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Post by mesmu on Nov 16, 2013 3:08:32 GMT -5
August second.
Its a hot and miserable day out in the sunlight. Merciless rays beat down upon the citizens trudging along the side walk and heat up the metal frames of the stationary cars.
Yes.
Outside it was very hot, so hot that many people who came into Greater Community Library seem to be covered in a light sheen of sweat or panting like dogs while fanning themselves. Many of those from the outside are dressed in light colored tees or tanks, most clad in shorts and some form of tennis shoe. A few who have hurried inside from their cooled interiors of their cars to the building's interior, which is very chilled upon contact with heated flesh, are mothers with bright eyed children.
Of course those whom have been inside for much longer, if not all day, are either cold or dressed in much warmer attire. Such as one young man with dirty blonde hair and a gentle smile. His eyes lite up as he helps person after person, always at the ready, even when its close to his usual lunch break. Of course, when his forty minute break comes he slips off his name tag as he punches out and heads to the basement where the employees lounge is at.
He makes it through his PB&J quickly, post ripping the crust from his sandwich and returning it to the baggie it had come from. With that settling in his stomach he moves into his apple slices and carrot sticks. As he eats he's engaged in a conversation with one of his co-workers, her little sister is pregnant and they're trying to find a way to tell her parents. So, ten minutes later, he's finished with his food and has talked this girl into letting her sister know that its okay to tell their parents... or, at least he hopes it is.
Regardless he finds himself mounting the stairs to the upper floors and checking the time. Fifteen minutes are left on his break. So he sets his cell phone's timer and goes to his bag. Pulling out a book he borrowed himself just a week prior he settles in one of the seats outside of the actual books section and begins to flip through it idly. When he finds his page he begins reading, diving into a world unknown.
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Post by itsherfault on Nov 16, 2013 3:20:33 GMT -5
He was dressed too warmly for the summer day, or would have been if the long sleeves on his green khaki jacket hadn't been torn away at the elbow, and the scarf around his neck hadn't been just for show, draped instead of wrapped tightly like it would've been in the harsh Michigan winters. His blue jeans were faded and had holes in the knees, but somehow (at least, he thought to himself, in his own opinion), the whole ragged ensemble worked for him; he made it his own.
He drifted into the nonfiction section, glad for his slightly-too-warm outfit now that he was inside the large, air-conditioned library. There were books on everything from music to markers, from soccer to sushi; he glanced across the titles, then shook his head - nothing grabbed his interest.
Wandering over into the fiction section, he started looking through the manga, then through the paperbacks, looking for something to catch his fickle eye. Wandering from there back into Nonfiction, he checked into the art books - he'd been considering making art his next hobby before he'd had the chance to volunteer at the Y for soccer and found it had excited his passion.
He shook his head and sighed. There was an interesting mystery novel he'd seen back in the fiction stacks.... maybe he'd take that one out and see how it went.
Of course, that had only led him into a deeper interest in nonfiction...
That was how he found himself standing in front of the empty counter with "A Mystery Writer's Guide to Crime" in his hands. He glanced around; a young man about his age was reading outside the book area; that person caught his eye for some reason, the same eye that was having a hard time finding a book to read, the same draw that always led him to new faces, new friends, new hobbies... but never to anything permanent.
He'd seen that guy go sit down to read about twenty minutes ago, he realized. Then he turned to look back at the counter. There was still nobody there, and hadn't been for several minutes.
He tapped the bell with the spine of the book on writing.
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Post by mesmu on Nov 16, 2013 3:32:41 GMT -5
His head snapped up at the sound of a bell, eyes blinking open. Looking to his watch he sees he slept right on through his alarm... again. Sighing he closes his book, slips it into his bag, re-pins his name tag and punches back in as he slips behind the counter. Giving his usual smile he nods, "Hello sir and how may I help you today." He honestly hopes this guy won't be too terribly upset with him, he hadn't meant to fall asleep...
It. Just... Happened...
Again.
At this rate he'll lose his job. So he adds, if only as an after thought as he holds eye contact with the male. "And I'm sincerely sorry about the wait, I hope you weren't standing here too long."
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Post by itsherfault on Nov 16, 2013 3:35:31 GMT -5
"Nah... not too long." He smiled back.
There was something intriguing about this other man's eyes.... but that could wait for another time.
He pushed the book forward. "I'm interested in checking this out... I don't have a library card, so, I'd need one of those, too, I guess..."
He flashed a charming (in his opinion) smile. "So; you think you can hook me up with something?"
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Post by mesmu on Nov 16, 2013 3:40:55 GMT -5
After blinking a moment, he nods, "Yes. First you'll need a Library card. Umm..." He then ducks down below and moves a few boxes around. They had gotten mail today and not just the usual book trade shipment either. It takes a minute, and a hard thunk of his head as he's coming up that fully awakens him [he won't admit to it, but he whined a bit at that], before he returns back to above the counter top with a blank sheet and a blank card. "If you could just fill this out..." He gropes around for a pen. Sighs and ducks down again. Producing a pen he places that down as well.
"And, when you're done with that," He nods to the sheet that needs to be filled out. "I can fill out the cards information, you can sign it, and you can get your book... You are in county right?"
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Post by itsherfault on Nov 16, 2013 3:45:18 GMT -5
The man wearing the scarf smiled and nodded. "Just moved here... I hope I'll be staying a while. It's been an interesting year, for sure.... but yes, I'm in county." He scribbled down a name and information on the sheet. Jaryn Starr
Age 18
DOB Jan 1
Phone # (555) 508-8508
Address XXX E Woodgate Dr Apt. 1
(town) MI (ZIP) Laying down the pen, he chuckled. "Heh.... I was going to come back and slip you my number," he said playfully, "but I guess I don't need ot do that anymore, huh...?" |
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Post by mesmu on Nov 16, 2013 3:53:10 GMT -5
"Jaryn Starr," He picks up the sheet and turns to the computer. Then begins to key in the codes and needed information. he pauses as he finishes the male's number before giving the automatic response. "Your information is confidential in this form, but if you wish to speak to me later I don't see a problem with it." He shrugs as he finishes up, finishes setting up the card in a few short moments and holds it out.
"And if you would sign this please."
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Post by itsherfault on Nov 16, 2013 4:02:14 GMT -5
"You're pretty formal.... you must be really good at your job, being so concerned about my privacy. Alright, I'm cool with that."
He leaned his elbows on the table, resting his chin in his cupped hands. "So, then... you know everything about me, but I don't know anything about you. Should I ust call you the mystery-man... or are you going to give me your name?"
He chuckled.
"Seeing as you slipped in your nametag backwards."
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Post by mesmu on Nov 16, 2013 4:05:01 GMT -5
Blinking confusedly he looks down and gives a small frown, "Oh, I have." And he then rights this issue immediately. With his name tag proudly stating "Xandyr" to the world rather than his own clothed chest he turns his attention to the male. "Do you wish to check out your book now?"
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Post by itsherfault on Nov 16, 2013 4:14:57 GMT -5
"Sure," he said, pushing the book and the library card further (after taking the momentary opportunity to sign the card). "Xandyr, hmm...? Interesting name... It's got.... mystique. Maybe when I write my first mystery novel, the detective will be named Xandyr...... then again, naming my first fantasy protagonist after my last boyfriend turned out to be a terrible idea, so maybe not..."
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Post by mesmu on Nov 16, 2013 4:22:20 GMT -5
"Well, that certainly sounds terrible..." He comes to a full stop after scanning the book in, his eyes widen slightly before he shrugs to himself. Probably just him over thinking things. So he scans the card and prints a receipt with the return date on it. "Be sure to have it in by the end of the month." He is politely avoiding the other's gaze now.
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Post by itsherfault on Nov 16, 2013 4:27:40 GMT -5
"Yeah, well, it was. The novel. And the relationship, come to think of it." He sighed, then shrugged witha carefree grin before picking up his book and new library card. "Oh, well... whatcha gonna do. So, I hope I'll seeya around sometime, huh? Nice meeting you, Xandyr~!"
He waved over his shoulder without looking back as he walked toward the exit, disappearing out the door and not looking back.
But then again, he didn't need to; every detail of the other boy's face was burned into his brain, especially the eyes. Deep, soulful amber eyes - eyes that were just more.
Those eyes made him want to do something.
He grinned. He'd definitely be back to that library a lot sooner than next month, for sure....
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Post by mesmu on Nov 16, 2013 4:40:38 GMT -5
Despite the pretty painless conversation the two had, something about that guy set Xandyr a little on edge. Regardless he continues his job calmly, smiling and being kind to those who come up to him. When work gets out he heads home, stops half way home and returns back to work to pick up his bag. For some unknown reason the sky seemed to be filled with stars today...
Once he finally gets home he sees the note left for him by his parents. His father is away on a mission while his mother has gone to do community service again. Neither will be home until much later. So he pulls out left overs, heats them up, wrinkles his nose at the obviously partially burnt, partially frozen, partially cooked mess. But he he eats it. Grabs a good book and sits down to read.
Several hours later his mother wakes him and sends him up to bed, muttering something about him needing to spend more time asleep at night and less during the day. He just smiles to her, slips into bed and drifts off to sleep. In his dreams is a detective with eyes that shine like stars and a flighty personality. Its a comfortable dream and he's smiling the whole night....
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Post by itsherfault on Nov 16, 2013 4:59:59 GMT -5
He couldn't get the librarian off his mind. Those eyes drove him to the point where he didn't get barely any sleep - just drove him in a creative, hobby-inducing frenzy. For fifteen minutes, he wrote; then he drew; then he painted; then he played chess against a computer; then he exercised; then he wrote again. By the end of the night, he'd fallen into bed, his body unable to stand any more of this 'awake' nonsense, but his mind still roved restlessly through dreams of amber eyes and detectives under fields of starlight and the sudden feeling that he'd found something vitally, vitally important, and he was reaching out, he was about to grab it and -
The alarm clock on his nighstand rang out a clarion that could wake he dead and his fist slammed down to silence it.
He felt like crap, probably as a result of the late night. As he looked around his room at half-finished projects, a computer with a Youtube video paused midway showing a soccer kick he was trying to perfect, he realized he'd never had one of his frenzies this intense before.
And he was going to volunteer tomorrow - so he had better go practice today.
Pouring caffeine-laced soda into his body, then whipping up a small breakfast, he readied himself to face the day. He grabbed his soccer ball and ran off to the local park, ready to practice some kicks and shots - and hopefully, calm his mind a bit from the reeling, heady feeling he'd had last night.
What about that boy had gotten into him....?
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Post by mesmu on Nov 16, 2013 5:08:40 GMT -5
Xandyr awoke the next morning feeling a bit achy, cold, and somewhat unsatisfied. But then again, you would too if your mother like to keep the house like an ice box all summer long. No matter he checked his schedule as well as the date on his phone. Then grins.
He has the day off.
So he stumbles about, grabbing his clothes, taking a shower, brushing his teeth, scarfing down lumpy and some what over sweetened oatmeal. Grabbing his bag, filled with a book, pillow, and identification in case he slept past daylight by accident again... He's ready to go.
Jotting down a quick note to his mother about him heading out and for her to have a good day he jets. Pauses. And then walks back to lock the door upon realizing his mother probably isn't home. With that done he heads for a park, the nearest one with a comfortable bench.
Making it there he scopes out a decent place to crash. He ends up on the warm, somewhat wet from morning dew grass. Pulling his book out he sits with his knees drawn up to his chest loosely enough to prop his book on them. Then slips into a world of faeries, dragons, knights, and wizards.
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