===
Saturday 4th September
Dominic Richards wasn't in the best of moods. Between having to deal with his uncle, cousins, being grounded and the nagging itch of anger that had been dancing in the shadows of his mind, he had barely been able to stay sane for the last two days.
He let out an annoyed grunt as his eyes flickered to his knuckles which were gripping the steering wheel of his uncle's car. They were decorated in bruises, the aftermath of a recent scrap with one of his elder cousins. Dominic wasn't usually a violent person, at least he hadn't been since he'd moved in with his uncle, but one thing had led to another and he'd found himself hailing down a series of blows in a storm of blinding rage.
Dominic brushed away his previous thoughts as he pulled into the Stonehall County Library car park. It was usually empty but as he exited the vehicle Dominic noticed a large van with the words Stonehall Movers across the side. He walked towards it, frowning at the brown boxes and furniture piled up in the back.
"Have you got my heels?" a familiar voice asked from behind him.
"What is this?" Dominic asked quietly.
"A moving van." Kaden replied as she walked up to Dominic and placed a brown box into the back. "Have you got my heels?"
"Why do you need a moving van?" Dominic pressed as he turned to Kaden with a frown.
"The clue's in the name, Dominic." she said flatly. "Don't tell make me spell it out for you." she sighed as she flicked a few of her freshly done braids over her right shoulder.
"You can't be." Dominic said with a slight shake of his head.
"Tell that to social services." Kaden scoffed.
"What happen--"
"It doesn't matter. The fact is, Jordan and I aren't going to be here for much longer--"
"Kaden I swear if this is a joke..." Dominic muttered as he ran a hand through his messy brown hair.
"It would have to be funny in order to be a joke." Jordan all but spat, her features curling into a scowl. "Sorry." she apologised almost immediately, her eyes fluttering shut for a moment. "That was rude."
"No shit." Dominic muttered, his eyes flickering over to the automatic doors of the library that were slowly opening, expecting a certain someone to come out.
But instead of Jordan, a young looking woman with brown skin and braids almost identical to Kaden's stepped out, dressed in a plain white top and ripped, paint-splattered jeans. She walked up to the pair, her eyes glued to Kaden.
"Are you doing okay?" she asked softly.
"I'm fine." Kaden huffed. "Dominic, this is my aunt, Tanya."
Tanya turned to Dominic with a smile, her slightly chubby hand held out to him.
"Hi." she greeted with a warm smile.
"Hi." Dominic replied uncertainly as he shook her soft hand.
"Should I leave you two alone for a minute?" Tanya asked with a mildly devious smile. Kaden stared at her for a few moments before stalking off to the front of the van, her long back braids swinging rhythmically behind her.
"I was actually here to see Jordan." Dominic said as he scratched the back of his neck. "Is she still here?"
"Oh, yeah she's just getting a few books." Tanya said as she pointed back towards the library, the devious smile still playing on her glossed lips.
"Thanks." Dominic said before he began to walk towards the doors. As they slid open for him, he gingerly stepped into the library. It had always had an old-timely scent but now the stench of smoke and damp clung to the walls and weaved itself between the book pages. Dominic wrinkled up his nose before taking a few more steps into the building.
The further he got from the door, the more apparent the fire damage became. Dozens of charred books lay discarded on the floor, the yellowing pages wrinkled from being hosed down. Dominic had no choice but to trample them, noticing that they sounded like dead leaves in the autumn as he did so.
He stopped walking as he got to Aisle 10, or rather its remains. The shelves on either side of the aisle were completely bare, allowing rectangular blocks of sunlight to cast down on the fire torn area.
It was charred and decrepit; lone book pages laid on the floor with their fire-curled edges turned upwards, accompanied by scraps of burnt fabric and pools of dried wax. Amongst this chaos sat Jordan.
Dominic stared at her for a while, noticing how peaceful she looked. Her hair was down today, hanging around her face in a mass of thick curls and kinks, the morning sunlight making it look golden brown. Her head was bowed as she read familiar book, her eyebrows creased in deep concentration. Dominic took a step towards her, the wayward book pages crunching underneath his feet. Jordan looked up, her light brown eyes wide.
"Dominic." she said, her cheeks flushing as pulled out a pair of earbuds that had been hidden by her hair. She then discarded her book before using her left hand to pull herself up, her right one still wrapped tightly in gauze.
"Hi." he said sheepishly, offering Jordan a half grin.
"How did you..." she began, her voice trailing off as she met Dominic's ice blue gaze. They were silent for a while, their gazes locked.
"Kaden said you're moving." he said quietly as he took another step towards Jordan.
"Yeah." she admitted guilty as she bit her lip.
"To where?" he asked as he stepped over what seemed to be the remains of a blanket.
"The city." Jordan replied, her gaze dropping to the blackened floor.
"Which one?" Dominic went on, gently kicking a hunk of melted plastic out of his way.
"London."
Dominic stopped moving towards Jordan, his mouth slightly agape.
"I'm sorry." Jordan rushed out as she took a few tentative steps of her own in Dominic's direction. "I only found out a few days ago..."
"Why so soon?" Dominic asked, his voice barely above a whisper as he trailed a finger along Jordan's bandaged arm.
"They want me to settle in before I start school." she answered quietly, chewing her lip anxiously.
"And you want this?" he asked, his electric blues eyes searching Jordan's light brown ones.
"Not really." she mumbled, her eyes flitting to the ground for a moment. "I kind of want to stay here." she said, her voice breaking on the last word. "But since I-I apparently tried to burn down the library I'm being shipped off to some--" Jordan couldn't finish her sentence as she was being pulled into Dominic's firm chest, his strong arms wrapped tightly around her back.
The pair stated like that for a while, Jordan listening to the rapid beating of Dominic's heart as he rested his chin atop her soft mane of hair.
"I'll miss you." Dominic said in a thick voice. "Fuck, I'm going to miss you Jordan."
"You've helped me a lot." Jordan murmured as she pulled away from him. "And I-I know I haven't really acted on it but I do-- I do like you, Dominic." she stammered, her cheeks flushing. "Obviously there's no use now though..."
"Says who?" Dominic asked, hooking his forefinger under Jordan's pointed chin and raising her face to meet his.
"I'm leaving." Jordan sighed.
"But you're still here right now." Dominic murmured.
"So I guess you want a goodbye kiss or something?" Jordan questioned as a mild grin broke out on her face.
"That smile was enough." Dominic whispered as he leaned in closer to Jordan, his eyes roaming over the faint freckles dotted across her cheeks.
"So you'd just let me leave?" Jordan asked with a soft laugh as she attempted to take a step back.
"No." Dominic said slowly with a smile, one of his arms snaking around Jordan's small waist. "Not just yet."
"I thought the smile was enough?" she asked in a murmur.
"Just stay a while." Dominic replied quietly, his eyes closing as he let his forehead fall against Jordan's. She stared with wide eyes at his face up close, her eyes grazing over his thick eyelashes. She raised her good hand and and slowly trailed her finger over his sharp jawline, biting back a smile as he let out a small shiver. "Are you teasing me, Jordan?" he asked in a husky voice, his eyes still closed.
"I would never." she replied with a faint laugh. At this, Dominic opened his eyes. They were bright and excited. "Is there something you're waiting for?" Jordan asked, her gaze almost electric with excitement.
"Just enjoying the moment." Dominic said before pressing his lips against hers.
To an outsider, they would simply look like a typical teen couple in a typical teen lip lock. But someone who knew them would know that there was much more to them, that there was much more to Dominic Richards and Jordan Terrell than a mere physical attraction. No, they weren't in love; they weren't even dating but they had a uncanny connection and they shared the same bundle of summer memories in the same old musty library. They were opposites, loud and quiet; white and black; boy and girl; but they somehow slipped together so well, like a key in a hole, phone in a hand, a book on a book shelf.
And though they were about to part, they still found a way to be together, in that moment, huddled in the corner of Aisle 10.
___
a/n: le fin