It Starts with Coffee

Four

Every new friend is a new adventure ... the start of more memories.
-PATRICK LINDSAY

~~

By the time the lesson ends, I'm so excited for free period I almost skip like a child to the library. I don't have to worry about Jack or his friends because none of them have free periods or anything associated with the library at this time. I know this because that is where I usually spend my free periods just not in the classic section Liam seems to reside in.

He's sitting in one of the armchairs as I approach him. He looks up and smiles. I almost lose my ability to breathe, "I have a very gorgeous friend."

"Is that coffee and food?" I asks once I've seated. I notice two coffee and two brown paper bags with grease marks. I take out my iPad to do some research on one of my assignments and place it on the table next to the coffee.

"Yes. Payback for the amazing coffee you made" Liam smiles as he pushes one of the coffees and bag towards me. My stomach rumbles loudly and I would be embarrassed if I wasn't so hungry, I didn't eat dinner last night or breakfast this morning because of all the events that happened so I'm starving. All I thought about in class was food and ...Liam. Wearing his jacket and being surrounded by his scent didn't help my racing thoughts.

I will never ever cheat on Jack. If I ever had the temptation I would unfortunately remove myself from the situation and cut my ties with Liam. I'm not naive to not notice the attraction, he is a very gorgeous-looking man who likes coffee and books but this is a friendship and nothing more. A friendship I'm so desperately craving.

Opening the bag I see an egg and bacon pie and I almost start drooling.

"Thank you so much," I tell him as I sip the coffee and bite into the pie. I can't help but moan as I lose myself in the taste. The pie is in my hand still directly in front of my face, I look over it and notice Liam looking at me with his lips slightly parted.

"Oh god, I'm sorry!" I blush, just realising I'm moaning loudly in front of him, "I haven't eaten since lunch yesterday."

It takes Liam a minute to speak. He shifts in his seat and gives me a smile, "it's fine. I chose the right pie then."

I just laugh as I quickly finish the rest of my pie. Liam finishes his pie too and then reaches into his bag and pulls out a book.

"I brought this for you yesterday," he says almost shyly as he hands me the book. It's The Nightingale, "you said yesterday you've been wanting to read it for years."

"I have. Thank you so much!" I smile as I take it. I hold onto it tightly in my hands and try not to cry as I stare at it. I almost blurt out that as much as I love it and appreciate the gift I can't accept it because books are banned, but I don't.

"This is going to sound like an odd request but can you hold onto it? I want to read it when I'm with you if you want to hang out obviously" I say instead.

"Sure, but why? Don't you like it? Or is too much? I won't be offended if you don't want it" he rambles.

"You ramble a lot. And you're very blunt" I laugh.

"Yeah, you'll get used to it" he laughs back.

"But no, I love the book. And I do want it but I..it's complicated. I'm in a bad relationship.." I start as I figure out my next words, "with books. I'm in a bad relationship with books at the moment and being with you reminds me how much I love them. I would love to sit and read with you whilst you study. If that's okay."

"Of course" he smiles at me, he looks me over and seems to be studying me for a moment. "Why are you in a bad relationship with books? People usually call it a reading slump."