Love for the Librarian

It only takes a few minutes to reach the library, but Aunt Polly is already waiting at the door for me. “I was going to send out the national guard. Where the hell have you been girl?” She has her hands on her hips and she is glaring at me.

“I was studying with Katelyn, I told you.” I knew she would be pissed but not this pissed. She needs to dial it back a bit.

“You texted, that could have been from some serial killer trying to throw me off the trail.” She continues to glare at me.

“Aunt Polly I think you need to lay off the murder mysteries. I am fine. I saw mom on Friday.”

“Yeah, and she said you were wearing some cute clothes of Katelyn’s, that doesn’t sound like you.” Not even budging one bit.

“Yeah, but it was all I had to wear Friday morning. I didn’t bring my clothes to Katelyn’s then. I am wearing my own clothes now. Stop worrying. I am just enjoying my life a little bit. Is that so bad? I have been a good girl for a long time. I never got into any trouble. I just feel like I need to let loose a little. I swear nothing sinister is going on. Besides, mom knows.”

“That is comforting.” She rolls her eyes at me. Then she sighs. “Alright I will trust that you have it under control. I need your help shelving. Kids are ruthless, they leave books everywhere. Finals must be brutal this year.” She nods towards the carts full of books. All three carts that we have are full. I sigh, “don’t give me that sound. I have already shelved three carts myself. It was a mess in here this weekend.”

I grab a cart after depositing my hoodie in the chair. I take this one upstairs, I can see it is mostly nonfiction. So I took the little elevator that we had installed last year just for this reason. It used to be that we would have to carry the books up the stairs. Talk about hell.

I am about half way through the cart when arms snake around from my back. “Miss me.” A familiar voice whispers in my ear.

“Only if you are here to help.” I give him a sideways look.

He straightens up and looks at the cart. “Alright, let’s do this. Lucky for you I know the Dewey decimal system.” He starts grabbing books and shelving with me. It makes the work lighter, plus the hands that he lays on me every now and then make it a more pleasant experience for sure.

We head downstairs by way of the elevator that my aunt doesn’t let customers use, and take the second cart. This is more of the same. But when I return the cart we emptied I see that my Aunt has a pile of books ready to be loaded on it. She hears me groan, “You think finals are a pain for you. You never thought about what it does to the librarian, did you.” Then she notices Dylan behind me. She narrows her eyes at him. “You better be helping.”

“Yes ma’am. I am.” Dylan takes the cart and I follow him to the elevator. “How do I get in your aunt’s good graces?”

I point at the cart. “You’re doing it. She only loves the library and me. So that means you take care of me and help work the library you’re good.” I shrug like it is pretty simple.

“I think she doesn’t like me. I am not sure why I just have this feeling.”

“I think that might be residual hate for Kevin. She does not like him. He picked on me once in front of her and she went nuts. I think when she saw you guys together last week she thought that you were the same.”

He looks at me shocked. “She doesn’t know that you are friends.”

“I haven’t really been around. I should probably talk to her about that.” I kind of grimace. “I would hate for her to yell at him when he came by to visit. Although she did let him be last week so maybe she knows already.”

“Ok, but I am not Kevin. Oh, speaking of which, ok not really. But you gave your number to that guy and never gave it to me.” We have reached the elevator and are on the way back up.

“Oh, shoot you’re right I gave my number to Brian. I totally forgot about that. He never called though. So I guess that’s fine.”

The doors ding open. “You’re missing the point, I don’t have your number. Plus if that guy calls you are to give him a resounding no.”

“I told him I was busy and not looking for a relationship, why the hell would I tell him yeah.” I give him a pointed look.

“I don’t know, you gave him your number.” His voice goes up an octave as he says it.

“I felt sorry for him. He was so shy. It took a lot for him to ask me out. I didn’t want to crush him.” I make my voice all soft.

He gets a little snarl. “Next time crush him. I don’t want any other guys sniffing around.”

“Possessive much?” I smile at him.

“You better believe it. I am not losing you again. This weekend was hell.” He puts his arm around me.

“If you are not able to stand the weekend, how are you going to stand four years?”

“I don’t know but at least I will have the knowledge that you are mine. It will make it more bearable. This weekend I didn’t have you.” He kisses the top of my head. “So back to work. Hey quick question. How do I compare to Jerry?” He talks as he takes books off the cart.

“Oh, well, you make me laugh some. Plus you got that swagger. He had a swagger too. Have you seen the Nutty Professor?”

“Maybe once. I will be honest, I have seen the newer one more.”

“That one is funny too. But the swagger that Jerry has in that one is intoxicating. Of course it is too much, but that is for the story line.” I keep pulling books too. It is like an easy conversation. I love how comfortable I am with Dylan.

“You really are a classic girl. I like that about you. It makes you a breath of fresh air. You aren’t like other girls. I swear they are all obsessed with the newest hot thing to come out. Not you.” I know he means it as a compliment.

“What can I say? I don’t like trends. I never catch on to a trend until it is out of style. I really don’t care though. I don’t do anything to be liked.”

“You have to show me this Kevin Smith guy. I want to know what I am competing with.” He calls from the shelf behind mine.

“Do you remember everything I have ever said?” I say as I look around the shelf for him.Content bel0ngs to Nôvel(D)r/a/ma.Org.

“Only since, ok yeah, mostly. I am sure there are a few things that I have forgotten or pushed out. You know like that little thing about us not being together because you’re leaving, yeah that went in one ear and out the other.” He peeks around the shelf and gives me a wink.

“See, funny. I can live with that.” I smile back at him.

“I think I might be able to offer more than Jerry. I mean I got some moves.” He stalks towards me.

“Of course, plus you know you aren’t like a hundred and dead.” I give him a silly smirk. I totally love this game.

“Yeah, there is that too.” He scoops his arms around me. “Plus I don’t think you would feel the same if it was Jerry holding you. I am sure you feel the warmth of my touch, the way it spreads through your whole body. The way my words make your body melt. Don’t think I don’t notice.” Slowly his words became a whisper. “I can’t wait til I get you somewhere alone.” His lips are close to my ear, I am sure that if he wasn’t I wouldn’t have heard that last part.

He has sent my body quaking. I can barely hold myself up. I want to scream, take me now. I know very lady-like, huh. This guy has gotten under my skin and I can’t shake him. We have known each other for years and never once did I think he would make me feel like this. I mean of course who hasn’t fantasized about the most popular guy in school. But to actually think that he would be here holding me, never in my life have I thought that.

He pulls back. “However, right now I need to make sure that your aunt doesn’t want to kill me. I have a feeling if I am on her good side then things will go a lot smoother.”

I became quiet. I don’t even know what to say any more. I am silently battling myself on what to do here. Should I keep waiting or just go for it. I think the residual alcohol is clouding my brain. Ok, I know it doesn’t work like that, but still.

We head downstairs to get the next cart. One the way back to the desk I see Katelyn and Kevin at a table. When Kevin sees me he smiles. “Hey, when can you guys join us? Katelyn is great but it is a lot funner in a group.”

Katelyn shrugs, “I think he is more worried about your aunt kicking him out if you aren’t here to protect him.” She nudges him in the side.

“Ok maybe a little, she scares me. She even gave me the full on ‘I am watching you’ speech when I came in.” Kevin shudders. “Scary lady. No wonder Dylan was able to snatch you up, any other guy would be afraid to come near you around that woman.”

“She just loves me very much.” I retort to Kevin. “Besides if you didn’t pick on me that one time she wouldn’t have a reason to be mad at you.”

“I said I was sorry.” Kevin rolls his eyes.

“Kevin, I hate to break it to you, but Aunt Polly likes to see actions, not words. She will be watching you until she decides that you really are sorry.” I pat him on the shoulder and go back to the carts. Thankfully there are only two left. “Aunt Polly, after I finish these two carts can I help my friend study? He is struggling with his finals.”

Polly looks back at Kevin and Katelyn. “He is a friend now.” Then she rolls her eyes. “Alright, but finish these two carts first. Then you can help your friend.” She says friend like it is poison and saying it will kill her.

“Thank you Aunt Polly. We will behave I promise.” I give her the ‘you better behave’ look.

She turned around and gave me the same look. “I don’t want that boy rubbing off on you. It better be the other way around.”

“It is Aunt Polly. Plus Katelyn would smack him around if he got out of line. Dylan too. Kevin knows better now.”

“He better.” She grumbles.

“Don’t worry Aunt Polly. I got it. Trust me.” I gave her a smile as me and Dylan took the second cart. This one of course was upstairs too. Nonfiction was ripe this time of year. It took us no time this time because we were in a hurry to finish. I think Dylan was more anxious to have me to himself. He knew that wasn’t happening until the shelving was done.

The last cart was for downstairs so Dylan kept his hands to himself for the time being. Once that was done, I was glad to see that there were no more carts. Dylan and I made it over to the table with Katelyn and Kevin. Katelyn is trying to explain the math to Kevin and he is holding his head and shaking it. “This made so much more sense when I was drunk.”

I laugh as I sit down to take a look at what he is looking at. “Repeat after me, Please excuse my dear aunt sally.”

“Excuse me.” Kevin looks at me like I have grown another head.

“Just do it.” I roll my eyes at him.

“Fine,” He sighs. “Please excuse my dear aunt Sally. Do you even have an aunt Sally? I know your aunt’s name is Polly.”

“It’s a mnemonic strategy. The first letter represents the order in which the order of operations goes. Please for Parenthesis. Excuse for exponents. My for multiplication. Dear for division. Aunt for addition. And Sally for subtraction. Get it.”

“Pretty much but I thought that multiplication and division could just go in the order in which they are in the equation.”

“They can so can addition and subtraction, but the mnemonic expression helps keep the rest in order. As long as you remember that you can keep the basics in order.”

“Ok, I think I got it. See, she explains better than you.” Kevin smiles at Katelyn.

“See if I ever help you again.” Katelyn folds her arms over her chest in a little huff.

Kevin backtracks. “I didn’t mean it. You are a great help. Please don’t stop helping me. I am going to need it for a long time.”

“What does that mean?” I look at both of them. It sounds ominous.

“It means that I got accepted to UCDavis too. We are going to be together forever.” Kevin gives me a sinister look.

“You are following my girl to California?” Dylan glares at him.

“My friend, so yeah. But I applied before I knew they were going. I just got the acceptance letter today. Such an awesome coincidence.” Kevin gives us a big smile. “You love me, don’t deny it.” He looks at Katelyn.

“Only as a friend, that ship has sailed buddy.” Katelyn groans at him.

“Maybe I could win your heart in California.” He waggles his eyes at Katelyn. “Just joking, I wouldn’t want to lose the three amigos.”

At the sound of that we all throw our hands into the middle and say, “All for one, one for all.” Then pull back and laugh. Dylan meanwhile is looking at us like we are nuts.

“What the hell was that?” Dylan looks at me.

I laugh, “We may have been a little drunk watching the three musketeers, and decided that that was our anthem.”

He pulls me closer in a possessive manner. “Sorry I missed it. Although I don’t think it would have had the same ring if it was the four of us.”

“Actually you could be Dartanian.” Katelyn points out.

“Yeah the phrase isn’t limited to numbers, it is just the musketeers slogan. There can be four.” I cuddle up next to him.

“Alright then I can be the fourth musketeer. Is there an initiation?”

“Yes, you have to drink till you drop.” I state pointedly.

“Yep that is what we all did.” Katelyn adds.

“Plus you have to sing the song with Riley, we had to do that too.” Kevin adds.

“Do I want to know what the song is?” Dylan side eyes me.

“Never mind the song. I hope to God you never hear me sing.” I sit up a little straighter.

“It is called All for Love, it has a bunch of old dudes singing. It was fun times.” Kevin smiles at me.

“Thanks for that Kevin, I think I will never drink again. I do not need to sing in front of you people again.”

Katelyn laughs, “Come on Riley your singing is beautiful.”

“You’re only saying that because you were drunk too. I am sure it is not.” I bow my head in a little bit of shame.

Dylan brings his mouth to my ear. “I would love to hear you sing.” This makes me blush even more, because I know what he means.

I sat up straight, “So what else do you need help with?”

“Actually I think I am pretty good. I just needed to get that straight. With everything that we did this weekend I think I am good. So what are we doing when finals are over? We can’t leave campus. I heard a couple of teachers or putting on movies in their rooms. Plus there is going to be a barbecue in the quad. It sounds like the teachers are going all out. What do you guys want to do?”

“I would be fine with just chilling out. We can eat some food and hang out. No pressure. Movies aren’t as fun unless Riley is drinking.” Katelyn adds.

“I am not drinking on campus, that is where I draw the line.” I look at Katelyn, because I know the thought went into her mind to bring some.

“Of course we are going to be drinking this weekend. We don’t want to over do it.” Katelyn smiles at me.

“Keep your voices down. I don’t need my aunt giving me shit for drinking. My mom seems cool with it, but I don’t think my aunt will share her cander.” I hush them.

Kevin hunches over, “Yeah I don’t want to piss off your aunt any more that she already is. She is going to think I am a bad influence. Even though it was your drunk date I was just an add on.”

I laugh, “She will totally think it is your fault.”

“Will I get past that shit? I matured.”

“You were giving me shit last week. You’re lucky I forgave you.” I look at him pointedly.

“Alright, fair point. I deserve that.” Kevin hung his head in shame.

“Hey it is in the past. We’re good.” I smile at him.

Dylan pulls me back to him. “As long as you aren’t too good.” Again with the possessiveness. In a way I am liking it. In a way I don’t like it towards Kevin. There is nothing to worry about there.