books (cole)

[river]

River had been putting off working on her personal writing projects the last few weeks with the excuse of school but there was no excuse now. She had all the time in the world to just sit and type, edit and rework. Unfortunately, she would much rather be writing short stories or songs over big, lengthy, time consuming projects. River really didn't want to be working, her attention kept being drawn to the outside world just beyond the big glass window. It wasn't that she didn't enjoy writing, it was just that she had challenged herself with this particular piece of work and she didn't quite know where to take it. She had her backpack with her laptop and notebook filled with plot ideas and character outlines. She skimmed the shelves looking for books that may be useful as she was writing and grabbed some about the psychological opinion on revenge and the seven deadly sins. She took a seat at an empty table and started to skim through the books.
There was nothing there, nothing new she just couldn't seem to draw anything from the words. She decided being here was just upsetting her, she would return the books and just leave.

River looked at the number on the book and followed the shelves back to where she had picked it up. She had been just tall enough to reach the book in the first place but putting it back was another story completely. She reached up forcing the book back into it's place and acadentily pushing numerous books back in the process. She heard books falling off the other side of the shelf and sighed. As she rushed around the corrner to clean up the mess she realised more then putting a few books back may be in order.

[colbygraves]

Over the summer, the library seemed to be one place that Colby frequented. He wasn't much into reading school books, but admittedly he liked to read fiction books when he didn't have much else to do. He was pretty much a huge fan of the star wars novels and the harry potter novels. He was not ashamed of it, either. But today he was looking for something a little bit different. Nothing in particular, just something different. The library in Maple Hollow wasn't huge but there was a fairly decent selection there. His two younger sisters where here with him as well, he wasn't sure where. But they where somewhere in the library. He had driven them there so he just had to make sure not to leave without them as he had done a few times. Woops.

He had found a section of older books that looked fairly interesting. He was in the non-fiction section, however, which wasn't his thing. But he pulled out an older looking yellowish book that seemed to be pulling him in. Anxiety was the only thing on the title. Did he have anxiety? Peolpe had told him before that he did, but he hadn't fully accepted the fact. It wasn't like crowds scared him. Just when he had to talk to people. Maybe he had selective mutism like Raj from the Big Bang Theory. Maybe if I just get drunk all the time I'll be able to talk to people without turning into a blubbering idiot." He thought, shaking his head as he slid the book back into the shelf.

Colby crouched down to look at some of the books on the lower shelf. He didn't get a real good look, however, before looking up to see books falling from the other side and right onto him. "Fuck." He muttered. He was used to things like this, but having a heavy book fall right on your face - more than one book, too - was never fun. He covered his cheek, under his eye, where the one had hit directly, before shaking his head. It was going to be a black eye, that much he knew. There was no avoiding it. "Well, even books want to beat me up it seems." He muttered, his whole face starting to throb as he picked up the books and proceeded to start putting them away - not noticing the girl standing there, par usual.

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[river]

River was horrified to see the damage she had done to the boy. ”I am so sorry!” she exclaimed completely embarrassed, she knew though that a simple apology would not be enough for what had been done. ”Here, let me help you.” She helped him pick up the rest of the books that were on the ground before turning to him again, face bright red. ”I really am sorry? Is your eye ok? Is there anything I can do?” She hoped her bombardment of questions didn’t make the situation worse but she couldn’t help it. He was clearly in pain and she wanted to help him.

Luckily the library wasn’t too busy, just the staff and a few people too focused on their own lives to see what had happened, it was a relief. The boy looked around her age but she hadn’t recognised him from school. She figured the best thing to do now would be to introduce herself. ”I’m River by the way.” She said trying to sound sweet. Her frustration from not finding any books was completely gone, she could never stay upset for very long. ”So what are you doing in the non-fiction section?” She asked trying to make conversation.

[colbygraves]

Colby didn't really have any kind of violant bone in his body. Had he been a fire elemental, he might have turned around and blown up at the girl. However, he didn't care. Or rather, he did. It hurt. His face felt like it was swelling to the size of a water melon, but he wasn't going to show it. Pain was something he was used to hiding - both the emotional and physical kind. Not that he was depressed or anything, but sometimes alot of being picked on eventually got to you. " Oh...It's..It's fine. Don't w-worry about it." He said, shaking his head quickly at her apology. In his mind, apologizing was his thing. And people didn't usually mean it. So he didn't like to hear a lot of it. "Oh..th-thanks." He muttered as she helped him pick up the rest of the books that had come down. There wasn't too many of them, but enough to probably draw some attention.

What a way to meet girls, huh? Let them drop books on you in the public library. The non fiction section, none the less.

Sometimes his own mind surprised him, the way his thoughts worked. The way things processed. He frequently confused himself, but what else was new? "Y-yeah everythings fine. Promise." He said, offering her a small, reassuring smile. Even though it kind of hurt. Yep. Black eye. For sure. He thought to himself. He was used to them, though. He was starting to think maybe he looked better with one. That's why he kept getting them. The universe had a funny way of working things didn't it? "N-nice to.. m-meet you... Ri-river." He stuttered out, avoiding eye contact with her, still. His social anxiety wasn't something he made up in his head. In fact, he tried to deny the fact that he had it. He didn't like being awkward.

Colby shoved his hands in his pockets, actually feeling kind of nervous at the fact that this girl wanted to converse. That was obvious by her comment. She was pretty. But he was so incredibally awkward around girls, and the prettier he found them, the more awkward he got. " I uh. Uhm. J-just. L..ooking. Yanno. Reading.. th-things. And .. s-stuff." His stutter was probably more than obvious. And it actually annoyed a lot of people. He rubbed the back of his neck, letting his eyes flit from spines of the books to the floor. "What uh - w-what where you... looking for?"

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[river]

The boy’s stuttering made River think that he was lying about how much the book had hurt but she appreciated what she believed was an effort to make her feel less awkward. ”If you’re sure” She said trying to sound convinced. When he smiled at her, River couldn’t help but crack a smile in return. She felt a lot more at ease now around the boy, as if everything was ok now. He had said he was fine and accepted her apology. She laughed when he acknowledged her introduction. ”Do I get to know your name?” She asked half jokingly when he didn’t introduce himself in return. It had been a while since she had tried talking to a Stanger and she wasn’t really sure what she was doing but why not roll with it? Knocking books on people head to get a cute boy to talk to me. If only my sister could see me now. River sighed at the thought. When she had left home her sister had just entered her boy phase, always wondering why River had never had a boyfriend. She never had an answer for the curious little girl.

River listened to the boy continue to stutter. She couldn’t help but wonder if he was nervous, but she couldn’t imagine why he would be nervous so she assumed he just had a stuttering problem in general. That wouldn’t stop her from continuing the conversation though. ”Books and stuff? Yeah I hear that’s why most people come to the library” She teased, ”I meant more specifically” River wondered how her joking was being taken, she was just trying to be friendly. ”I actually came down here to do a little research for a writing project I’m doing but I haven’t had much luck.” She admitted. ”I just keep getting distracted by the beautiful day we’re having. It’s just not a stay inside kind of day you know?”

[colbygraves]

He nodded at her "if you're sure" comment, and left it at that. He felt awkward enough without stuttering and stumbling over his words like a marathon runner trying to rollar skate on gravel. That was pretty much how he was with people in general. Add a female into the equation and those rollar skates turned into ice skates. Ever tried to ice skate on gravel? I'm sure it isn't easy, or pretty. And that was how Colby was around females. He was bi sexual, but he didn't get that nervous or stuttery around most guys. Some he did, but he warmed up to guys faster than he did to girls.

"Oh! S-sorry..." He replied, rubbing the back of his neck and glancing down again. He had trouble making eye contact ever. "I'm Colby..." He said, bringing his eyes up to hers slightly and cracking a small smile again. It was an awkward one still though, he couldn't quite get through that. His sister, Beth, always got embarassed around him. Which was normal, most people probably would. She was only thirteen and into boys already, and Colby wasn't the big brother most girls probably wanted. He wouldn't protect her from any bad guy she started dating. No, in fact, he would probably be scared of them.

Colby knew how to take a joke. It was responding to them that he had the trouble with. He inhaled deeply, rubbing at the back of his neck. He wanted to calm himself down. It was just a human, just a human he didn't know. He needed to stop being so awkward around people. Social anxiety? That wasn't something he wanted to be labeled with. "Heh..." He laughed dryly at her comment, rubbing his neck again and looking at the ground. "J-just... loooking... n-nothing... special." He said with a shrug. Which was true. There was a few things he was looking at, not just one thing. "J-just kinda passing through..." He said, before taking another deep breath, feeling his heart rate slow down slightly. "Project? S-sounds... ex-citing." He said, smiling slightly at her again, his eyes flitting around the room slightly. "Y-yeah it's a ... nice day out." He replied, shifting his gaze towarrds the window. He didn't really spend a lot of time outside in general, but it was still a good day to be outside. "W-why are you in here then? In-instea-ead of b-being out.. there?"

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[river]

”Well it’s nice to meet you Colby!” She said with a smile. The girl wasn’t sure if she should make a joke or shake his hand or what so she decided to not do anything at all. River was feeling proud of herself. She was in a public place talking to a boy her own age with no drugs or alcohol and they were having an actual conversation with facial expressions and everything. River was generally introverted and didn’t do this kind of thing well. She actually couldn’t remember the last time she had talked to a stranger. Normally her only way of making friends was drunk at parties or being forced to talk to someone in class so this was different, but it was good different. She felt like she was overcoming her fear and it felt good, but in the back of her mind, River was just waiting for something to go wrong.

From the boy’s reaction River felt her joke wasn’t taken well. She suddenly felt awkward again. She nodded at his answer and decided to drop talking about books and libraries all together. River thought about the boy’s question. If she had not dropped heavy books on the boy she would be happily wandering around on her own outside, but it seemed that was not the case. ”Like I said I came in to do some research but I'm too frustrated with my writing right now. I was actually on my way out when I accidently attacked you” she said with an awkward laugh. River was enjoying talking to Colby quite a bit but she wanted to get out from between bookshelves. ”Do you wanna go for a walk or go sit at a table or something?” The words just came out of her mouth and her heart sunk. He is just a person she reminded herself, Just roll with it! River made eye contact and smiled as honestly as she could.