Between The Pages

Chapter One

Judes POV:

It was a sunny day in the small town of Wistlow. There was a slight breeze in the air. the old buildings damp with the leftover rain from last night. The smell of dust and rain settling through the air.

in the corner, there was a bookshop. It was called Mistyhollow books. It was a nice building that was surrounded by different kinds of plants. It's a rather hidden place but everyone knows about it. especially the ones who have lived there for decades.

The book club consists of 12 old ladies who insist they are reading classical books despite them discussing smut in traumatising detail. Trust me, nobody ever wanted to hear an old woman rave about "knotting" like how Mrs Jenkins kindly described. Who knows why old women somehow got their hands on omega verse stories but it happened and left the coffee shop customers and baristas horrified.

Jude Mulberry walked down the crooked path into the bookshop where he worked. He was carrying a takeaway cup of an iced mocha he got from Brambles Coffee. He unlocked the door with a sigh. another day in this bookshop, a dust scented building. He loved it though. He grew up there. his mother was the local nurse, his dad was the football coach. He has a successful older sister who went to university and went on to do psychology, and then we have Jude.

Everyone assumes that Jude was not the brightest, yet he would read all the time. It was his entire life. His father wanted him to do football like him but he was never into that. Growing up, he has always kept to himself, always quiet and never spoke unless he was told to. All he wanted to do was read because he can be a different person in every universe.

In Jude's world, everything is a story. Each person has their own story, and if they want to share it then Jude is there to listen. It would be silly to assume that everybody's story is a good one. You truly don't know what's going on in someone's life even if you think you truly know them.

Jude stopped thinking, he has to work! He got his keys and put them through the keyhole. The smell of dust and old books fills the room at once. He likes it. It feels like home. He puts in one earbud that is playing 'These Days' by Nico. It's a song that makes him feel like everything is okay when life feels too loud.

Nobody really comes into the bookstore, Jude prefers it in a way, he loves his job, yes, but he prefers not to socialise with people. He likes certain people like Edmund Jones from the post office. his best friend growing up. He likes his family but that's about it. He just liked quiet.

However, that quiet would not last long.

Enter Bowen Landon.

Bowen, the local menace. In the daytime he has a small band and rehearses. At night, works in his grandad's pub. not the reading type. He almost failed high school because he couldn't be bothered to study Macbeth. He has a kindle, nobody knows if he actually uses it though.

Bowen walked into the bookshop feeling a bit out of place. He scanned the bookshelves looking for something.

Jude looked at him curiously. "can i help you?" he had an eyebrow raised out of confusion.

Bowen said not looking up. "Hey Jude..." he then murmured under his breath. "Don't make it bad, take a sad song and make it better." he smiled a little at the last word.

Jude rolled his eyes "Yes Bowen, i am very familiar with the Beatles. Now, what do you want?"

"i am trying to find a book because apparently reading on a decorated kindle isnt reading unless i have a physical copy. i find that stupid because i am still reading!." he keeps scanning the bookshelves.

"well, i work here and I know books. So what books do you like?" Jude asked and walked out from behind the counter.

"Hmm.." Bowen thought for a moment. "I like murder mysteries, thrillers, that sort of thing." he looked at him for the first time that day, his green eyes making contact with Jude's dark brown eyes.

"well we have an entire section of that." he avoided eye contact, not because he doesn't want it, he just doesn't know how to feel without it being awkward. "its over there." he pointed at a corner that says 'thrillers, mysteries, all that dark shite.'

Bowen smiled slightly. "Thanks." He went over to that section and started looking for a book.

Jude smiled back. It was strange, Bowen doesn't smile much. People assume he doesn't have one but it's clear he does. He is a human after all, humans deserve to smile, to be seen.

Bowen selected a book, a Harry Styles book? never pegged him for a Harry fan but go off king.

"SO, you're a Harry Styles fan?" Jude smirked slightly.

"What? no I'm not shut up!" He was being rather defensive about that. That's strange.

" Then why, may I ask, are you holding a book dedicated to Harry Styles?" Jude raised his eyebrow again, teasingly.

" I, uh, liked the front cover? Bowen paused and adverts his gaze, looking at nothing in particular in the corner. "Plus it's still a book!" He looked away for a moment.

"Okay well i never pegged you for a Harry fan." Jude went back behind the counter and leant his hands on it.

"hm, well, we are all full of surprises." Bowen said, casually.

At that moment, Edmund walked into the store. "Jude you'll never guess what i just heard!" he said excitedly until he saw Bowen standing awkwardly in the corner. "oh.." he avoided eye contact "what is he doing here?"

Jude was confused. "he wanted a book? What's so surprising about that?"

"Well, you know... he isn't. known for reading." Edmund looked at the floor.

Bowen overheard. "I'm not that dumb, Edmund. I own this thing called a kindle. Maybe you have heard of it or maybe you haven't but it is the best thing I own."

Edmund looked at him. "I didn't call you dumb did I?"

"no but you were implying it." he retorted back.

"right!" Jude interrupted with a clap. "Now what was it you wanted to tell me, Ed?"

"Oh i was just going to tell you that apparently the mini eggs fudge is coming back"

"Jesus Christ, Ed, you came in here acting like someone died."

"Oops sorry!" he was not sorry in the slightest.

"You should be, you came in here like you were in a panic when there was no problem at all." Bowen said quietly like he didn't mean for that to slip.

It was so quiet none of them caught the words. Bowen was 'scanning' books pretending not to listen when he clearly was when Jude and Edmund just talked about whatever. doesn't involve Bowen. nothing involves him much these days. He's okay with it, he just misses when people don't treat him like he's something to be hidden in the community.