seemed like the ball had gone out of bounds, and they were asking for his help.
Trent picked up the ball and tried to throw it back, but it veered off course and landed in a patch of bushes. Barbara stifled a laugh, shaking her head. She walked over and picked up the ball, then effortlessly tossed it back into the court. The players cheered, and one of them called out, "Thanks, lady!" before they resumed the game. Barbara walked back to Trent with a self-satisfied grin on her face.
"You're really not very good at sports, are you?" Barbara said with a laugh. Trent just shrugged. "That's okay, not everyone is a sports person," she said. "But maybe someday I can teach you a few things," she added with a wink. Trent smiled. "No thanks, I don't see the point of sports," he said, trying to sound serious. "But if you insist, I'm up for a challenge." Barbara knew he was just trying to act like a grown-up, but she played along anyway.
Barbara nudged Trent's arm and said, "Let's go." They headed toward the library, checked in at the front desk, and found a quiet spot to sit. They each pulled out their books and began to study. After a few minutes, Barbara glanced up from her book and noticed Trent staring out the window. "You seem distracted," she said.
Trent pointed out the window, interrupting Barbara's concentration. "What's that?" he asked. She followed his gaze and saw something like a flock of large birds flying in their direction. Before she could respond, the lights in the library went out and the emergency lights flickered on. A feeling of unease settled over the room as the other library patrons murmured in confusion.
The armed men were clad in black and carried futuristic-looking guns that glowed an eerie green color. Hoverboards that matched their guns allowed them to zip around the room, surveying the frightened library patrons. "They're the Glowing Geeks," Barbara whispered in fear. The glowing geeks seemed to be able to control any electronic device of any building and they were clearly in control of the situation. The tension in the room was palpable.
The glowing geeks were feared by everyone because of their mastery of technology and their ability to hack into any computer system. They had one goal: to find a book called "The Matrix," a book that was entirely made of technology and contained knowledge beyond anything humans had ever dreamed of. The book's creator was a mystery, but it was said to be locked in the library due to its immense power. The glowing geeks were determined to find the book and unlock its secrets.
"You know why we're here," said a man with a commanding, deep voice who appeared to be the leader of the group. The head librarian approached him, explaining that the book had been relocated.
In a sudden act, the leader pulled the trigger on one of the staff members, but instead of bullets, a lightning beam shot out, causing the man to scream. The head librarian promised to surrender the book but requested the release of the man from the lightning's grasp.
The glowing geek leader released his grip on the trigger, and the beam of light vanished, freeing the library worker from its grasp. The librarian and the man made their way to a secret part of the library, and after ten minutes, they returned, carrying a book that seemed to glow with an inner light. The leader took the book and, without another word, turned and left, his followers following close behind. As soon as they were gone, the lights in the library flickered back on, bathing the space in a warm, inviting glow.