Depthless: Under The Library

Chapter Four// David

David's POV

After breakfast, I drag myself into the library. I pause at the doorway leading underground and survey the rooms through half-closed eyelids. Yawning, I shuffle over to an empty table and plop down into a vacant chair. Actually, being this early in the morning, I don't anticipate any visitors. There are few librarians in the library this morning--- or possibly it's because their groups don't have to be on duty today.

I sigh, glancing around. Where were all the members of Group Nine? It's nine thirty already and we visitors start flocking in around ten.

With nothing else to do, I get out of my seat and pace the landings. Absent-mindedly, I pick up stray books tossed around by careless readers and insert them back into the racks they belong. I scanned through the shelves, making sure the books are stacked in pristine order--- following the Dewey system, and arranged according to height. I'm paranoid that way. While the other groups' racks are haphazardly arranged, I simply cannot have books left about in the wrong places.

Hmm... this morning, the books are all arranged according to order, and I smile, satisfied. Lucky for G9's members, I could find no bone to pick. They all know that I am a Perfectionist deep inside.

Satisfied with my shelves, I move onto the next section, and immediately frown at the careless way the books are arranged. Sighing heavily, I begin to sort them out.

"David!"

I was so absorbed in my work, I hadn't notice someone creeping up on me from behind. I jump a little and the book I had in my hand as I reached out, slips from my grip and falls onto my head.

"Ow!" I half whisper, half yell.

"Oh... sorry." I turn around and to my delight, there stands none other than Stella. Realizing how much of an idiot I had appeared to be, I tried to mask my emotions.

"Morning, Star." I greet, rubbing my head and reaching down to pick up the fallen book. At the same time, she bent down, and for awhile, our hands hover awkwardly above the book. It was like: Um... so who will take it first? Oh... you go ahead. It's that excruciating. At last, I made a grab for it, but was beaten by Stella.

I straighten, trying not to look too conscious that I'd started a really awkward situation involving a girl a book and a klutz. Way to goof out, Dave.

She brushes the cover of the book, and I am surprised at the amount of dust which falls out. Group Nine's section always brush our books, weekly. I make a mental note to speak with Caleb about this. This is a disgrace!

"Intro into Interrogation." She reads out aloud off the cover. Eyebrows raised, she shrugs. "Ah well." Turning to me, she asks, "Teach me how to arrange this?" She holds up the thick volume.

I hadn't realized that I was staring at her until she spoke to me. I focus on her words, but I find that my eyes can't leave hers. "Um, yeah."

She looks beautiful this morning. So different from yesterday, when she... when she, uh, looks like a normal girl? I don't usually hang out with many gorgeous girls to be able to describe their appearance, but if I dared, I would describe Stella right now as... fresh. Yeah, that's the right word.

She looks as if she'd just woken up afresh from a good night's sleep. Well, so had I , but I'm betting I don't look half as good as she does. I mean, people have told me that I have bed hair each morning, but my hair always seems to be in a mess one way or another. Plus, I realize that every time after I wake, my left eye appears slightly bigger than my right. Arghhh.

But Stella is a good different. She looks wide awake, and she glances at wonder at the things around her, for which I could understand. Her dark chocolate irises shines, and her lips look so soft and pink...