Word count: 1461
Prompt: Books
Notes:
Maximillian Miller and Gus Booker are OC's created by StorySnippets SaharaCastine and myself
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Was she truly just looking for attention?
Lucy knew that sometimes her friend Katelyn wasn't trying to be rude and she just said things without thinking, but when she had told Lucy "You're always just looking for attention" it made her feel awful.
When Lucy said she didn't feel beautiful in comparison to Susan, Maureen, or even Rita- she didn't say it to make everyone say she was pretty too; she said it almost like she was thinking it. She didn't expect anyone would hear her, or say anything in return.
And when she'd told Katelyn how she'd felt, she hadn't meant to sound like she was straining to obtain attention. She just, was explaining her feelings to someone she thought was a good friend. Wasn't that what friends did? Listened to your hurt?
Katelyn needn't have had said anything in return, she could've simply nodded.
Sometimes, Lucy only needed to spill whatever was bothering her to somebody, have them hear her words, and hug her or say they understood.
Was she misunderstanding what friendship truly was?
She misunderstood things a lot. A lot.
Beneath her boots, rainwater squelched and flew up into the sky with each step, spraying her face. Eustace and Edmund would simply die over the dirt that would get on their faces and shriek because they didn't know where it came from.
Rounding another bend, her heart hurt with worry- what if everyone hated her because they always thought she was trying to show everyone up?
What if she truly was trying to do that and she didn't know?
Finally, across the road, she spotted the golden glow of the library windows and she scurried over.
She stepped inside the building, her toes getting their feeling returned and her body warming up.
Almost blindly, she made her way over to the fiction section and she plopped down, sending dust spiraling everywhere, causing her to sniff.
She picked a book off from the library shelf, and glanced at the title, "My love, so sweet."
The woman depicted on the cover was beautiful. Dark hair, plump rosy lips, and a perfectly shaped face. Like Susan.
Her chest heaved. Why couldn't she look like Susan? Or the woman on the book cover? Pretty.
Pretty enough to be noticed.
Insecurely, she tugged at one of her braids and flung it behind her, feeling it smack across her shoulders. She shouldn't be here, but she came every week, to stare at the covers, read the stories told inside, and wish for any other girl's face but hers.
Was she doing it again? Begging for anyone's attention? By wishing for another face, was she being ungrateful?
But the men from the books were constantly falling in love with the women enfolded in the stories for their beauty, or their wealth. How would it feel to have a handsome man vying for her hand?
She could never attract any men, let alone the one she had liked most. Not with Susan being her sister, not with the face Lucy had. Plus, she wasn't very rich.
Her face- as attention-seeking as it sounded- was ugly. Or, at least it had to be. No boy ever liked her over Susan.
Lucy had liked Caspian, but then there was always Susan; or then a beautiful blue star that came down from the sky.
None of the boys here in America were half as good-looking as Caspian was, she would never find someone like him again.
But, even if she had had a chance with Caspian- if he had liked her; he was in Narnia, and he was probably married to Lilliandil by now. Happily.
And so Lucy would either become a lonely old maid, or, she would get married- but to... someone like Gus Booker, the weird kid who used to follow her around in school, obviously liking her, but she had never liked him.
On the carpeted floor, still trying to forget about Gus and all the weirdness he carried with him, she put the book back and continued to read more titles, each book she touched seeming to burn her fingers.
Suddenly, she got the feeling in the pit of her stomach like she was being watched.
And, as she turned her head, she realized she was being watched, by a man, she guessed only a few years older than herself.
"Hey," He said in a friendly tone, coming closer, edging away from the front desk to stand by the shelves she sat in front of.
She stood to her feet and rotated her body around to see him, slightly banging her shoulder into the wood of the shelf and biting her lip.
Instinctively almost, he reached out a hand to help her, giving her a sincere look of concern. Like he already cared.
Finally taking him in by the shelf full of well-worn books, she suppressed a squeak.
Tall, but not too skinny, fluffy dark hair tucked under a newsboy cap, daring blue eyes.
Not as tall as Caspian, not as handsome as the Narnian king; but he was attractive. And he was not a creep or an oddball like Gus, she could simply tell.
She was stunned then. Was he talking to her?
"Hey to me?" She asked, gesturing to herself, trying to discreetly fix up and wrinkles on her skirt, and suddenly very much wanting to have tried for a nicer hairstyle.
He nodded, the ends of his black scarf swaying gently from the movement, "Yeah, hey to you. I've watched you come here often. What's your name?"
Lucy could feel the blush wash through her. He'd watched her? Plain; her?
"I- my name is Lucy Pevensie. Yours?" She tried to contain her excitement so she didn't look strange.
He chuckled and put a hand in his pants pocket, watching her with fantastic light eyes, a striking contrast to his dark curls, "My name's Maximillian Miller. Short for Max."
She wanted to grin and hug him, but she kept herself contained, after all, she'd only just met him. "Nice to meet you, Max."
Eyes crinkling and mouth upturning into a wonderful smile, he held out a hand, "Today seems dreary, yes?"
"Well, it does, but, that doesn't mean our moods have to be down!" Inwardly she groaned at herself. Why did she always sound so bubbly and happy? Maybe he perceived her as too eager- she stomped a foot at herself.
Laughing, he came closer and the smell of pine wafted off of him, filling her nose with a pleasant aroma, "Miss Pevensie, may I take you out to get hot chocolate and a cookie? There is a café just down the street."
Was he asking her out? On a date?
When she didn't respond, he stumbled and took off his hat to fix his hair and then replaced it, "Sorry. That seemed forward... I just, today seemed like the day to get something warm to eat and drink..."
"No! No." Lucy smiled again, "That sounds wonderful. I was- I didn't expect you to ask me out."
His brows scrunched together, "Why ever not? Don't you get men by the dozens asking you out?"
Shyly, she shook her head, "This would be the first time a nice-looking man who's not strange asked me out." Was this more attention-seeking?
"Sorry," She quickly apologized, lowering her head. Of course, she had to go and ruin this! "I did not mean to ask for attention."
"What do you mean ask for attention? All you did was tell the truth, Luce."
Luce? Stomach flipping, she bit her cheeks to stop another smile from covering her face; he was already giving her a nickname! And a unique one at that!
Looking intently into his eyes, she bounced a bit on her toes, "This is all rather exciting, as long as you are still wanting to..."
"Yes, of course. It's awful that you've never had a proper date before!" He took her hand into his large one, "So today shall be your first date. And I hope to make it a good one."
Her heartbeat quickened, he didn't think she was an attention seeker! Seriously, he seemed to like her. "Then let's go," She gushed, turning with him towards the door.
As they headed for the door, the rain now seemed much more relaxing, and Lucy beamed happily.
Max. He seemed so nice. And he looked so handsome. Maybe he was the one! Or maybe she was getting carried away.
But maybe not...
Lucy smiled at him next to her as they walked. His name had a nice ring to it, and whatever if she was overly excited. Someone noticed her! Someone liked her!
And Susan wasn't in the way. Not this time.