The Loner and Her

Chapter Four : Halloween

Chapter Four: Halloween

On October 31st, Gia's mother has to work the night-shift at the hospital. Since Gia hasn't made any real friends yet, she decided to spend her lonely night at the high school, where they're having their Annual Halloween Festival.

She only bothered going because she knew they kept the library open and she was interested in getting a new book.

She sat in the far off corner of the quiet library, reading to herself a book she found in the Teen-Fiction Section. It's about a young girl falling in love with a sick boy. She loves it so far, the plot is interesting and the characters are fun to read. She can't wait to see what happens in the end.

A sound like a book falling from the shelf on the other aisle causes her to look up from her book quickly. She heard a creak from the floorboard and then the sound of someone cursing quietly to themselves.

Curiosity got the best of her. She stood up and tip-toed over to the end of the aisle. She sticks her head out slightly, and her eyes go wide at the sight of who is the one standing in the aisle next to hers.

Standing there is Griffin. He's picking up books that he must of accidentally knocked over to the ground.

Should she say hi? She isn't sure if he would like for her to speak to him or not. She's surprised he's even here in the first place. She's never seen him in the school library before.

She didn't have much of a choice, though, because Griffin picks his head up, locking eyes with her.

Her cheeks fill with warmth and she knows she's blushing like mad. How embarrassing, he had caught her practically stalking him!

He turns his attention back to the shelves of books. Not bothering to give her another glance or even wave a simple hello.

She wasn't hurt by his lack of greeting. She knows he isn't used to that type of thing since she's never seen him speak to anyone besides herself before.

She doesn't understand why Lexie and her friends, even the entire school, don't like Griffin very much. He seemed nice when she spoke with him at the hospital.

Gulping, she tries to get enough courage as possible, and walks over to him with stride.

"Hi, Griffin," she says softly, not wanting to scare him off like one would a little kitten.

She didn't expect him to reply back so quickly. "Hi," he says as gruffly as possible.

Gia can't help but slightly smile, "Are you looking for a specific book?"

She tends to aid for the librarian every other day, so this is kind of a good excuse for her to spark a conversation with him at the very moment.

Even if it isn't during school hours.

He shakes his head stiffly, "No."

One worded replies are better than being ignored, Gia thought positively.

Looking up at the sign on top of the book shelf, she realizes he's in the Sci-Fi Section.

"Are-Are you into reading books like these?" She gestures to the shelves in front of them.

He gives her a side-eye before muttering, "Why are you trying to talk to me?" He asks bluntly.

She flinches at the question, but then quickly collects herself.

"Sorry," she apologizes, "I didn't mean to bother you."

He doesn't reply. He looks down at the ground, remaining silent.

Sighing, Gia took the hint, and turns on her heel, walking back to her silent corner.

She doesn't even know why she's trying. Obviously, he wants to be left alone. Why can't she do just that? The last few times she's seen him since the hospital, he has never given her the impression that he wants to be friends.

Am hour later, Gia remains seated in the same spot she has been since earlier tonight. Reading the same book she picked up.

A sudden huff, and the warmth from someone sitting beside her, happens in one swift movement.

Her eyes widen at the sight of Griffin, sitting next to her- Gia Fitzpatrick- while quietly reading to himself.

Gulping, she smiles slightly, "Uh- hi- "

He shushes her, "Shh," without ever glancing in her direction once.

With that, they both continued reading to themselves. Never once uttering a word to the other again. The whole time, with Gia smiling goofily to herself.

•••

It's late by the time the library closes. Almost midnight, Gia notes as she glances at the time on her cell-phone.

On her way out, with a silent Griffin at her side, she asks the the librarian who looks too tired to be there, "Why did you stay open so late, Miss Johnson?"

The middle-aged colored woman smiles, "Wanted to give, you two, a chance to get to know each other, of course."

A blush creeps onto Gia's cheeks, "Oh..." She states rather awkwardly. "Thanks. Um, do you need any help to your car?"

Miss Johnson shakes her head, "No, thank you, dear. I only have a small bag. Are you both checking out books?" She asks.

Gia nods, "Yeah," then she place her book on the table and grabbed her school I.D. to be scanned. She turns to look at Griffin, "You?"

He shakes his head and lifts up his hands, showing no books being held in them.

Gia nods, wondering why he never talks around others besides her.

After checking out her book, Miss Johnson says, "There you go, Giuliana."

"Thank you, Miss Johnson," Gia thanks, then with one last wave good-bye, starts heading out of the library, with Griffin on her heels.

He asks her in a voice barely above a whisper, "Do you have a curfew? It is pretty late," he acknowledges.

Gia tries hiding her smile. Happy to find him wanting to talk to her.

"Uh- no. Not today, anyway. My mom won't be home till around three a.m."

He finally catches up to her, matching her slow walking pace, "So, your mom is a nurse?"

She nods her head, "Yeah. She's always wanted to help people, and nursing was a way for her to do that." She smiles quite proudly as she boasts about her mother, "She loves her job, and I couldn't be any happier for her, really."

He nods his head again. Gia asks him, "What about your mom?"

He seems taken back by the question, but after a long awkward moment, he answers anyway, "She's a receptionist."

Gia smiles, "That's nice. Where at?"

Clearing his throat, he says, "At a law-firm."

She smiles genuinely in return, "My father is a lawyer- but a no good one at that."

His left eyebrow raises with curiosity, "What do you mean?"

Shrugging, Gia pulls on her large sweatshirt just a bit tighter to her cold body. The windows of her high school are left slightly open, letting in the cold breeze from the night air. Passing by a large window, she glances out, noticing people being forced out of the school's court yard. She guesses they've over stayed their welcome. When they reach the top of a stair-case, and start walking down slowly, she explains her reasoning, "My dad is a defense crime attorney. A lot of the time he defends people who aren't innocent, but does he care? No. He just wants to get paid."

Continuing her rant, she shakes her head at the thought of her father that makes her stomach hurt, "How can someone do that? The poor victims and their families! They deserve justice, but that doesn't always happen, does it? Is there even such thing as justice anymore? Not when we have people paying off judges left and right or- " she suddenly stops herself, realizing she rambled a bit too much. "Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to talk your ear off with my nonsense." Her blush is bright as it warms up her cheeks.

Griffin gives her a one shoulder shrug, "It's cool." Then, with his head down, never bothering to look up, he says, "I get what you're saying."

As the two of them, simultaneously, walk off the last step, Gia gives him a soft smile, "I don't mean to be rude..." She starts to say.

He rolls his eyes, "Just say it." He stops walking, to look down at her, no trace of amusement spotted on his face. "Whatever it is. Just say it."

Gia stopped to look up at Griffin, she now frowns at his sudden words. She didn't want to make him mad, it wasn't anything bad, she just didn't want to ruin the random good mood he seemed to be in.

"I was just wondering why you suddenly were talking to me," says Gia, after a long sigh. He is a loner, so why talk to her if he doesn't seem to like talking to people in general?

He's quiet for a moment. The silence between them seems deafening.

Before he can really say anything, the sound of a phone ringing chimes through the pocket of his jeans. With a huff, Griffin rummages through his front pockets, successfully pulling out a cell-phone.

Bringing it straight up to his ear, not bothering to glance at the caller I.d., grumbles into the speaker, "Hello."

Silence again.

"Yeah....I guess....now? But-.... What about....yeah, I get it. Yeah, whatever. Bye." Then with that, he hangs up angrily, pushing his phone into his front sweatshirt pocket. "I have to go. See you later, Giules."

Then he began walking down the hallway, towards the front school exit. After a blink of an eye, staring open mouth at the spot Griffin had stood in a second ago, Gia quickly collects herself. She calls out to correct him, "It's-It's Gia!"

She watches as he ignores her, his figure disappearing as he struts through the doubled-doors.

Sighing loudly, Gia runs a hand through the front of her hair, "Well, this turned out to be an unexpected turn of events..."

Maybe she finally found a friend? But...what's his catch?