I look up from reading The Catcher in the Rye to see her, still here. She had been sitting on the sofa, with a stack of books beside her since the library opened. Very unusual for someone in Gatlin. I had never seen her before, another clue she wasn't from here. I set my book down and look at the clock, another hour till the library closed. I hadn't realized how boring this would be when I told Marian I would look after the library today. Marian was at some keeper meeting and Liv was out with John so I was all alone. Loneliness, the key to being bored. Only an hour more, than Lena will be here, I reminded myself. I looked up at the girl again, trying to figure out where she was from and where she had been. She looked like someone who had been everywhere and seen everything. No one new ever came to Gatlin (besides Lena). I get up and walk over to the sofa.
"What are you reading?" I ask. She doesn't look up and doesn't answer; her eyes are still glued to the book. I wait a few seconds and she closes the book and sets it on top of the stack.
"Finished. A Tale of Two Cities. One of my favorites" she replies. I smile and look down at the other books on the stack.
"Hmm…. Gulliver's Travels, To Kill a Mocking Bird, Great Expectations, The Catcher in the Rye. Nice."
She smiles up at me, "Indeed. I have to say, these are the best books around."
"I would have to agree" I reply.
"So do you have any recommendations, Mr. - Ah, I don't believe I caught your name."
"Ethan Wate", I hold out my hand and shake hers, "And you might be?"
"Tessa Gray" she replies.
I smile, "Nice to meet you Miss. Gray. As for recommendations, as long as you don't find yourself reading Harry Potter in this town, you should be fine. Mrs. Lincoln had that banned." I laugh but Tessa doesn't seem to find the humor.
"They ban books in this town!"
"Outrageous, I know. You obviously aren't from here. People in this town aren't much into reading. Especially books they believe the devil himself wrote."
"That's outrageous."
I nod.
"So, if you don't mind me asking, what would someone like you be doing in Gatlin?" I ask.
"I'm just visiting."
"Well if I were you, I would get out as soon as I could. My mama always said there are only two types of people in Gatlin, the stupid and the stuck."
"So why are you here?"
"I guess I'm stuck"
She smiles, "This town isn't that bad."
"You haven't been here long enough."
"Ethan, who are you talking to?" I turn around to see Lena. I hadn't even heard her walk in. Her hair was starting to curl, not a good sign.
"This is Tessa Gray" I reply.
"Always meeting new people in the library" she looks at me sternly. I swallow, I was so in trouble.
Tessa stands up and holds out her hand, "Hello. It is nice to meet you, Miss-"
"Lena Duchannes" Lena replies, not shaking Tessa's hand. I hear the door open and turn around to see a young man with silver hair.
"Tessa, are you ready to go?" he says in a kind voice.
"Yes I am Jem" she replies to the man who must be Jem. She looks back at Lena and I.
"It was nice meeting both of you" she says with a smile. I nod as she walks out. Then I turn to Lena, ready to face my punishment.