The Library Agreement

17

"So," Charlie says, once we are out of the parking lot and well on our way, "Have you looked at the back cover of Alice's Adventures yet?"

I give an involuntary gasp—after all of the commotion that came with preparing for today, I completely forgot.

"I'm so sorry," I say frantically. "I just was so—"

To my surprise, Charlie laughs.

"Hailey, it's okay. Just take a peek when you get home, that's all."

I shoot him a relieved look, which he returns with a quick wink that makes my insides melt. I cover it up with a small smile, and he changes the subject with ease.

"Where to?" He asks, and I bite my lip.

"I haven't really been to any restaurants around here." I admit sheepishly, feeling kind of embarassed that I can't be of any help.

"That's alright." Charlie says, scanning the perimeter as he drives. "There's a diner a little ways up the road from here—want to check that out?"

"Sure," I say, and it comes out a little breathy—I can't help feeling a bit overwhelmed by the events of tonight, and I'm not exactly sure how to keep the conversation flowing.

But it seems as if I don't have to. Charlie falls silent, his fingers thrumming to the beat of a deep alternative song—he had changed the channel from country a few songs ago, claiming that he needed to hear something "different".

Nodding to myself, I release a breath, looking out into the depths of the blue-tinged sky. I reach out to roll my window down, but before I do anything, it is already descending—the warm air flowing into the car and sending my hair whipping around my face.

Startled, I turn to Charlie, who has a shy smile creeping up on his features.

"You said you liked the window down." He says quietly, so that I can just barely hear him. "I can roll it back up, if you want."

I shake my head, momentarily at a loss for words, but then I find my sense and am able to respond.

"Thank you." I say weakly, and he nods. I turn back to the window and stretch my hand outside, moving it up and down along the current of air, breathing in the sweet smell of pine.

Tonight is full of promise.

Tonight is full of new beginnings.

Tonight is my chance to begin again.

________

As I watch her out of the corner of my eye, seeing the content look that spreads across her features, I know that I will never feel this way about anyone, ever again.

I might move on. There's no telling how long this may last. We could wake up tomorrow and be complete strangers. We could never acknowledge each other again. We could go our separate ways.

But, for now, I am prepared to see where this takes me.

Where this takes us.

Because, now that I've gotten a taste of that fire, I never want to go back.

Hailey's brown hair is flying around her, in front of her so that I can no longer see her face. I turn my eyes back onto the road, accelerating ever-so-slightly—so that her smile widens and she glances at me. I keep on the lookout for restaurants, watching the illuminated signs as they fly past.

"There's a diner up ahead." I say, somewhat vaguely, but there's no response.

"Hailey." I say, louder this time, and she looks up at me, her hair windswept and eyes bleary.

"Hm?"

"There's a diner right here." I point toward it, and she nods.

"Sounds good."

I pull into the parking lot and come to a stop right in front, releasing a deep breath and looking over at her. But then, I realize that she's already looking, and our gazes clash—just for an instant—before I look away again, clearing my throat.

A moment of silence passes, in which my mind is spinning, whirring—trying to come up with something to say. But, then, her hand slips into my own, fingers warm against my chilled skin, applying just the slightest bit of pressure.

"Charlie," she says, and I look back over at her, my breath hitching in my throat. Her eyes are burning, intense, as she looks at me and says,

"This isn't going to change anything between us. This—whatever this is—doesn't change the fact that I'm Hailey and you're Charlie, and we're both in control of our own lives. It doesn't change the Library Agreement, or the fact that you love books and that I've had a bit of a rough past. It doesn't change who we are as people, what we want to do, who we will become. It doesn't change what we feel for each other, or what we don't. It doesn't change a single thing, so please, don't be scared that it will. Don't be scared that you'll lose me, or that I'll lose you. Don't be scared that we're going to move on, or disappear from each other's lives. Don't worry about any of that, okay? Because I promise you—I'm not going anywhere."

And I don't speak, I don't even think, I just lean forward and press my lips to hers, because there is nothing more I can say. Hailey Richards has said it all—said everything that I was trying to convey, all in one breath.

Energy courses through me like electricity as I hold her closer, wishing the moment will never end. Because she is fire and I am ice, two completely opposite elements being thrown against each other and clashing, sparking, one never outdoing the other. We are held together and stay that way, never dying out, never subdued.

If only for a moment, we are invincible.