READ FOR ME

THE UNPAID ASSISTANT

If there's such a thing as the other half then mine was 'books'.

" Looking for something?", a blond girl peeked at me from the other side of the aisle, a smile on her face.

My eyes shifted from the novels on the shelf to her.

Blue orbs twinkled with something I couldn't name and my heart skipped a beat at the sight. Who was she supposed to be?

" I'm here if you need any help.", She looked at me as if she was trying to make an alien understand her language.

My eyes squinted but clarity hit me when I saw the badge on her chest.

'Barbara. ( Librarian)' , it read.

" No, I'm fine." , I replied.

" You sure?, you've been searching those shelves for hours."

What- I wasn't allowed to tour around to find something I like? I thought this was a library?

Wait- had she been watching me?

" Just checking the books out." , I casually said, wondering why she had approached me when they were a dozen other people around doing the same thing. Weird.

Did she check on each and every one of them??

" Okay. I'll be around if you need any assistance", she smiled and left.

No.

I think it's just me. Or maybe I didn't notice her check up with the others.

I shrugged it off as my eyes came across an interesting title.. 'Sing You Home', by Jodi Picoult.

I grabbed two more other books- okay, five, just in case I get to finish them faster than I expected... and for some reason, I felt somebody watching me.

I turned around and my dark eyes met a piercing blue, ' Barbara '.

She quickly looked away, typing something in the computer infront of her.

Strange I've never seen her before. I mean, not like I had been here long but it's almost a fortnight since I discovered this amazing place existed in this small town.

Shamelessly, I took a seat that put her perfectly with the line of my sight but not in a distracting or creepy way.

What, not my fault she was so pretty.

I got so immersed in my reading I became completely unaware of my own surroundings. Actually, that's what happens every time I grab a book to read.

It's like the world melts away and the world from the book comes to life.

" Hey! "

It was her who called me out of my personal world back to reality.

My eyes flopped open to discover that I was the only one left in the building, everyone else had left.

" We're closing up ", she said, a familiar expression on her face.

I knew the look.

My Mom had it when she had spent hours trying to call me out of a book.

Exasperation.

But Barbara's was different .... It wasn't exasperation, it was like a little shock and a secret interest that made her uncomfortable.

" s**t. Sorry. ", I quickly closed whatever I was reading, panicking. 04:30 pm, the clock said. They closed at 04:00pm.

" Just leave them there.", She said when I was about to carry the books back to the shelves. But I was too guilty for wasting the lady's time. How long had she been calling me?

" It's okay, let me-"

" No-", stopping me. " -there are arranged in a specific set of numbers that you aren't aware of so just leave them there."

I knew the book-arrangement code. Figured it out first day.

Yeah, but I wasn't here to look smart so...

" It's my job, by the way" , she pointed, as a matter of fact, as if daring me to pull an act of kindness and offer her my help.

Yes I so was!

" I - I can help?", I watched her piling the books up and carrying them.

I had no idea why I said that but next thing I know I was helping Barbara collect books from tables and put them back in their places in the shelves.

" Wait-", she halted halfway our little chore. " How did- .. you know the arrangement code? "

Oh. I should've played dumb and asked her for it in the first place I guess.

" Uhh..", I played casual. " I spend too much time on shelves- I kinda figured it out", and shrugged it like it's no big deal.

Barbara looked at me for a minute before moving on.

She got tired using her hands so she ended up pushing the cart while I collected everything from the desks and dropped them in.

" So... are you a bookworm?", She asked as we took our third round. God, this place was huge. Was she really going to do all this alone??

I almost laughed at the question.

" More like book-psycho", I answered, more to myself than her.

"Is that why you get so carried away like that?", She tilted her head.

Yeah, and it takes me like ten minutes to tune out.

" My mom says it's a disorder, something on the borders of schizophrenia but of it's own kind." , I put more books in the cart.

" ... You freaked me out a bit, I almost thought you passed out with your eyes open"

" That's exactly how it is. I see things ... , characters ... and places and ... sometimes feelings."

If it was a disorder then I wasn't ashamed of it one bit no matter how disgusting my mother found it.

Barbara was frozen ... staring at me as if I just stated something like 'I like raw moths for dinner'.

Okay, maybe I got a little bit ahead of my mouth there? Did I? I was just being honest and-

" That's ... sexy", she marked, making me almost tumble on my lousy feet.

What?!

That's the last thing I expected to hear.

" I mean- I'd love to be able to actually see the characters I read. That's the best thing ever! And feel what they feel? That's awesome. Not everybody has that gift. You're lucky. "

She's crazy.

" You got a free ticket to the imaginary world, it never gets cooler than that.", she added.

I blinked.

Unbelievable.

She thinks that's cool?

Now I'm starting to question my sanity.

Was she serious? My mom had gotten me on a dose of pills for this!

I dismissed it and kept on collecting books.

It was 05:30pm by the time we finished and I wondered how long it would have taken her to accomplish the task on her own. I bet she's used to it.

" Do you have an assistant or something?", I asked as she packed up her stuff.

" ..n-not anymore, she left"

" So you do all the work, huh?", I rested my hands on the marble counter.

" Yep.", She finally wore her satchel and grabbed some keys.

We walked out together and I waited as she locked the doors.

" Thank you .." , I heard murmur. when I looked up she had a smile on her face and for a second I wished she did just that.

" It was nothing", I admitted, hands in my jeans pockets.

She looked at me in disbelief.

" Really", I added. " I actually had fun, as weird as it might sound."

I didn't intend to enclose that last part but there was just an aura around her that made me wanna say everything I wanted to say.

" Really?", her eyes bulged out in surprise, " me too!"

She was smiling again and I had this stupid idea of kissing it off her pretty face. s**t. Did I really think that?

We both froze, stupidly beaming at each other until uneasiness settled in ... leaving us completely silent.

I swear I could hear a fly buzz.

One of her hands was holding the strap of her satchel while the other aimlessly fiddled with her keys.

" Um", I cleared my throat. " I gotta catch up with the bus so..."

" See you tomorrow?", She was taking off her badge.

My heart skipped at the thought of seeing her again. Why was I getting excited? s**t- my body was getting ahead of itself.

I just gave out an awkward wave and began to walk away fast before I ended up doing or saying something stupid. Last time my heart misbehaved like this, I ended up broken,so No. I wasn't repeating mistakes.

For some reason I felt her eyes watching and it took everything in me not to look back.

I didn't stop until I reached the bus shelter.

It was empty. No people, no bus. I let out a heavy sigh I didn't know I was holding and sat down to wait.

God.

I pulled out my phone, wore my earpods and spaced out on Billie Eilish while more people filled up the empty space next to me.

Just when I thought I had avoided the devil, a silver Audi stopped by.

Barbara stepped out and my breath hitched.

Fuck- why was my respiratory system doing this to me today?

I hoped she hadn't seen me but Lord, she gazed right at me.

I bet I looked like a cat struck by lightning. I hoped I didn't because she was heading for ... me?

" I hope you don't live somewhere beyond the city because I'm about to offer you a lift.", She marked.

" I live in Corner street", I found myself saying.

" Good. C'mon", she led the way to her car and I followed, getting in.

It smelled like lemons inside her car and I immediately loved it.

I shouldn't.

Barbara followed the directions I gave her until she stopped right infront of my uncle's house. Where I lived.

" Thank you", I said, unbuckling the belt.

" It was nothing.", She winked and I almost choked on nothing. Jesus.

I need to stay away from her.

" It's Barbara, by the way.", She added, s**t- why was the belt not leaving me?!

I didn't want her saying anything else.

" Mack- Mackenzie.", I finally stepped out. Whew. Stupid lemons.

" Well, goodnight Mackenzie!", She waved with a smile and drove off before I could even think of replying.

I had slept that night with trouble.

Why?

Because a bizarre excitement from seeing Barbara was tugging at my heart strings.