The Glass Harmonica (Custos Trilogy, Book 1)

Chapter Seven-Lexie

JS Marie

All Rights Reserved. 2013©

Chapter Seven--Lexie

The car of the underground was deserted except for a few other passengers.  An old woman was reading The Guardian while a man in a tie waited anxiously by the entrance.  I was doing everything in my power to try and forget the events from last night. I was desperately hoping that practicing at the school would erase the lingering image that is deeply imprinted from my brain but my trip to the school this morning was to no avail.

            You’re beautiful.  I stop myself from thinking any further.  He was completely drunk and was acting like a complete imbecile.  Quite thinking about it, Lexie.

            I release a long awaited sigh and look through the window as the dark tunnel races past.  My pulses adrenaline through my veins a small probing question haunts the back of my thoughts.  Who were those people from last night?

            The subway abruptly stops as the few passengers boards off and head to their separate lives.  I feet hit the pavement at the eerily lit station as I looked around at the slowly growing crowd.  The noon rush is yet to come since I have left my home quite early to practice.  Today is unorthodox for me since I usually don’t leave the flat until much later on Saturdays but I just couldn’t fall asleep last night and needed music more than ever.

            I fleetly leave the station and climb up the stairs to the cool morning with the streets still littered with puddles from the rain that happened for a couple hours in the early hours of twilight.  I can remember the comforting soft thuds rapping against my window until it stopped.  That’s when I knew I couldn’t wait any longer for the music to help me forget everything.

            The street was beginning to be filled with people walking heading to various engagements and shopping trips for the day off. I continue down the street as the gossips and chattering of passersby pass me.  My thoughts try to linger on the current piano sonata that I am preparing for the student recital but memories from last quickly flash through my brain every so often. 

            Once I had left that suffocating room last night, I angrily left the club while I could hear April asking me what’s wrong while a I passed her by.  The Jeremy has attempted to message me but I just don’t feel like explaining anything to my mates.  A though quickly comes to me, April probably hasn’t found her phone since she hasn’t text me yet.

            I stop dead in my tracks when an enticing aroma catches me.  The smells of decadent coffee and sweets caught me off guard as my stomach trembles with hunger.  I haven’t eaten yet today.  I quickly walk towards the café where the enticing smells are emanating from. 

            There is a little ringing above my head as I walk through the doors.  It gives me slight jitters as I am blasted by the warm scents that surround the place.  I walk to the counter with my stomach growling.  Although the shop is packed with people sitting in the limited seating, the counter is free of a line.  I approach the girl at the register.

            I speedily order some sweet bread and coffee.   Before she can ask me if I want regular or decaf, I lose concentration and stare out the window across the street.  A brick building proudly stands there with the word, Library, etched above its entrance.

            I can’t place a finger on it, but something is deeply familiar.  What is that place?  How come I have never noticed there is a library down this street?