Love for the Librarian

It is coming to the end of my senior year in high school. I have managed to remain invisible for four years. I have managed to avoid taunts. I am not the most pretty girl, I am not the girl that guys fawn over. I have long dark hair that I keep in a braid, slender build that I keep behind baggy shirts and loose pants. I never wear skirts. The glasses I wear are because I read so much that my eyes get tired. I have worked hard these four years to have the highest GPA in my class. I am not here to win friends. After all, as soon as school is over I am out of this town, even if it is just for a little while. Bigger and better things await me.

So being me, I mind my own business. This is when I get the shock of my life. I am standing in the hall shuffling books around in my locker when there is a presence standing next to me. I don’t pay it any attention at first, because after all I am me and no one ever pays attention to me. Then someone clears their throat. Obviously trying to get my attention. I look up into the most gorgeous blue eyes I have ever seen. They are paired with a chiseled face. The best looking lips I have ever laid my eyes on. His blonde hair is cut short but still has that messy bed head thing going on.

“Riley right?” His voice sounds nice and pleasant. I have heard it before because of course we have had classes together for the last four years.

“Yeah, Do you need something?” Shock is still evident in my voice.

“That is an understatement. I understand you are super smart.” He flashes me a cute smile. I am under the impression that he is trying to win me over for something.

“I guess so.” I shrug. I am still not really sure where this is going.

“Modest too.” His smile has a little chuckle to it. “Listen, I need your help. I have been struggling a little bit in my studies and I really need to do well on my finals. Would you be able to find it in your heart to tutor me? I could really use your help.” He flashes me that smile that I am sure would have won him awards if there was a category for that.

“What subject are you needing help with? I mean I am sure that there are other people who could help you and you wouldn’t have to be seen with me.” I know there are not a whole lot of people who want to be seen with the class nerd.

“I don’t mind being seen with you. I asked around and you are the best person to help me, if you don’t want to help me I understand.” He almost looks hurt.

“I didn’t say that. I was just thinking about you. I can help you. Can you meet me after school at the library in town? I have to work there in the afternoons so if I can help you there it would be easy for me to do both.” I mean who wouldn’t want to spend time with the perfect jock of the school. Basketball and Football all four years have been dominated by Dylan Matthews.

“It’s a date. I will see you then.” He smiled his megawatt smile and left me there silent and confused.

I stand there for a moment in a daze. Did that conversation really just happen? It is confirmed when my best friend Katelyn jumps next to me. “Since when the hell are you talking to Dylan Matthews?”

“I am guessing since today. He has never talked to me before.” Quite honestly I am as shocked as she is.

“What did he want?” She is looking after him to make sure that she was actually seeing the right person, I’m sure.

“He asked me to tutor him.” I follow her gaze. He is walking away with a confident stride. Definitely not like he was just talking to the class nerd.

“Are you going to do it?” Now she is looking at me for the answer to the all important question.

“Yeah, I mean he asked. I don’t have a reason not to.”

I shrug my shoulders as I turn to her and start walking to class. Katelyn is a beautiful girl, I wonder sometimes why she ever hangs out with me. I mean she has money, always has the best hair, clothes and nails. She is really nice too, yet she hangs out with the outcast like me. “I just hope it isn’t one of those jock pranks. I don’t want you to get hurt, is all.”

“I don’t think it is. Besides, I am having him meet me in town at the library. It’s not like he could set anything up there.” I had to think about it for a minute. Because let’s face it in this day and age everyone wants to recreate Carrie. It’s like they didn’t learn their lesson.

“True, your aunt would ring his neck if he did something like that in her library.” We both laugh at the prospect of my aunt losing it on some kid who picked on me.

“It’s not like she hasn’t done something like that before. Remember when Kevin picked on me in front of her. I swear her face turned five different colors when she was yelling at him and then started on his father when he came by spouting boys will be boys.” We laughed some more. Then the offending party stood in front of me.

“What’s so funny, nerd. Is there a new comic con or something coming to town?”

Kevin meant it as an insult I am sure. I wasn’t really getting it. I just ignored him and walked around him. Then he yelled after me. “What your virgin ass too good to talk to me?”

I froze in my steps. No way did he just yell that out in the middle of the quad. Even though I am a virgin it shouldn’t be something that is bad. It shouldn’t be yelled across the quad either. Katelyn turns on Kevin, “Just because you are a man whore who couldn’t get between her legs doesn’t mean that she is a virgin and even if she was, yeah she is too good to talk to the likes of you.” She turns around and grabs my arm dragging me back across the quad.

“Thanks Katelyn. I can’t believe he just yelled that out to the quad. No one needs to know about my sexual activities. Or lack thereof.” I am appalled. I mean there have been taunts and sneers but nothing like that yelled across the quad.

“Don’t worry about it. I think it is great that you still have your V card. I wish I still had mine.” She looks behind her as a reminder of why she doesn’t have it.

“I know I just don’t need to be more of a target than I already am. I am almost out of here and I don’t need any new shit.” I roll my eyes.

“Then you and I are off to California, to bluer skies. Don’t worry girl, I got your back.” She throws her arm around my shoulder to emphasize it.

“I am so glad that I have a best friend like you.” I can’t help but give her a smile.

“I am the lucky one. You are super great, and if you let these guys see how hot you are, you would be beating them off with a stick. I know it is important to you.” She pulls on my shirt as if to emphasize my need to hide.

“You say hot, I say average.” I shrug my shoulders again.

“One of these days you are going to let me dress you up, then you will see how hot you are.” She gives me a knowing look. She knows how my body is under all the bagginess, but I still think she is wrong.

“Sure one day.” I smile at her and enter class.

The rest of the day went by in a blur. I was already accepted to my college of choice by early admission, same as Katelyn. We were headed to UCDavis in California. I can’t wait. There are other colleges that I was looking at, but I wanted to make sure it was a school that I could go to with Katelyn. After all I know I am studying library sciences, I don’t need a prestigious degree for that. I did need my best friend though.

After school I headed to the library, my family owned the only local library. My aunt ran it. She has my whole life. I know she wants me to take it over after she passes, I am just not so sure I want to return to this town after I leave. So when she brings it up I just nod and smile. I don’t want her to think I am ungrateful, after all my parents never had time for me. My aunt was always there for me and I loved her for it.

“Hey, Aunt Polly, I’m here.” I called to her, I knew she was in the stacks.

“Coming dear. Are you going to be alright tonight? I know this place will be busy tonight with all those kids studying for their finals.” My aunt pops up behind a shelf in front of me. She is in her mid forties, but she is a beautiful woman. I am surprised that no one in town has swept her off her feet. She says she has no need for a man. I think she just had her heart broken and doesn’t want to have it happen again.

“Yeah, I am fine. Don’t worry about me. You have fun at your book club. I know it is your weekly joy.” I laugh at her face. It is a kind of grimace. I know that her weekly book club is just an excuse to sit around and bull shit and drink cheap wine with her friends.

“Alright if you insist. I will check in on you later, that is if I remember. You know how to lock up right?” She almost never checks in.

“Of course Aunt Polly. I have my key. I’ll see you tomorrow, don’t worry about me.”

She grabs her bag and coat from behind the information desk. “You know I always worry about you. I don’t know how my sister doesn’t.”

“She just has other stuff to deal with. Mainly dad.” I shrug like it isn’t a big deal. I know it isn’t something that I have to deal with much longer. I came to the realization that my parents could care less if I was alive a long time ago. Aunt Polly always cared though.

“Be a good girl and I will see you tomorrow alright.”

“See you tomorrow Aunt Polly.” I wave her off as I set my bag down and take my hoodie off. Then the door chimes letting me know that Polly was gone. I sit down and wait for my fellow students to venture in. Always around finals they fill the library as if their lives depend on it. I guess in a way it does. If they don’t do well on these then they won’t get into the colleges that they want.

I wait for about thirty minutes before Dylan makes his way into the library. He looks around and then sees me at the desk. “I don’t think I have ever been in here before. It looks nice.”

“Yeah, family owned since 1908. Great family legacy huh. So what subject did you want to start with?” I am just standing there lost in the fact that he actually came.

“Well, I guess I have the most trouble with math. I am lost when it comes to the signs. Do you think you could help me?” He smiles at me. Charming is the thought that comes to mind.

“Yeah, have a seat. You have your book right?”

“Yeah, I brought all my books. Where do you want me?”

I indicate the seat that usually Aunt Polly sits at. He comes behind the desk and sits next to me pulling out his book and study materials. I look over his notes to see where he is having trouble. It looks like he just needs to go over the material again. It’s notes seem to grasp the concept. As I am explaining his notes to him again, other students come in and fill the tables around the building. Most don’t need my help; they already have their groups and books from class. Occasionally I have to stop and help them find a book that they are looking for.

Dylan takes my suggestions without question. He smiles as a concept becomes clear to him. I enjoy working with him. He doesn’t give me a hard time about doing the work. I even find that we are laughing from time to time. He is really easy to get along with. By the time we are done and packing up, the library was supposed to close at least an hour ago. All the other students have left.