When Elsy, a Filipino-American book nerd, tries to save Littleton's Public Library from closing down, the cutest boy in school helps her while a red leather-bound book keeps magically appearing in the hands of the townsfolk as if the library is tryi...
Mid-October came, and almost every tree was bald. Porches filled with carved pumpkins. Eaves ornamented with plastic bats. The people of Littleton had already completed their Halloween decorations.
I had a love-hate relationship with this season--my love for costumes, enjoying trick or treating when I was younger but never getting invited to costume parties now that I was older, and my hate for horror movies, fearing the monsters from the screens that could come out to haunt and eat my soul while I slept on my bed.
I noted each house's ornaments, checking which ones were the best as I walked down School Street to get to the library. When I crossed the road at a green light, I noticed a flash of red through a car. I turned around while I was still in the gutter.
A red book was on the dashboard of a blue sedan. The driver was a woman wearing bunny ear headbands--a little early for costumes.
By now, I was already used to seeing the red leather-bound book around. It was weird. It was magic. I knew I wouldn't be able to catch it if I chased, but I still pivoted on the gutter, turning back to the street and stepping toward the blue sedan.
Another car beside honked. The driver rolled down his window and shouted, "Get off the road!"
I looked up and found the traffic light had already turned green. "Sorry," I said to the driver as I pivoted again and hopped onto the sidewalk. Looking back, I saw the blue sedan was gone.
I returned to my original route to the library, which was only a block away. When I stepped up to Pollyanna's statue, I didn't just greet her with a hello. I asked her about the book. "Do you know anything about a red leather-bound book?" I said as if the frozen girl could answer. She was a separate entity from the library, but I suspected she might know something. "Keeping it quiet, huh?"
I smiled before continuing to climb the steps and entering Littleton's Public Library.
The usual silence didn't welcome me. Instead, the warmth of bodies, whispers, and flipping pages did. More people were coming to the library.
"Alice," Ms. Clark said, walking back to her desk.
I came up to her. "Hey, Ms. Clark. Looks like the library's busy again today."
"It sure is." The librarian grinned. Anything I can help you with today?" she asked.
"No. I can manage," I said. I turned to the reading area and spotted Dave reading a book. I couldn't make out the title from where I stood. "Huh." I still couldn't believe he was a reader now.
I glanced to the nearest shelves and saw a man and a woman speaking in whispers and exchanging books.
"Is that Dave's mom and Mr. Walker?" I said over my shoulder to the librarian.
"Mmmh?" Ms. Clark looked up from her computer. "Oh, yes. Mrs. Martin recommended some romance novels to Mr. Walker that he might like. And he recommended her some spy novels."
The library entrance opened, diverting my attention. A woman with a bunny ears headband came in. She went straight to the front desk. The ears bounced, reminding me of Bannicula, the book that made me love reading.
"Hi," the woman said to the librarian. "I'm here to return this." She placed a book on the desk.
"Done already?" Ms. Clark sounded surprised. "You borrowed this yesterday." She picked up the book and turned it over on its back.
"Yeah. I know. It was a fast read. I couldn't stop until I finished it. I was up until three in the morning," the woman said--another victim.
I bet she wasn't a reader before. Eyeing her bunny ears, I mustered the courage to ask, "Excuse me. Would you happen to have a red leather-bound book in your car?" It was the weirdest question I've ever asked a stranger.
The woman's brows furrowed. "Sorry. I don't think so."
I should have known that would be her answer. It was the same thing with everyone. The book was either magic or possessed, infecting people to love to read. But whatever epidemic it was, it was doing the library a lot of good.
"Alright. You're all set." Ms. Clark finished scanning the barcode of the book the woman returned.
"Great," the woman turned back to her. "I'll just check out some more books. I need some adventure tonight." She passed by me with a tight-lipped smile and headed for the shelves in the Fiction section.
I turned to watch those bunny ears leave, and right behind me was Finn Johnson.
"Hey, Watson." He gave me a sly, dimpled smile. "I was hoping I'd find you here."
My heart skipped. My face heated. That smile flipped my stomach up and down, left and right. "You're looking for me?"
"Uhm--yeah." He paused and blinked, then swallowed before speaking again. "I'm out of infographics."
Oh. Was that really what he wanted to say? Coming all the way to the library to ask for printouts? "I'll have to ask my mom to make more copies." I was happy we could hand out all the infographics, but it wasn't the answer I was expecting from him.
"Alright. I can wait." He placed his hands in the pocket of his brown harringtong jacket and stared at me as if waiting for me to say more or thinking of what to say next.
I stared back at him. What now? Were we supposed to stare at each other? What was I going to say next? Thanks for helping me with this. Thanks for helping me save the library. Thanks for being a great FRIEND. But I didn't want him to be just a friend. "Do you want to grab some brunch with me sometime?" I blurted out in the heat of our staring contest.
Finn looked at me dumbfounded, lips parting and dark green eyes widening.
"I mean, I want to thank you for giving out the infographics, and maybe you want to eat." My shoulders sheepishly rose. Please don't say no. Please don't say no. I would be devastated and embarrassed if he said no.
"Yeah." Finn grinned. "How about Saturday?" he suggested. "And I think I should be the one treating you to a meal for helping me out with my research."
"I didn't really do much." I shook my head. I only gave him the reference books, and he did all the research on his own. He may have bounced off an idea or two on me, but that was about it.
"You did a lot. And I insist on paying. Otherwise, you're going to step on my ego."
Was that a guy thing? I nodded. "Okay." Snap! Did I just arrange a date with Finn?
He beamed me his prettiest smile, and I hoped I was doing the same, not an awkward, toothy, and uncontrollable grin. But what the heck? I was going on a date with Finn. It was a date, right?
His phone started to ring, and several shushes came from the hall. "Shoot." He pulled out his phone. "Sorry. It's Lotty," he said, frowning and looking at his screen. "I have to take this. I'll see you then?" he looked up at me.
I nodded. He lingered longer and continued to receive angry shushes and a "Please put your phone in silent mode" from Ms. Clark before he turned for the exit and answered the call.
A moment ago, I felt elated. But now, I sensed I may have done something wrong by asking him to brunch.
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