Found: A Sage Hollins Novel

    Sage, darling, can you take these books to the history section, please?"  "Yes, Dad." I closed my algebra textbook and sighed. I loved my father dearly, but that man really knew how to interrupt a study sesh.  He grinned up over his halfmoon glasses, his tired eyes sparkling. He always believed that there was nothing you could learn at school that you wouldn't learn ten times more in a library. His library specifically.  The tudor-style building was purchased by my grandfather in the sixties, but had originally been built in the late 1800's. Daddy had turned it into a library right before he met my mother, much to Papa's dismay. But growing up in this place my entire life...it had been a marvelous childhood. Full of wonder, adventure. Whenever I was bored, all I had to do was open a new book...and the pages would take me far away. To the ocean, to the mountains...hell, to outer space. It just took finding the right book to light the fire in me.  I took a deep breath in through my nose and sighed. The aroma of old and new pages engulfed me, filled me to my core. I was safe here, happy here.  "Hi, I'm looking for books on World War II? It's for a school project, I don't know where to look first." the voice was cool, gentle. I'd heard it before, but where I did not recall. "Oh, sure! Actually, my daughter, Sage--she's headed towards the history aisle now. I'll have her direct you. If you need anything else at all, she knows these aisles like the back of her hand, and would be happy to help you." Daddy's voice called out to me. "Yes, Dad?" I responded, poking my head around the corner, pretending I hadn't heard. Not that it was hard to hear anyway, it was a library- nobody else was speaking. "Sweetheart, can you take this young man with you to the history section? He's looking for books on World War II."  "Sure thing, Daddy." I gave him a small smile and averted my gaze to the customer with the electric voice.  He was smaller than I expected, though I suppose I don't know what I was expecting. His hair was blonde and curly, tousled around the sides of his face carelessly. And his eyes, oh they caught me off guard. Ice blue, piercing straight through me like a knife. My breath hitched, he was beautiful. Swallowing, I forced myself to speak, "H-hi...follow me."  I turned on my heels quickly, forcing myself to move before he saw the impact his appearance had on me. I could get lost in those eyes, the hair, the freckles that splattered over his nose and cheeks.  This feeling was out of character for me. I'd seen plenty of stunning boys, gorgeous, muscular, jaw-dropping men. But I never had to catch my breath, I never had to control my eyes. I was never, ever phased. Beauty was meaningless to me, boring almost. If they don't have a brain behind that lovely skin- what's the point?  "Wait- you're going too fast, let me catch up!" I heard him softly plead. I realized I was already ten aisles down, and he was scrambling to keep pace. I grinded to a halt, accidentally dropping the books Daddy had sent me with. "Oh jeez, I'm sorry, I don't know what's gotten into me." I dropped to the floor, and started grabbing at the books.  The boy followed me down, handing me a couple that had fallen beyond my reach.  His hand grazed mine, feather light and electricity soared through my body. Suddenly my mind was clear of all thoughts, my blood burning with fire, my heart pounding through my chest.  "Ouch!" he gasped, pulling his hand back and shaking it, "Oof, we shocked each other."  I looked at the floor and shook my head. Shocked each other? It felt like lightening had struck me down. My skin burned where his hand had touched mine.  "I'm so sorry, oh my gosh!" I grumbled out. My brain still felt as if someone had hit the off switch. He stood before me and held out an arm to help me up. No way I was going through that  again. "No thank you, I'm alright. Don't wanna get shocked again." I forced a fake laugh.  "The history section is three aisles down to the left. World War II will be at the very end, with the W's. Is there anything else I can help you with?" I blurted out the words. I could not decipher the thoughts, the feelings, the need to be close to this person. I wanted to hide. I let my eyes drift up to his from where they had settled on his worn-out white Converse shoes. He had the most peculiar look in his frosty eyes, almost as if he were hurt by my dismissal. "Uh...n-no. Thank you, Sage." he said my name deliberately, sending a shiver down my spine. His hand reached out and he brushed a red curl from my cheek, behind my ear.  I flinched, fearing his touch would shock me again, but this time his skin left a cooling trail of ice in their wake. I let out a quiet breath, savoring the moment. My eyes fluttered closed as I inhaled the scent of him- fresh, clean. He didn't stink of over-powered cologne like the boys I went to school with. No, he smelled of spring meadows near waterfalls, of fresh open air. I could let his aroma engulf me entirely, I could sit in the sweet embrace of that scent for the rest of my life.  I felt his presence swallowing me and I could not find it in myself to wake up from the coma of bliss. This feeling was so new but so powerful. No book in this library or this world could have prepared me, I believed myself to be immune to being swayed by the mere presence of an attractive man. But this one, this total stranger...his looks, his touch, his scent had me entirely enamored. A moment passed and I opened my eyes. The boy was gone, having followed my direction and headed three more aisles down. I watched as he disappeared to the left. My body pushed me to follow him, to chase after him. Ask him who he was, what he enjoyed, what he hated. To have his skin on my skin again, to stare into his eyes longer. But that wasn't who I was. I didn't follow the impulse of my body. I followed the direction of my mind- my intellectual, educated mind. The mind that knew I was being entirely irrational.  I turned to the right, the stack of books from my father in hand, and did my best to clear my thought of the beautiful boy who stole my breath away. After all, I didn't even know his name.