Academic lovers

27 | Interest

As I hurried my steps towards the library, my heart pounding with anticipation, I couldn't help but steal a glance at my reflection in the tiny mirror I held in my hand. I wanted to make sure I looked presentable.

Finally, reaching closer to the library, my eyes landed on Aiden. But my mood quickly soured when I noticed him talking with someone—Leigha? She was talking animatedly, while Aiden wore an awkward smile on his face. What was this strange feeling bubbling up inside me?

Taking a breath, I approached the door and cleared my throat to get their attention. "Excuse me," I politely interjected, trying to mask any hint of unease. Then, without dwelling on the situation, I made my way inside the library.

As I reached in, a strange sensation washed over me—a mix of emotions that I couldn't pinpoint. Was it jealousy? No, it couldn't be. I've been jealous before, but this feeling was different—a different type of jealousy, one that was very unfamiliar.

Shaking my head to clear my thoughts, I directed my attention towards the towering bookshelves that stood in front of me.

With a graceful glide of my hand, I ran my fingers along the spines of the books.

It's been a while since I've read. Reading was one of my favourite hobbies. The feeling of reading can be really amazing. It's like entering another world, where your imagination can flourish and you can experience extraordinary things without even leaving your seat.

The words on the page come to life, and you can feel the emotions of the characters. Imagine the places and situations described.

I just can't describe how good it makes me feel, and these past few months, I haven't been reading at all—all the student council responsibilities, the project, studying, events, and so on. I'm a person who usually carries a book around, no matter where I am. So now that I haven't been reading at all, it shows how tired and busy I am.

My face lit up when I found the book I was looking for. 1991's The Cipher; it's a book that's been recommended too.

I eagerly stretched up on my tiptoes, reaching for the book, only to find it placed on a shelf that seemed unreasonably high. Why was it so high? There is no reason for these shelves to be this high.

Before I was about to give up, I felt a presence behind me, and a hand swiftly took hold of the book. Aiden? I could feel my body tense up at the sudden closeness.

I faced him, only to be met with a sly smile. "This is the kind of book you read, Thompson?" he remarked, checking out the book.

I replied with a simple "yeah."

"Not surprised," he quipped, a hint of amusement in his voice.

Feeling the need for personal space, I gently pushed him away, creating a distance between us. With a longing gaze, I extended my hands, silently pleading for the book.

As Aiden handed the book back to me, our fingers brushed against each other, and a subtle sensation coursed through me. It was a weirdly good feeling, one that I couldn't really put into words.

Aiden made his way towards another section of the bookshelf, his fingers gracefully gliding along the row of books. Curiosity getting the better of me, I approached him and said, "You read, too?"

He nodded. "Yeah, most of the time." His gaze shifted towards a particular book, a glimmer of recognition flickering in his eyes.

"All these years that I've known you, and this is the first time I'm hearing about this," I exclaimed, a tinge of surprise in my voice.

Aiden turned towards me, a smile playing on his lips. "Really?" he asked. I nodded, and my curiosity piqued. "Mhm, what kind of books do you even read?"

He scratched his head, pondering for a moment. "Romance," he answered with a sheepish grin, revealing a side of him I had never expected.

Wow, Aiden Miller is reading romance books. I don't know why it even came as a surprise; I mean, it's Aiden Miller.

It seemed so unexpected, yet somehow fitting for him. I tilted my head, a smile forming on my lips. "Romance? I never took you for someone who reads romance," I remarked.I placed my hand on the book. "Is that one a romance novel?"

Aiden nodded. "Yep, I've been searching for this one for some time now."

"What is it?"

He hesitated for a moment before replying, "Gone with the Wind. It's a pretty old novel you probably haven't heard of."

I flipped through the pages, surprising him with my response. "No, I've actually read it once."

He gazed down at me, then lightly shoved me. "I'll let you know how it was then."

Aiden then started making his way to our seat; I couldn't help but be frozen in place. I placed my hand on my chest. Why's my heart beating so fast?

—

As the minutes ticked by, I found myself lost in my own thoughts, barely making any progress. My mind seemed to be elsewhere, completely disconnected from what I had to do.

Aiden miller

My gaze lingered on him, who was sitting across from me. Suddenly, something caught my attention. Had I never noticed how attractive he was before? I mean, sure, I always knew he was good-looking, but in that moment, it was like seeing him in a whole new light.

His eyes—were they always that mesmerizing shade of hazel? And his lips—they looked so soft and perfectly pink. It was as if time had frozen, and I couldn't help but be captivated by his beauty.

In this moment, everything else faded into the background, and I found myself lost in the allure of Aiden. It was like seeing him for the first time, and I couldn't help but wonder if I had been missing out on this breathtaking sight all along.

Why do I see him differently now? In a new light, I mean. I placed my hands on my face. God, this is confusing.

As I sat there, pondering my thoughts, the library door swung open, breaking the silence. In a reflexive response, I turned my head to see who it was. My eyes landed on a tall boy with impeccably braided hair; he looked very confident as he looked around the unfamiliar surroundings.

He seemed a bit lost, as if he didn't belong in the library and wasn't sure what to do next. However, when his gaze met mine, a radiant smile spread across his face, and he made his way towards my table.

"Hello, Zhera!" he greeted me warmly.

—

New character alert! I just realized I barely have any characters in this book. Well, tell me if I should add more.

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