A Poet Reincarnate

Crickets tell stories...

I lied. 

I was definitely a little nervous. I couldn't tell if it was the six cups of coffee I had drank while writing in my room all day that was making me jittery or if it was actual nerves. Regardless, I was incessantly pacing across the foyer in front of the door. I was fully clothed, jacket and boots on, ready to go.

I looked at the clock, waiting for that little hand to make its full 60 seconds around the clock face, signifying George's arrival. Was it moving slower than normal? I couldn't tell. Suddenly a knock at the door caused me to jump, my heart beating even faster. I pulled the door open and my eyes met George's. His hair was slicked neatly back and he wore a blue shirt that was buttoned all the way up to his neck. I suddenly felt very underdressed. In my defense, I was wearing my good pair of jeans.

"Hey, Emily." He said sheepishly, a huge smile spreading across his face.

"Hey, George." I responded, stepping out of the house and into the frigid evening air.

He pulled me into a hug, squeezing me tightly. I breathed in as I reluctantly returned the hug, the smell of his cologne filling my nose. It smelled just like Austin's. I shifted uncomfortably, and George pulled away, looking me over.

"You look great!" He said.

"Really?" I asked, surprised.

"Yeah, I mean...You always look good, but you just look especially good right now."

He brought his gaze to the ground. He was nervous. Definitely more nervous than I was which was kind of a relief for me.

"Well, shall we go?" I asked.

He nodded and we made our way down the driveway towards his car. He pulled the passenger door open for me, a true gentlemen, and I sat inside. I twiddled my thumbs as he started the engine and we began our journey to the Library.

The whole ride there all that I could think about was how big of a mistake I was making. After what had happened with Sue last night I should have cancelled the date with George. It would have been the right thing to do...but then again she was leaving. She never flat out told me that she was choosing to leave with Austin, but there was this ache deep in my heart that knew she had already made her choice.

The Library was bustling with a small crowd. I was honestly surprised by how many people in the town of Amherst cared enough about the literature to show to up to an event like this one. The last time I suggested "Citizen Kane" for family movie night Austin droned on about how boring the movie was. I assumed most of the town, seeing how thick-skulled most of them are, would agree with him.

There were a myriad of blankets spread across the floor. George and I selected one towards the back and sat down. We hadn't really talked much on the car ride there. I felt bad, and hoped he couldn't sense that I didn't want to be there.

The lights dimmed and the movie began to play on a projector screen that stood slightly crooked in front the YA Fiction section. I thought it was kind of ironic that Citizen Kane was being played against Twilight and The Divergent Series. I snorted to myself at the thought, earning myself a few disapproving glares from the people around me.

The evening passed without much excitement. George just seemed to be happy that I was there with him even though I wasn't really there. Between staring at the unevenness projector screen and replaying my kiss on the rooftop with Sue over and over again in my head, I imagined he would have felt like he was on a date with a zombie.

Soon he was walking me back up my driveway towards the door we had walked out of only hours earlier. His walking slowed and I could sense some hesitancy towards our departure from him. I slowed with him, stopping midway up the driveway and turning to face him, eyebrows raised in a question.