Hand to Hold

Chapter 12

I wished for a wonder; I could neither bear the sight of her aggrieved self nor offer her my shoulder.

.

.

Reading my last answer, I glanced up and sighed, the bell wouldn’t go off for the next fifteen to sixteen minutes.

I was in a great hurry as I submitted the answer-sheet and took long strides to the library not bothered with the stationary I was carrying.

The excitement was to reissue the book I needed to submit on the due date which was, unfortunately, my birthday and thanks to his spam of texts I couldn’t even issue it again.

Though I did irritate him by wearing the school uniform to school when I only needed to return the book and used the stairs away from the school entrance, the conversation with Ros-Belle was the last straw and the whole ride to the mansion temperature was far below the average temperature.

But half walking-half running to the library it made sense, many things were disturbing him at once.

Entering the library, the sophistication hit me hard. Thankfully the coffee-coloured room was empty as writing time wasn’t over and students who crowded the place to study weren’t expected for the next ten minutes.

I walked over to the librarian and smile, “Good Morning.”

The red-headed lady with glasses glanced up from her book and offered me a polite smile, “Good Morning Mr Royale. So, what are you looking for today, another list of suggestions on what works to read on administration?”

It was good that she was at ease; the first time I visited the library she was surprised.

“No, I am here to re-issue the last book I returned. I wasn’t able to finish reading it. But I have to add learning about the administrations of various countries become quite engrossing with that writing style.” Shaking my head I presented my view on the book.

Her smile brightened, “I know.”

Averting her gaze up she pressed her lips into a thin line, “The book you are looking for is in non-fiction area, in the rack no. two fifty-seven. I assumed you are over with it and asked my helper to put it back in its place.”

I only smiled in return and turned to browse the racks filled with non-fiction. Last time she handed that book to me but I couldn’t always trouble my teachers, could I?

Trying to reach the rack no. two fifty-seven, I entered in a distant area but somehow I wasn’t alone, as I took out the book I was searching my eyes landed on a familiar figure on the opposite side.

In the dry land between the books, her presence was bewildering in many senses. Especially since although she held the phone, her eyes were fixed somewhere else and glistening... The sunlight wasn’t playing with my eyes; the black-haired beauty was upset.

...Why?

I wondered if I should approach her but the bell rang and getting up in a pompous manner she left her island from the hidden path.

Regret engulfed me and my mind wandered about as I gazed out of the window and sighed every other moment.

Somehow remembering her in the tranquil place I envisioned it as if she was in the woods surrounded by the mist, lost and alone... Though the troubling part was, the girl my mind painted didn’t want to be found.