Sealed with a Kiss ✔

Chapter Twenty Two | Sealed with a Kiss

Toothpaste squirts all over my brush, my hands and the sink. Swearing under my breath, I decide I can clean it later and get to frantically brushing my teeth once I get most of the minty paste off of me. I'm late, and as always when I'm late, things aren't going well.

Finishing in the bathroom I rush to my bedroom, throwing a glance to towards the clock as I slam the door shut. It's eleven fifty and I'm not even dressed. Questioning again, just why the hell I had to say Levi and I should meet at midday, I'm halfway through getting my pyjama bottoms off before I hear the ring of a doorbell drift from downstairs.

It's like hearing a stopwatch that's telling me out of time. I swear again, a bit more colourfully this time and, as quickly as humanely possible, I pull on the first dress I can find. Grabbing my brush, I attempt to think of a way to tame my hair in a way that'll take approximately thirty seconds.

The sound of Mum's laughter drifts from downstairs and I'm wondering what Levi's said to make her laugh on a day she's been scarily irritated from the morning. I've only dared to ask twice what's been behind her moods and all I've had are snappy remarks. Asking a third time would be like requesting a death wish.

I haven't even finished dragging the brush through the mess of tangled curls once before I hear Mum call up the stairs, "Ruby! Levi's here!"

Knowing full well that Levi's here, I smooth down my dress in an attempt to look at least presentable. Presentable. I shut my eyes in frustration; why today of all days did I have to forget to set my alarm? The whole thing feels even more ridiculous seeing as I'm the one who's late, and Levi's the one who's giving me a ride- even though I asked to go to the bloody library in the first place.

"Ruby?" Mum calls again and I curse, accepting the fact that there's nothing I can do about looking like I've only just gotten out of bed (which I have). I've just got to brave it.

Jogging down the stairs, I swallow down the fluttering feeling of apprehension. Walking into the hallway, I see Levi's standing there on the welcome rug. His gaze lands on me just as Mum turns away from him and both of them stare at me in surprise. I know I'm in trouble when Levi's eyes brighten with amusement as he stops himself from laughing.

Mum then gives a small gasp. "Ruby?" she asks, her eyes on my head. "Why's there a..?" She trails off and my hand reaches up to find what she's gesturing to. Oh crap.

My fingers enclose around the handle of my brush which I've left stuck in my hair. Why, god, must I be such a failure? As I pull it out, at the corner of my eye I notice Levi ducking his head down, unable to hold in his laughter.

When he looks up again, his eyes are glimmering with bright amusement. "Now that you're ready, should we get going?" he asks, barely concealing his smile.

I glower at him and huff, "Yes."

* * *

Due to the rare and promising sunshine gleaming outside, the library is quiet. Barely anyone's indoors, instead opting to spend the pleasant April day out in the streets of Wickworth. Leaves are beginning to grow instead of blossoms on trees and the warmth in the air is uplifting after such a murky spring.

Passing through the library doors, I don't know if it's because of the hushed voices, the dim lighting of the sun passing through tinted windows or the endless rows of stories bound in books- the magnificence of the place suddenly strikes me. Wickworth's library is one of the things all its citizens feel proud about, it's often the only reason why some visitors pass by.

There are rumours about this place being a century to hundreds of years old, and it's true that it lacks the modern, almost empty look of some new libraries. Everything about this place seems pleasantly old-fashioned. From the lack of computers to the ancient-looking mahogany shelves that an endless number of books rest on, Wickworth's library feels like an antiquity. It's beautiful.