Noah and Leigh

2: Leigh

           Leigh didn't like leaving her things behind while she exited the building to go to the bathroom block across from the automatic doors of the library, but she had no choice. Once again, she drank way too many chai lattes and didn't think to stop by the girls' room at school before driving into town.

            She tried her best to hurry. Although she didn't have anything particularly valuable at her desk, that wouldn't stop some creep from stealing her things. Honestly, she was disgusted by how many people would steal pens from her. If they had asked, she'd just buy them a packet.

            As she washed her hands, she caught her reflection in the murky mirror and wrinkled her nose. Leigh looked away before any negative thoughts could protrude. She turned the taps off, wiped her hands on her skirt, and exited the bathroom. There was always a beating in her chest as she headed to her usual spot at the back of the library; preparing herself for seeing her desk empty.

            She held her breath.

            It was untouched, as usual.

            But as Leigh approached, she saw her working space wasn't the way she left it. It wasn't that anything was lost; it was that something was gained. On top of her mathematics textbook sat a note:

            I noticed you like to read.

            Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli.

            I think you'll enjoy it.

             — Noah

            She wasn't sure if it was a joke. Or perhaps someone had mistaken her for another. But she couldn't help but quickly scan the library for any possible recipient of the messy scrawl. The library was filled with university and high school students, scattered between the desks in groups or individually. None of them looked at her.

            She decided to fold the note and keep it in the corner of her desk. Leigh opened her book and continued with the exercise she was completing. But as she looked at the mixture of numbers and letters on her page, her eyes fluttered back to the note. Leigh tore her gaze away from the piece of paper and focused on the equation.

            But it took her much longer than expected to finish. She had to redo the question three times before she finally got it right; her page a mess of crossed out scribbles and added notes. Leigh's phone buzzed on the table, signalling another hour had passed and it was time for a break.

            Pulling her earphones out, she snatched the note in her hand and walked towards one of the computers. She opened the catalogue and typed the author's name into the search bar and browsed until she found the book.

            Leigh issued it out immediately.