"I'm telling you, if one day you find a ravishing creature, keep your eyes on it until it vanishes from your sight. Clutch your claws to it, draw its silhouettes, devour it. After these kind of encounters, you won't ever be the same again.."
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...
Gina had a friend with a bookstore downtown. With my job in the newsletter, we barely had time to stroll the city. It was a blessing when I was able to take her for a milkshake or just saunter around.
She decided to visit Nina and buy her some book of her taste. Gina and I were steady. Our relationship was nourished with distance which helped us know we actually liked each other to engage in marriage. We were young and took our relationship slowly but we were conscious that at the end, we will be walking out of church as husband and wife.
It's what my family has inculcated me and my brothers. I think I'm not the kind that swims against the rapids.
Gina made the bell ring by entering, it was a heavy door. I stayed outside observing the glass window where some books were offering their attractiveness. I contemplated some classics with newfangled cover designs that no matter if they were from different epochs and authors, they all look from the same person and editorial. There were also big recent hits like The Godfather and The Outsiders. But there was one I couldn't believe it was there. It surely outstood out of the rest.
My hands started to twitch with an abnormal amount of desire for having it. I only understood now I myself was a curious person. An extremely curious one.
The book was titled 'The Sin in my Hands', and its provoking cover, a black and white picture, showed a man holding his own big piece of meat. The title letters tried to cover it but it was so bulky I could see through.
It was a exorbitant encounter. They were happening more now after having listened to Josh that afternoon. I thought the world hated me but as if I were to die, it is throwing appetizers to me.
How could a bookstore like Nina's have this individual phenomenon? How could she rub it on our eyes with this smugness knowing everyone from the street, including innocent children and bigoted mothers, could take a look at this man's penis being–trying to be–held on his own hands?
And even more preposterous, how could I explain I wanted to buy it? Take it home and open it like a post-war gift. It was not an appropriate task for a young man like me to ask for that sultry book.
Look at it! It was nothing to expect rather than hot stories and liquidity dripping from his hands, in white ink, it will paint yours too and then everything would smell like this white ink.
I entered the bookstore. Gina was finishing to talk to Nina, I had lost the connection to time. For a few more minutes, Gina chuckled and then said bye. As we were supposed to visit some other places, I assumed she wasn't mad at me for not saying hi to her friend. I saw my fiancee coming to me.
"Let's go, honey." She said, making the heavy door ring again.
"Wait outside. I'm going to buy something for nonno." I said with my hands inside my pockets, hiding miserably my swelling.
With the most absurd slowness, I walked to the girl behind the bar. It smelled like pages everywhere.
"Hello, Nina."
"Hello. Are you interested in something?"
Her lips were crimson and a faded blue headband adorned her dark-brown short hair. She had cigarettes in their packs and some candy on the bar.
"Well ... What about ...?" I shivered. What could she say?
"Yeah? We have some new books fresh off the boat on the window."
Is she a soothsayer?
"That one with ... " I pointed with my lips since my hands were busy "There is one with this cover..."
She smiled. "It's $10. "
"But do you know which I'm saying?"
She opened the little door she had in the wood bar. She crossed through and with her smugness of a librarian, marched to the corner where the books were placed on the windowsill.
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"It's $10," the girl said once she hid her blue dress behind the bar.
I was amazed. She let it be seen and it was the one I mentioned. Nina was amused.
I paid for it quickly. She put it in a noisy paper bag.
When she lifted it in the air for me to grab it, I had to release my hands but my penis was still pouring blood. She firmly didn't let me take the book. I was pulling it from her hand with insistence when she just smiled evilly. Nina is quite strong.
"It's a favor for a favor."
Then I was able to have it. We almost rip the paper bag with the struggle.
Nina enjoyed to know that I was interested in this romance book. But her malice could be perceived from miles away. She was not a friend for Gina, she was a petulant demon.
"One day I will need you. Ok?"
She threatened me with declaring likes of me to Gina. She knew we were steady. I gulped. Only for this book I was keen on fighting. I left an affirmation with my body moves.
When I was out, Gina asked the reason of my dilation and of course, tried to peek inside my bag. I made an excuse and set her apart my acquisition. I told her it was a surprise for nonno and it was rude for a girl to inquire more than she must know. She took my arm and we continued to stroll.
My hands inside my pockets allowed me to hide my hill until it became flat land again.
