Crook

Thalia moved from shelf to shelf, curious bright eyes scanning for interesting titles. Every so often she'd spy a novel that attracted her attention so she'd read the summary and then put it away in its home, mentally adding it to a list of things she'd love to read. This was her routine and as she loved reading so dearly, it occurred every three or four days. The librarians expected her arrivals like clock work and knew her by name. Her presence in the public library had become so commonplace in the last year or two that it was unnatural when the poor girl was nowhere to be seen.

She spied something dangerously exciting and picked it up, reading the back quickly. Love, intrigue, death, betrayal- yes, this was the book for her. Giddy with excitement, though she normally never had much joy to express, and began to race for the librarian station. She glanced back behind her for a split second, opportunity enough for her to smack right into someone, both falling to the floor and a calamity of books falling down around the two of them.

Thalia sat up right away and began dutifully picking up the books she'd spilt out of the other's hands. When he sat up she saw that he was blond, hair only a few shades darker than her own, and he hand innocent green eyes. She felt sad immediately and kept her eyes on the ground. The sorrow had come from nowhere, as it always did, but it sat in her chest as if it were a vulture perched on its tree. It was a constant feeling but she'd grown used to it over the years.

"Sorry," she muttered, grabbed her book, and headed for the station once more.

"Wait!" called the boy she'd left behind her. With his stack of books in hand he bounded toward her. Thalia looked him up and down curiously but it wasn't until he pulled the top book off the pile and presented it to her- the book she'd chosen from the shelf. She had grabbed on of his books in the mess and not even paid attention. She nodded and traded books. "Thanks," she muttered.

"Hey," the boy craned his head down to glance at her eyes. "Is everything alright?"

He watched as a thousand feelings passed across apprehensive eyes. Feelings of self-doubt and insecurities, reminders of a painful past, scars of secrets better left untold. Behind her eyes was a wonderland of disfunction and desolation of her soul, a place where happy thoughts were slain and darkness wore their carcasses as dress suits. Yes, embedded deep within Thalia was some sort of misunderstanding and self-proclaimed worthlessness that he would never fully understand. Even now as a million haunted thoughts passed through those green eyes, she lied to him. "I'm fine," she said with a smile.

Her being a stranger and all, he thought it best not to worry about it. What could he possible say to this girl he met in a chance meeting that could make her feel better. At a loss for words he offered her a sad smile. He swiveled on his feet and went about his business. Thalia, now book in hand, made her way to the librarian station. She placed the novel on the counter as Margret, the middle-aged woman, scanned her book.

"This is a good one," Margret smiled as she handed the blond haired girl her book. "See you in a few days?"

Thalia raised a corner of her mouth in a soft, unhappy smile and told Margret every time she asked that question, "If I'm still breathing then." She clutched the paperback to her chest and was on her way.