"I can show you the world," a light-hearted voice sang.
Nicholas glanced up from his book, adjusting his frames. Dina had casually strolled in with her set of books to return, a hand in the pocket of her gray hoodie and the other hand holding her books. Her scarf was purple today.
Goodness, how many colored scarves did this girl own? Every day it was a different color. Nicholas didn't mind, it was all part of who she was, a symbol she proudly wore.
"No, you can't," he replied dryly as he continued reading.
"Shining, shimmering, splendid. Tell me, princess, now when did you last let your heart decide?"
"Yesterday, when I was deciding on whether to have pasta or sushi for dinner," he remarked, not looking up at her.
Ignoring him, she continued, "I can open your eyes."
"My eyes are already opened."
"Take you wonder by wonder, over sideways and under on a magic carpet ride!"
Finally, he looked up from his book. Nicholas tilted his head at her, resting his cheek against the palm of his hand, as he wondered about Dina's level of sanity. She was lucky that there was no one present at the library. The heat wave had gotten stronger, so most of the students chose to be in their air conditioned dorms rather than the loving comfort of a library.
"I don't want to travel," he commented.
Dina's brown eyes shined with amusement and mischief. She reminded him of a hyperactive elf. There was never a day when she would come into the library with a frown. Dina was always happy, no matter the time, no matter the weather, she was pleased with everything life had to offer her. It was an admirable trait, one that Nicholas wished he could have.
"A whole new world! A dazzling place I never knew, but when I'm way up here, it's crystal clear that now I'm in a whole new world with you-"
"God, no," he groaned. "Tell me you're not going to sing the entire song."
Dina pouted, "You're such a bum."
"I'm not the one coming into a library and singing Disney songs."
She mockingly gasped. "You have a problem with Percy Jackson and Aladdin? I think we need to have a long and serious talk, Nemo. This is unacceptable!"
"Disney lies about happily ever afters, you know."
"Why can't you be the Aladdin to my Jasmine?" she asked with an exaggerated sigh.
"I like realism not magic carpets."
She narrowed her eyes at him. "This is why we can't have nice things, Nemo."
"I think it's dumb, sue me," he said, defensively.
"I will."
Nicholas smiled with a slight shake of his head, "You are one odd girl, Dina."
"That's why I'm awesome," she emphasized.
"Keep telling yourself that and maybe one day you'll actually believe it."
"Nemo," she whined. "Why are you so rude?"
"I'm not."
She gave him an annoyed look, huffing as she crossed her arms over her chest in a silent pout. Nicholas knew he shouldn't be this affected by her, but that one small action was too adorable for him to resist. He wanted to pull her into his arms, tell her he was kidding, and express himself. Nicholas sighed, that was an impossible reality.
He was a loner, a straight nerd that kept running from the harsh realities of life. He didn't know what it was like to be loved; he didn't know how to love. He hated himself enough to end his life.
He wanted to disappear from the face of the earth and he knew that if he ever went through with his plan, no one would remember him, not even Elijah.
Dina was a breath of fresh air to him. She was different compared to most. When he was around her, he forgot about his worries. When Dina was near him, he felt happier, almost weightless among the different obsessions she brought into the library with her. She managed to make him forget, a skill that Nicholas had yet to learn.
"You should really look into Disney movies," she stated into the silence of the library.
"Why?"
She shrugged, "It's as good as books."
"I highly doubt that."
"Says the guy who thought Percy Jackson was lame," she said as she gave him a sly look. She peeked over at his desk. "You're even on the fourth book," she grinned.
"Go away, you creep," he mumbled as he tried to hide the book. She wasn't wrong. He had slowly begun to love the series, finding himself warped around the action and twists within the very pages of the book.
She laughed, "Aw, is someone getting a little embarrassed?"
The sound of her laughter was music to his ears, it was a soft melody that he heard in his dreams. As he gazed at her, he found her staring back at him through her doe brown eyes. The essence of innocence and purity was present. Her eyes haunted him in his sleep to the point where he would wake up and fall asleep thinking about Dina's frequent visits to the library.
She was a book that he still hadn't discovered. The pages to her story were missing, only the parts she wanted him to know were visible to the naked eye. For some reason, Nicholas was eager to find out the mysteries that lurked behind her eyes.
She leaned forward, a smile gracing her precious lips. Nicholas gulped the knot that was forming in the back of his throat. His heart thumped louder against his chest as he felt her attention purely on him. He couldn't think, couldn't breathe, couldn't see anything but Dina.
She rested her body against the desk, her arms reaching towards his book. For a moment, he thought she would reach out to touch him. He couldn't help but feel a little disappointed when she didn't.
What's wrong with me? She's just a girl, she shouldn't have this kind of a hold on me.
"The memories I get from reading this again," she sighed, happily. "It just makes me forget about everything. I love the series so much."
He nodded at her, unable to find his voice.
She was right in front of him, yet Nicholas was frozen to his seat. She did that, she caused him to feel nervous. Nicholas was normally a very shy guy, but it heightened around Dina. He actually cared about what she thought of him. He wanted her to like his presence as much as he enjoyed hers.
He cleared his throat. "You could r-read it aloud again, you know, if you w-want," he stumbled for words. God, I am so lame. He couldn't even form a sentence in front of her anymore.
She curiously gazed at him. Nicholas could feel his cheeks redden. Her eyes seemed to read right through his emotions, deciphering every last bit of his features that were contorted in embarrassment almost like she was drinking him into her pretty little mind. Nicholas was mesmerized by Dina.
Slowly, her lips curved upwards, the gentle smile Nicholas was beginning to fall in love with. "I'd love to," she said, pulling a seat across from him.
Dina read the words, carefully and surely. Her voice was elegant and he began to imagine the mythical universe. He stared at the way her lips formed around the words, the way her brown eyes brightened, and the way her nose would twitch every once in a while in annoyance with one of the characters.
Perhaps, Nicholas thought, she could show me a whole new world.
----
I have an addiction to Disney, guilty as charged. Damn, Nicholas is starting to get pretty flustered, huh? *hint hint*
Early Eid Mubarak to my Muslim readers out there!
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