Not Just Strangers|BWAM

01

メchapter 1

The fresh air of spring left along a trail of green leaves moving with the wind, the familiar ring of the store's bell notified the store owner a customer had walked in.

Ana, couldn't help but get fascinated each time she steps into the book store, it was always had an enchanting feeling.

From the line of books of different genres etched on each shelf, owning covers, of either tough, hard, leathery or thin exteriors with words holding the lives crafted by the brains and brought to life by the pen of writers, who people loved to absorb themselves in.

Ana was one of those people.

From the cashier's desk, Gladys, smiled seeing a familiar face approach her, although her face held wrinkles, if one didn't pay attention it would go unnoticed.

Her lengthy locs was held in a bun, coupled with the gold earrings clisped on her ears, a smile stretched on her lips as she beckoned on Ana to come.

Gladys was a middle aged African, who settled in the states after her family relocated, she sold mainly books of all genre's asides certain her faith didn't align with.

Not looking a day over fifty, her blouse complimented the red jacket she had on, which was a clothing for workers, Ana returned the smile this time more cheery than the last time she was here.

She had just rounded off a stressful day of clinicals which paved way for an opportunity such as this to come before her.

Her very good friends, Carlos drove her over and Uruo, who didn't see any point of she stressing over a book accompanied her, but being a good friend of hers, Uruo didn't mind at all.

Still dressed in blue scrubs, she tugged open her, creme coloured tote bag, having the we bare bears drawing at the front, searching for a coupon to hand over to Gladys, her pink crocs covered in anime fan art all thanks to Uruo squeaked as she paced back and forth.

"Here" she slide the paper across and retied her natural cornrows with her pink coloured scrunchie. It wasn't a coincidence as both she and Uruo had the same pair, pink crocs and scrunchies.

Motioning to one of her employees, she instructed them to bring a book from the newest restocks, one Ana had longed to read, "how have you been darling?" making small talk, Gladys gave Ana a listening ear, laughing at somethings said whilst giving her looks saying that's my girl.

"Just remember, you're going to make mama proud and me aswell" she thrusted forth the new leaves of fresh pages lacee with black ink, the cover made Ana more curious, "and also darling, he never stopped loving her" with a final wave, she bade Gladys goodbye picking out her pen.

She wrote today's date in cursive after removing the translucent material covering the book and slipped in a thin piece of paper sticking out from her study notes perched on her arm.

She smiled again.

The light item, gave her erratic jolts of contempt this was indeed the greatest joy of a bibliophile, having the chance of holding a new and well heard of book in one's possession.

Although it wasn't the first book she had bought, this was different. The week she had purchased the full season of the manga; Tamon's B-side, she and Gladys had a small chitchat for a bit about some authors they adored, until Gladys made mention of Francine Rivers and Ana seemed clueless.

Spending much more time than expected, she told her a snippet of one of her works and ever since Ana became determined to read that particular novel.

She didn't want to look weird with the number of people walking around, she dissipated all thoughts of sniffing in the thrill scent of refined wood turned to paper and layers of ink creating a world of its own, she recalled her friends would surely be waiting and wondering what was holding her.