𝐇𝐞𝐫 𝐏𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐀𝐝𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧

FOUR

Vivianne

"Thank you. I'll leave you a good review," I promised the driver, getting out at the library.

It was a bit more chilly at night, but still hot enough that I stripped out of my sweatshirt from practice and threw it over my shoulder, entering the library in a plain white tee and my volleyball sweats. Damn near a whole stick of deodorant and a spritz of perfume had gotten me right, but I still felt sticky as hell and I wanted nothing more than anything to be in the shower right now.

If it weren't for my English teacher, I wouldn't be going to the library at six something at night to check out a book for an essay that was due next week. I briefly wondered why Coach cancelled talking with us today. Some of my team members were speculating that she had gotten fired or that maybe she had decided to retire. Regardless, I was both curious and worried.

I pushed open the glass doors, my eyes casually going over the words on them and their closing hours. Immediately, I made my way right down the historical reading aisle, knowing my way around well enough. I had been here a few times, since it was not too far from my school and where I lived.

After I found the book I was looking for, I went to check out, probably a good twenty minutes after I had gotten there. I got in line behind a young girl holding her little brother's hand, a thick book clutched underneath her chubby left arm and two larger children's books underneath the other as her sibling sleepily swayed.

I wasn't paying much mind to the kids nor who they were speaking to as I boredly looked around, a little annoyed to be on my feet after workout drills. Still, I wouldn't stop playing volleyball for the world. Even if it meant ugly feet.

"You sure you wanna get this big book?" one of the library staff asked the girl.

"It's for my Mommy," she said proudly.

After the kids in front of me were checked out, the library member left the counter and I sighed. My eyes drifted around the rounded desk used for checkout and library fines. Two workers were in the far corner, seemingly having a good time talking about something, and five minutes later I realized that no one was going to come back and check me out.

"Fucking annoying," I sighed, looking behind me to see if some sort of a line had formed. Nope.

"Excuse me," I rung the bell, calling out to the two employees, "I wanted to check out a book, please."

"Yeahhh...I'm not doing check out," I heard the girl with the pink wig say. "You can take it though."

"Now, you totally switching up from what you said in the car, Angelle..."

The other girl walked over, and my gaze immediately dropped down to my book. I was suddenly shy.

"How can I help you today? You wanna check out, right?"

"Yeah...you can check me out," I laughed a little, fully aware of the double meaning I meant by that. I handed over the book, suddenly self conscious of how greasy and sweaty I probably looked. Unless that was her thing, I probably looked extremely unattractive right now.

"Nice book," she turned it over in her hands for a moment, probably not even aware of how good she made her library uniform look with her dimples and braids and overall vibe. She asked for my library card and I dug it out of my pocket, watching her scan my book.

"You, um...go to school around here?" I asked tentatively, knowing that the process wouldn't be a long one and if I wanted to say something...now was my chance.

"Yeah. WHU," she shrugged. "What bout you?"

"Oh," she was a college girl, "yeah I go to school," I nodded with a anxious smile, "around."

"That's pretty cool. Hope you enjoy your book," she slid the little paper into the fold of my book, some part of me wishing that it had her number on it too.

"I'm Vivianne," I took my book from her too quickly, my eyes falling back down to it again.

"Hold your head high," she gently tipped my face up, letting her hands rest back on the counter, that motion just as feather light. "I'm Con."

"Con," I said slowly, taking her in before I struggled to maintain eye contact. "Nice name."

Her eyebrows shot up momentarily before she chuckled. "First time hearing that. Hope you enjoy your book," she repeated, her eyes drifting to the line that chose now to form behind me.

"You too- I mean, um, thanks," I blushed, quickly walking out of the doors. On my way out, someone bumped hard into me, jogging ahead of me and running out the library doors. "I'm just getting something outta the car, Constance!" the girl with the pink wig called out, not looking back. My gaze hardened on her as I kept walking out into the night.

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