Small Town Secrets
VII
I lie, stomach down, on my bed, my laptop open in front of me. I plug the USB chord into its designated slot and wait as the pictures to download. I can’t help but smile as I flip through the pictures. It felt good to see someone with so much negativity in their life smile – even if it was for a small period of time.
It didn’t take long for Kade to open up to me, and for me to do the same to him. I was surprised to discover how intelligent he is. He’s not book smart, like the way I am, but he knows so much about the environment. We talked for hours about the trees, the waterfalls, and even the starts.
It comforted me knowing that he could be open and talk to me about the things he loves. I wanted so much to ask about his sister, but I knew that would only push him away, and I genuinely enjoy Kade’s company.
My laptop dings, signaling a new email. Sit up and hesitantly open my browser, holding my breath as I do so. I see it’s from Mr. Hill – er Landon. I open the email and read:
Brett,
I feel as though you are afraid to see me, and I hope that isn’t true as I would really like to see you. There is a small private bookstore on the corner of Pleasant and Hewitt. I will be there until closing, I hope you will come and speak with me. I understand if you don’t want to see me, and will leave you alone if that is your choice.
Landon
My heart beats loud in my chest. He wants to meet with me? I let out the breath I was holding. What did he want to talk about? Should I actually go? What would I even say to him? I let out a long groan and fall backwards onto my bed. I have to go. I want to see him, even if I can’t find anything to say to him.
~~
I wake from my nap with a jolt. What time is it? I feel around my bed for my phone. I let out a sigh of relief when I see it is only five. I glance out the window, the sun had set and it was dark but clear outside. I kept trying to talk myself into seeing him, I need to talk to him. My breathe is shaky as I wrap a scarf around my neck and put on my grey jacket. I slip my feet into my converse and head out the door.
The air is cold, crisp, and smells of fall. It takes me only a few minutes to walk into town, and only ten more to find the bookstore which is wittingly called Books. I stand across the street, suddenly my feet are glued to the ground and refuse to let me walk any closer. Come ON Brett. Move! I internally yell at myself. I finally lift my foot and walk slowly across the street.
I push open the heavy wood door, which causes a bell to ring and I cringe at the sound. He would know I came… I quickly duck into the right side of the store. The place was dark and smelled of old books.
“Can I help you with something?” An old man asks from behind the counter. He had is feet perched up on the counter and a book dangled from his wrinkly hands. I shake my head no.
I am yet to see Landon, though he could be anywhere behind one of the tall cases. I look over the book titles. There are a lot of older books; books that looked like they had been read a few times each. I wonder up and down the aisles, reading over the titles. I pick up a dusty copy of ‘Moby Dick’, a book that has been on my ‘To Read’ list for far too long.
I suddenly find a hand on my arm, pulling me around a corner. “I knew you’d come.” Landon’s face is bright, even in the dark of the bookstore. Before I can answer, his lips are pressed to mine in a long passionate kiss. His warm hands placed on each side of my head, intertwined in my hair. My stomach dances and my brain screams. Was this really happening? The moment lasted forever, yet was over too soon.
“I haven’t stopped thinking about you since you kissed me the other day.” He says as he finally pulls away. His hands still holding my face.
“I shouldn’t have done that…” I mumble as I feel the heat rising in my cheeks.
“But I am happy you did.” He says and his hands drop down to his sides. “Honestly Brett, I don’t think a person has ever intrigued me as much as you do.” He says, only making me that much more shy. “And out of all the books in this store, you’re holding my favorite.” He lifts the book out of my hand.
“I’ve never read it before…” I mumble. He makes my knees weak, and my heart beat fast. I have never been good at handling nervous situations.
“It’s a wonderful book, I think you’ll really enjoy it.” He says with a small smile. I offer a small smile back and drop my gaze to the floor. “You’re not saying much.” Landon says, his face sad.
“You make me nervous.” I admit and look back up at him.
“Come sit and talk with me.” He says and grabs my hand. I follow him to a corner of the store. We sit across from each other in two oversized, brown leather loungers.
“I don’t want you to feel nervous around me.” He says flatly.
“Aren’t you scared someone will see us?”
“No. I’ve been coming to this book store since I was a kid. No one came here back then, and no one comes here now.”
“What about him?” I ask and nod my head in the direction of the man at the front, I’m guessing the owner.
“He hardly looks up from his book. And no one would believe him if he did say anything – he’s a bit… imaginative.” I sit back in my chair, relaxing just a bit.
It didn’t take long for Kade to open up to me, and for me to do the same to him. I was surprised to discover how intelligent he is. He’s not book smart, like the way I am, but he knows so much about the environment. We talked for hours about the trees, the waterfalls, and even the starts.
It comforted me knowing that he could be open and talk to me about the things he loves. I wanted so much to ask about his sister, but I knew that would only push him away, and I genuinely enjoy Kade’s company.
My laptop dings, signaling a new email. Sit up and hesitantly open my browser, holding my breath as I do so. I see it’s from Mr. Hill – er Landon. I open the email and read:
Brett,
I feel as though you are afraid to see me, and I hope that isn’t true as I would really like to see you. There is a small private bookstore on the corner of Pleasant and Hewitt. I will be there until closing, I hope you will come and speak with me. I understand if you don’t want to see me, and will leave you alone if that is your choice.
Landon
My heart beats loud in my chest. He wants to meet with me? I let out the breath I was holding. What did he want to talk about? Should I actually go? What would I even say to him? I let out a long groan and fall backwards onto my bed. I have to go. I want to see him, even if I can’t find anything to say to him.
~~
I wake from my nap with a jolt. What time is it? I feel around my bed for my phone. I let out a sigh of relief when I see it is only five. I glance out the window, the sun had set and it was dark but clear outside. I kept trying to talk myself into seeing him, I need to talk to him. My breathe is shaky as I wrap a scarf around my neck and put on my grey jacket. I slip my feet into my converse and head out the door.
The air is cold, crisp, and smells of fall. It takes me only a few minutes to walk into town, and only ten more to find the bookstore which is wittingly called Books. I stand across the street, suddenly my feet are glued to the ground and refuse to let me walk any closer. Come ON Brett. Move! I internally yell at myself. I finally lift my foot and walk slowly across the street.
I push open the heavy wood door, which causes a bell to ring and I cringe at the sound. He would know I came… I quickly duck into the right side of the store. The place was dark and smelled of old books.
“Can I help you with something?” An old man asks from behind the counter. He had is feet perched up on the counter and a book dangled from his wrinkly hands. I shake my head no.
I am yet to see Landon, though he could be anywhere behind one of the tall cases. I look over the book titles. There are a lot of older books; books that looked like they had been read a few times each. I wonder up and down the aisles, reading over the titles. I pick up a dusty copy of ‘Moby Dick’, a book that has been on my ‘To Read’ list for far too long.
I suddenly find a hand on my arm, pulling me around a corner. “I knew you’d come.” Landon’s face is bright, even in the dark of the bookstore. Before I can answer, his lips are pressed to mine in a long passionate kiss. His warm hands placed on each side of my head, intertwined in my hair. My stomach dances and my brain screams. Was this really happening? The moment lasted forever, yet was over too soon.
“I haven’t stopped thinking about you since you kissed me the other day.” He says as he finally pulls away. His hands still holding my face.
“I shouldn’t have done that…” I mumble as I feel the heat rising in my cheeks.
“But I am happy you did.” He says and his hands drop down to his sides. “Honestly Brett, I don’t think a person has ever intrigued me as much as you do.” He says, only making me that much more shy. “And out of all the books in this store, you’re holding my favorite.” He lifts the book out of my hand.
“I’ve never read it before…” I mumble. He makes my knees weak, and my heart beat fast. I have never been good at handling nervous situations.
“It’s a wonderful book, I think you’ll really enjoy it.” He says with a small smile. I offer a small smile back and drop my gaze to the floor. “You’re not saying much.” Landon says, his face sad.
“You make me nervous.” I admit and look back up at him.
“Come sit and talk with me.” He says and grabs my hand. I follow him to a corner of the store. We sit across from each other in two oversized, brown leather loungers.
“I don’t want you to feel nervous around me.” He says flatly.
“Aren’t you scared someone will see us?”
“No. I’ve been coming to this book store since I was a kid. No one came here back then, and no one comes here now.”
“What about him?” I ask and nod my head in the direction of the man at the front, I’m guessing the owner.
“He hardly looks up from his book. And no one would believe him if he did say anything – he’s a bit… imaginative.” I sit back in my chair, relaxing just a bit.