A Book Nerd's Guide to Falling in Love

Chapter 21: Breaking the Library's Silence

The crush I had in middle school didn't last long, but the rush was something I would remember for the rest of my life.

His name was Noah. He had brown hair and blue eyes. I think it was the eyes that caught me. I remembered thinking they looked like blue gemstones.

I had a crush on him so bad I acted like an idiot when he was around. I kept telling myself, don't look, don't look, don't look. But I could see him from my peripherals. And then I'd sneak a peek to check him out, thinking he was the cutest boy in our class.

Whenever he looked in my direction, not necessarily at me, I'd freak out, like, snap! He looked. And I had to avert my eyes, pretend I wasn't staring.

I would act crazy. Big toothy grin. Laughed out loud even if there was nothing funny. Fake conversations with people which was not normal because I was an introvert.

And at the end of the day, I'd overanalyze everything he said and did.

Now, I was doing exactly the same thing with Finn, especially the overanalyzing part. Unfortunately, I couldn't pretend I wasn't looking because I had to talk to him.

When I entered the library, he was the first thing I saw, even though he sat at the back most of the reading area. I'd typically glance at the librarian's desk first, then let my eyes roam the hall, checking the shelves. The reading area would be the last my sight landed on. But not today.

Today, it was as if I knew precisely where Finn was--his head already buried in a book.

"Hey," I said as I walked up to his table. That darn voice inside me was too loud. Don't stare, don't stare, don't stare. But how could I not?

He flashed me a dimpled smile, and my heart skipped a beat. "You got my text?"

"Yep, what happened to the teacher?" I sat down across from him. He'd texted me earlier to let me know the teacher had canceled his last class because of an emergency. So, he came to the library early.

"Had a dental thing," he said, closing the book he was reading.

I read the title--American History: A Survey. "Where did you get that?" I asked.

"Found it in the History section." He pointed up the staircase.

"But the assignment is on the history of Littleton. I don't think you'll find what you're looking for in this." My nerdiness jumped out, and I hoped I wasn't embarrassing myself.

"Oh, man. Really?" Finn glanced down at the book. "I've been checking the contents for almost an hour now."

I didn't mean to disappoint him. "Didn't Ms. Clark help you?"

"Ms. Clark?"

"The librarian," I said and turned. Ms. Clark wasn't at her desk when I came in. And for the first time, I saw about five people in the library. "What the--?" I had been going to the library for years, and the maximum number of people I saw here was two, excluding Ms. Clark and me.

"Something wrong?" Finn asked.

I turned back to him, a grin forming on my lips. "There are people in the library." My voice caught on a higher pitch, and someone shushed me.

Finn smiled back, leaning over the table to whisper. "That's great. So, the infographics must be working."

I wanted to lean over the desk, too--to get closer to him. Heat grew on my face despite the library's cold hall. I only nodded, not saying anything, afraid that I might blurt out embarrassing words like You're the best Finn or I couldn't have done it without you, followed by That's why I'm crushing on you.