Precious [h.s.]

Chapter 30

You know I love a London boy, I enjoy walking Soho
Drinking in the afternoon
He likes my American smile, like a child when our eyes meet
Darling, I fancy you

"She was so flirting with you," I tell Harry as he opens the door of the library that I want to show him today.

"No, she wasn't." He tries to argue even if what she was doing was so obvious.

We stopped at a shop so I could buy myself some water, and Harry waited for me outside. When I came back he was leaning against a wall while a redhead girl was talking to him. She was asking him if he's from around here, what's his name, and if I came back a little after, probably even what's his number.

When she saw me, she apologized and left, embarrassed by the thought that Harry and I are a couple.

But we aren't.

"Harry, did you see how she was looking at you?" And I don't blame her one bit, to be honest. Why wouldn't she shoot her shot with someone like him? He's gorgeous so of course she gave it a try.

"You are looking too deep into it. She wanted to know what's the clock because her phone died and then the conversation kept going." Harry is a bit of a narcissist but he gets so shy sometimes.

"Whatever, c'mon, I want to show you something." I take him by the hand and lead him to the front desk where my dear friend Martha can always be found.

"Hello, did you miss me?" I ask her and she lifts her eyes for a second from the newspaper she was reading but returns them after seeing who is greeting her.

"Oh, it's you. Again. I haven't seen you in a while so I thought we were keeping it that way."

Between us is a love-hate relationship. She always makes these sarcastic jokes and comments that may come off as rude, but I know she has a soft spot for me.

There was a time, almost two years ago when the library was dying out. There weren't that many people coming here, so not enough money to keep it open.

I found out about it only a few months before the news that it may close spread, and even if I had a library at home only for myself, it was a good pretext to leave the house so I used to visit it frequently.

When I heard what they were gonna do, I donated enough money to put it back together, and make it even better.

After that, it was a pleasure to see everybody enjoy the new books and activities that were taking place. I was coming here so much that the staff learned my name. That's how I met Martha.

Once, a woman's child who worked there got sick so she had to stay home. They needed someone to take her place for a short time hence I offered to help them without wanting any money.

I used to talk to Martha a lot. She didn't really talk back except a few "Are you done?" or some muttered "When is this girl leaving?" but I saw her smile a few times at whatever story I was telling her.