Maddi and I met in the park that afternoon with the purpose un of upgrading our progress on "Martin Eden" by Jack London, this month's book of the literature club we were in.
I always liked reading outside as long as the weather is nice. Birds chirping, kids playing, sun shining, nothing more peacefully than this.
We were sitting by the spring. Books in our hands, feet hanging out.
"I really can't comprehend how... Why if two people really love each other, they give up on each together. I mean, why do they accept the circumstances around them rather than fight against them."
Madi lift her big blue eyes from her book and looked at something in front of us, only to make grimace.
"Cowardice." She said.
I raised my head to look too. There were a group of boys standing a few feet away from us, laughing out loud. They seemed to be staring at us.
"Vanity." I said while observing them.
"Men are cowards."
"They are." I agreed and turned back to reading my book.
Madi offered to go get some coffee for both of us and I couldn't be more thankful.
I went back to the page I was reading but all of a sudden a shadow started blocking the light and warmth of the sun above me.
At first I thought that it might be someone who wanted to sit there by the spring too, but the shadow would not move. I put a hand on my book to prevent losing the page I was at and looked up only to realize it was one of the group's boys.
Dirty blonde, hazel eyes. Tall, slim. Plain jeans and a polo shirt. He seemed like a version of Barbie's Ken.
I raised an eyebrow at him as questioning his presence.
"May I?"
Of course not.
"This a public space."
But I was here first.
I saw from the corner of my eyes his lips curve into a perfect smile.
Idiot.
"What are you reading, gorgeous?" He asked while taking the place to my left.
"Excuse me?"
"I was ask-"
"I know what you were asking. Can't you read?"
He laughed.
I don't know if it was a sarcastic laugh or he really enjoyed the fact that he managed to annoy me.
I reopened my book in an act of clearly ignoring a possible conversation with this model-wannabe guy.
"Well if you were that smart as trying to appear, you would definitely have noticed that your hand is placed upon the title."
I turned my gaze at him again. He was the one raising an eyebrow at me now. Strangely, the same eyebrow as I raised.
Was mommy and daddy's baby mocking me now? Unbelievable.
I opened my mouth to say something but I could't think of a proper comeback so I closed it again, face-palming myself in that moment.
He had this smirk on his face that made me want to punch him, but at the same time something about it made me feel attracted to him in some kind of way. Maybe it's because I wanted to win this imaginary game in my mind that he had started or maybe I just enjoyed showing him that there actually exists someone who could reject him as quick as that.
