When No One's Watching

“Great game today girls, bring it in,” Team captain, Marissa, called to the Jefferson High School girls Varsity basketball team. Wiping the sweat off of my forehead with the back of my hand, I joined the gathering in the locker room. Marissa was going off on how well we played today, but I wasn’t paying any attention.

“Hands in and Tigers on three, okay?” Marissa instructed, and I managed to snap from my daze and reach my hand in.

“One, two, three, Tigers!” the team chorused. I threw in my two cents by letting out a whoop before walking over to my locker. After changing into sweat pants and a long sleeved shirt with the Chiodos emblem on the sleeve, and grabbing my bag, I left the excitement of the locker room behind.

Everyone had left the gym already, and the janitors had turned off all but one of the lights, so the large room was significantly darkened. Even though we had won the game, it didn’t give me any satisfaction. I sighed and walked to the student lot, passing a few of my peers on the way.

“Hey, good game!” a girl my age shouted. I smiled and nodded at her, signaling I had heard her. I wasn’t in the mood for talking.

Once safely in my car, I drove out of the school lot and towards my favorite bookstore. Being a Friday night, I had plenty of time to do what ever I wanted. And what I wanted to do was spend my time in Paul’s Books. I loved the tall wooden shelves that stretched towards the ceiling, the narrow isles, listening to the public radio station play softly overhead, and the smell. I would live there if only to smell the musty, layered aroma.

I parked my car down the street, and began to make my way through the snow towards the store. The bell rang as I opened the door, and old Paul looked up from his desk.

“Hey Sam,” Paul greeted me, looking up from his book, “How was the game?” he asked, his old grey eyes glistening from behind his glasses.

“It was great, Paul, we won,” I said unenthused.

“You’ve got to be more excited than that, doesn’t that mean you’re going to the championship?” Paul confirmed, taking off his glasses and rubbing the bridge of his nose.

“You know as well as I know that I don’t like playing. I only do it because—“ I started.

“Because of your dad,” Paul finished for me, “I know, but some day you’re going to tell him that it’s not for you.”

I opened my mouth to speak, but I was cut off by Bethany, an artsy girl in her late twenties, who worked at Paul’s as her part time job. “Sam! It’s so good to see you! How’s basketball going? When was the last time you were in? Two weeks ago?” She rambled on.

“I’ve been busy with basketball and school, I missed this place,” I told her, smiling, “What’s new around here?”

“We hired a new guy,” Paul explained to me.

“Really?” I was surprised. The same staff had worked here for the past four years with no new additions. “Why?”

“Sarah got a job in New York, she’s moving there at the end of the year, so we figured we’d hire him now to get him ready,” Paul explained.

“Sarah’s leaving?” I became sad hearing this. Sarah was the one closest to age to me. She was twenty-one, and in her final year of college. She was a petite blonde, and loved to dress in chunky knit scarves and berets.

“Yeah, we’re all going to miss her wit around here,” Bethany said.

“Yeah,” I said, before turning back to Paul, “I’m going over to the fiction section, see you in a bit.”

Paul nodded, and I made my way back through the maze of bookshelves towards my favorite corner of the story. Fantasy. It was all I needed on a stressful day. Fingering along the weathered spines, I picked up a thin book, and looked at the back cover. It seemed interesting enough, so I sat down with my back to one of the bookshelves, and began to read.

About one chapter into the book, I felt as if someone was watching me. Looking up, I spotted a tall figure turning away quickly. For the second I had seen the person, I knew it was a he, but I hadn’t seen him before. Usually Paul’s had the same crowd of customers who came back again and again. But this guy, he was new.

I went back to the book, immersing myself into the surreal realms of demons and fairies. Less than ten pages later, I felt a buzzing in my pocket. I sighed, for I didn’t want to talk to any one right now. This is my time, my time to spend in the comfort of Paul’s.

Where r u?

It was from Kendra, my one and only friend outside of basketball. Come to think of it, she’s my only friend period, since the girls on the team don’t converse with me very much.

Paul’s I replied, hoping she wouldn’t bother me. She usually knew that when I was at Paul’s I didn’t like being bothered. I tried to go back to the book, but I was interrupted once again by that damned vibration in my front left pocket.

Ok, I know you probably don’t want to, but can you please come over, I need to talk to you about something important

I’ll be there in twenty I replied reluctantly.

Ok, thank you so much for this

Something must be wrong, and I could tell. I stood up, taking the book with me, and made my way towards the front of the store.

“Hey Paul,” I called carelessly before I reached his desk, my eyes focused on getting my wallet out, “I have to go, my friend needs me and—“ I stopped abruptly when I noticed it wasn’t Paul behind the desk.