Reader's Slump

Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I have switched the main character's name from Willow to Devyn.**

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I pull open the door to my favourite little bookstore and am greeted with the pleasant chime of a bell. I step inside - eager to get out of the hot summer air - and breathe in the wonderful scent of books. In other words, the most amazing scent in the world. For some reason, the smell of paper and ink has always made me feel welcome and at home.

"Hello, dear," says the owner of Sanders Books in a brittle yet gentle voice.

"Hi Mrs. Sanders," I greet smiling. Mrs. Sanders, who is currently sitting behind her desk, smiles back. She inherited the bookstore from her father when she was twenty-seven years old and has owned it for over forty years now. Of course, I learned this because as a daily customer at Sanders Books, I've developed a friendly relationship with Mrs. Sanders.

The shop, which is one small room, is overflowing with books. All four walls are occupied with over a hundred novels of all genres and piles of books are scattered around the wood floor. The place is a mess, but a beautiful one at that. To add to the paradise, there is a red bookshelf at the center of the store dedicated to young adult novels only. Being seventeen years old, YA novels are my favourite. I browse through the red shelves, looking for a cute and romantic contemporary novel that will help get me out of a reading slump. All readers understand that there is nothing better than an adorable romance to get you back into reading.

A book with gold lettering and a beautiful light blue cover catches my eye and I pull it out to read the synopsis. It's about the love story between two boys who meet while backpacking across Europe. It sounds cute and the cover is gorgeous so I must buy it. Who can resist a stunning cover?

With the novel in hand, I navigate through the piles of books to the cash. As I'm walking, I see an astronomy book at the top of a particularly tall pile. I pick it up and flip through the pages. It is filled with images and drawings of stars and planets.

I have always been interested in what lies beyond Earth. All of the unknowns that the universe contains are truly compelling. Not to mention that what we do know of space is extremely fascinating. Last year, I got a telescope for Christmas and I use it almost every night when the stars are out. I already have so many books about space but one more can't hurt.

I approach the desk and give Mrs. Sanders the books to ring up. "Ah, another astronomy book I see," says Mrs. Sanders, picking up the book and scanning it.

"Of course," I reply as she moves to scan the contemporary novel. "I have to fill my brain with as much information as possible so that when I go to university I'm ahead of the game. Or at least in the game."

All students who go to university for astronomy are extremely smart. I'm trying to learn as much as possible now so that I'm on the same level as everyone when the time comes. I do understand, though, that it will take much more than knowing random facts about space to actually succeed in the field.

"If only all teenagers your age had the same drive as you to do something good with their lives," says Mrs. Sanders shaking her head. "The total comes to twenty-one dollars. Would you like a bag?"

"No it's okay, I'll carry them," I say as I hand over the money.

"Alright, here you go sweetie," says Mrs. Sanders, giving me the books.