“I won’t,” I replied, politely rejecting his flyer. “But you should.”
“Shame.” He let out a quiet exhale. “I was really hoping to see you there.”
“Sorry to disappoint.” I squeezed out a smile. “Maybe next time.”
He huffed a laugh. “I’m sure that excuse always works.” His fingers combed through his hair. “You should stop and smell the roses sometimes. It won’t kill you.”
I wasn’t sure why, but those words stung more than I thought. As usual, though, I brushed it off and walked away. However, on my way to the library, I couldn’t help wondering whether I was too uptight.
Maybe loosening up a bit wouldn’t hurt. Maybe letting off some steam every once in a while wasn’t such a bad thing after all.
My shoes scuffed against the pavement as I made my way to the library, eyes squinting at the sunlight. The door parted, revealing a cool, serene atmosphere on the other side.
The faint scent of aged paper wafted through the air, blending with the quiet hum of the interior. Towering shelves lined both sides of the aisle, meticulously packed with books in muted colors.
I walked right in, comforted by the familiar serenity of the atmosphere. “Morning, Karen.”
The librarian looked up from behind her desk. “Hey, Celine, how are you?” She adjusted her glasses, her voice low and even.
“You know how it is.” I slowed down before the desk. “I’m stressed, but I gotta keep going.”
A small, genuine smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. “Go easy on yourself, girl.”
My response was a genuine smile, and with that, I walked past her station. My footsteps were soft on the carpet as I moved past long wooden tables, dotted with students. Some were already dozing off while others kept their eyes on their books and laptops.
I turned down an aisle, then made my way to my usual spot by the window that overlooked the quad. Sunlight filtered in through the glass, its warm glow draping over everything it touched.
Quietly, I slid into the chair at my desk, tucked away from the main floor. There, I settled in, backpack on the floor at my feet, books and laptop on my table.
This was my corner. My space. And for the longest time, no one had taken it from me.
Celine’s Spot,they called it.
A couple of hours passed, and I was quite immersed in my study, flipping through pages and searching the web. My fingers rattled across the keyboard, a pen carefully balanced behind my right ear.
I stretched after a short while, my backbone cracking in an instant. That’s when my eyes flicked toward a corner, and I spotted him, a tall, shadowy figure dressed in a dark suit.
His movements were quiet but suspicious as he strolled down the aisle across from me. Every now and then, he’d glance around, as if searching for hidden cameras.
Initially, I wanted to dismiss him as just another student, but there was something about him that felt unusual. The more I tried to ignore this strange man, the more my focus kept returning to him.
At this point, I wasn’t even sure that he was a student. Nor was I certain that he was a teacher.
Something wasn’t right.
Each time he glanced in my direction, I’d bow my head, pretending to be engrossed in my studies. From what I gathered, he was trying not to be noticed. But unfortunately for him, his actions had caught my attention. My attention was piqued, and I was interested in finding out what he was up to.
I thought about calling for help, just in case he was some kind of terrorist or robber. At least for the sake of every innocent student in the library. However, I decided not to do anything that would make him notice me. Besides, I had no proof that he was what I thought he might be.
The strange man withdrew a book from his inner jacket and looked over his shoulder. When he was sure no one was watching, he slid it onto a shelf and walked away quickly.
I watched him move quickly as if something invisible was after him. My eyes followed him from my spot until he turned a corner that led to the front door.
He’s leaving? Why now?I wondered.
A crazy thought hit me like a literal hammer.What if that’s a bomb he placed on the shelf? What if it’s not a book?
My heart stopped for a moment, and my breath caught in my throat. I turned toward the aisle he’d wandered, wondering what he was hiding on the shelf.