South of SomeWhere (-Editing-)

|Silhouette|

I stretch, joints popping, cracking and sounding thunderous in the small space of my minuscule bedroom. Sunlight pours into my windows casting oblong shadows on the sand coloured carpet. I take in a deep breath and sigh. Coffee. That's what this morning calls for. It's my liquid courage. Sliding out of my bed, I make my way down the long hallway to my minuscule galley kitchen and start to heat the water. My phone rings loudly. Lazily, I stroll back to my bedroom, hopping on my bed in merriment. It's Ben.

"Hey Babe."

I frown. "Hi?" theres a slight uplift to the end of my greeting which I guess he takes for a question.

"Don't tell me you already forgot our coffee date?"

I freeze and whirl toward the clock. It's...twelve o'clock! "No, of course not." I scramble for my clothes lying at the end of my bed and throw on my jeans and t-shirt ands fast as I can get myself into them. I clutch the phone between my shoulder and my jaw. "Nope, no, ident forget. See you there at one." I disconnect the phone call and grab my keys and purse. My hands shake. I don't need courage. I need a miracle.
........................................................................
As I pull down the drive, to the ancient looking house, the gravel underneath my tires crunches noisily. At least I was able to pay to get my car out of the lock up. Five tickets doesn't ensure good car insurance mind you. For a moment I stare at the house. It's decrepit looking. The rose bushes that line the walk up to the dusty glass doors are overgrown. The shingling is patchy, and the porch, that has a few patrons milling about, some sitting in the as equally ancient rockers or playing chess, looks ready to collapse. An immediate disgust seizes me, and I feel the sickening lump growing in my throat. The only redeeming quality of the estate is the lush, fertile lawn of grass and the trees. Aged oaks that are knarley and bent over from age. Moss swings from the branches, and I can see two children peeping from the curled wooden seats in its limbs. I sigh. I hate libraries. It hasn't always been that way. The first thing I did when we moved from upstate New York to D.C. for my Mum's job transfer was to go immediately to the nearest library and sign up for a new library card. I used to beg her to take me to the nearest bookstore at least ten times a month. I guess since my Mum's death everything in my life has just gone sour. I hate libraries. It hasn't always been this way, but right now I was sure hating this one. I click the lock on my car door and crunch up the gravel drive. I breathe and the scent of roses hits me strongly, and as if a switch has been flipped in me, I feel my traitorous body relaxing. It's giving in to the comfortable, the lovely, the oldness, and I feel disgusted. The wrap-around porch creeks in protest as I make my way up the steps onto the aged wood. Library patrons turn, their heads swiveling to follow me as I walk up to the door. I feel my face burn red, and I tug nervously on my pony tail. As I open the door, the hinges creaking rustily, and I grimace. 'What did I expect. Is this place even on the map?' I ask myself and with that I step inside. Heated air rushes to great me, and I surge forward pulling my jacket closer around me.

As I walk through the spacious lobby, I realise it isn't as bad as the outside projects. I take a deep breath and for the first time I feel myself relax. It smells old and practically oozes that crackly book smell. I find myself smiling. It feels foreign on my face. The slight stretch of my lips. The right of my mouth quirking upwards as I close my eyes and breath deeply. This is... was my sanctuary.

'Why can't it be now?'

I begin to step back allowing my hands to come up, palms raised to the ceiling like a witch beginning an incantation. This is bliss. That is until a reflection of a very tall, very male figure flashes in the "Book Sale" sign in front of me, and I slam into a cinder block wall. A wall that just so happens to be wearing a super fine henley t-shirt.

As I tumble backwards, I stretch out my hands to catch myself, but get no farther then a slight bend when a set of strong arms wrap around me, crushing me to the wall...erhm, human being. A scream catches in my throat. In the end, I land in an undignified way with my front to his chest, our legs tangled together in a heap. My eyes, which have snapped shut, squeeze closed even harder. I'm afraid to open them and see the damage. He probably thinks I'm a freak.