Chapter Two-
-Bizarre Questions-
Believe it not, I hadn't passed out. No- I did something more idiotic. Somehow, I was able to flick all the hair on my head into my face from the reaction of being poked... Not only that, but I was petrified to the spot until the cool silence was broken.
"Oh my, I'm sorry! Did I startle you?" The voice was clearly male, with a noticeable sly tone to it.
Trembling, I moved most of the hair out of my face, rubbing my temple from the newly formed headache.
"No, no everything's just-" A groan escaped from my gritted teeth in annoyance and pain, I glared up to meet the grey eyes of this new comer.
My eyes widened- in shock to be honest.
The male, probably in his mid-20's, stood in the way of any type of escape. I guessed he was the owner due to his concern- but that wasn't the thing that caught my attention- it was the fact that even though the power I had used cancelled out due to the interruption, I could still feel a big amount of dark energy radiating from somewhere...
I had to force myself to push it to the back of my mind- I had other problems right now to deal with.
I stood up straighter; trying to maintain the pride I had left and looked up fully to find out who I was dealing with.
The bloke was around a head taller than me, with longish blond hair; he also had some devilish quirk about him... which made him not that bad looking- at all.
Dumbfounded, I noticed the awkward smile he was pulling by my reaction, forcing myself out of the trance; I felt my face internally blush by the awkwardness of the situation.
"I-it's fine- I'm fine, thanks." I stuttered, hoping to hell that this situation would be over soon. He backed away a little, "Are you sure?"
I frowned, aggravation was beginning to kick in but before I could complain, the sound of the door shutting echoed around room.
Looking over, rather confused, it came clear to me that the two kids had gone and the library was empty.
Well, almost empty.
"Well- call me if you need anything..." he said, walking back to the counter.
I grabbed the nearest book I could find, turning to a random page and pretended to read. Heaving a little, my eyes pierced the words in an effort to recover from the shock that had flown through my body only a couple of minutes ago.
Sighing in relief as the shock started to wear off, I notices the dark energy had gone, so I resulted in worrying more about the mess my hair must have been and began sorting it out.
"Are you going somewhere?"
Looking up, I realising it was the guy at the counter.
I must have given him an odd look by his second reaction.
"I mean... The way you're dressed?"
My mind processed what he just said till I came up with the excuse.
"Fancy dress"
...seriously Ember?
"Ah... So you're going as a corpse?"
I forced a smile- Trying not to look too offended... So I really did look dead, huh.
"Something like that." I laughed nervously, fiddling around with the ends of my hair. I couldn't blame him though, the discoloured skin; the dark shade under my eyes- I shouldn't have expected any other assumption, but of course at the time- I did.
His focus was still on the books he was unpacking.
"So why does someone like you work in a place like this?"
"Well why is someone like you in here?" he retorted.
I sneered, walking over to the table in front of the counter itself. "Thought it would make a great place to find out why I'm not accepted." I grinned, leaning back onto the table with my fingers, another silence made its way across the room.
I watched him intently as he pulled the books out of the boxes.
I decided to be blunt with him.
"Do you know where I can find the 'Light of Meridian'?"
To my surprise he looked up immediately, pretty much dropping what he was handling. He asked the obvious question: why.
I huffed, sitting on top of the table, legs crossed.
Why was I asking him this?
"Just wondering," I paused. "So… Do you?"
The pause was returned as he eyed around the room.
"Not likely."
Scoffing and jumping off to leave, the curious question that many had asked was once repeated again and- probably one of the only one's which stopped me in my tracks.
"Are these real?"
His hand knotted in the vines of the black roses that grew in my hair, stopping me in my tracks.
He was close.
Too close.
I looped my hand into his, untangling his grasp from the knots of rose steams.
"Didn't your mother ever tell you not to touch what looks fragile?" I stated smugly, removing my grip from his. "But yes, they are real."
A smirk formed across his face and I could tell that this conversation was long from ending, but not before his fingers creased the edges of the rose petals in complete curiosity.
Stuck against the table, there wasn't much I could do to get away- or get him to stop…
Not like I wanted him to.
What?! Are you insane? Stop him!
His fingers moved and messed with the strands of hair by my face. The nerves flooded through me and I couldn't tell whether I went very red or very pale.
This feeling- it was new... and- I couldn't tell whether I liked it or not.
Stop it, Valkyrie.
You'll regret it.
"Do you mind?" I asked- a small smile creeping onto my face while he traced my hair with the tips of his fingers. His eyes met my own, I must have dazed.
STOP IT!
"How interesting."
It hit me like a brick why my conscience was rejecting any affection given.
This guy; whose name I still didn't know, had moved the hair covering my eye and...
I'd been stupid enough to overlook it.
Flinching away from his grasp, I froze, my mind deep in regret.
"Part of the outfit?" he asked, obviously not taking any note of the state of outrage I was currently in.
I blinked, nodding stiffly as if the excuse had already been given.
You idiot. You bloody idiot.
I couldn't do much. My mind was racing, confusion had taken over me- Yet- somehow I tried to keep as emotionless as possible.
I zoned, concentrating on whatever material the floor was made out of, and not taking any notice of the concerned expression that appeared on his face again.
He must have thought I was a COMPLETE creep.
He said something, but even my ears didn't intend to pick up any sound. I was just… mortified… and he hadn't even given any physical view of suspecting a thing.
Something lifted up my chin and forced my head to tilt upwards- quite rapidly in fact. Blinking a few times, I realised I was once again staring into the eyes of this mortal; I chucked awkwardly and pushed his hand out from under my chin.
"I wasn't meaning to sound rude…" He smirked "You're just very-"
"Weird, strange, awkward?" I cut in.
He paused in thought.
"…Peculiar."
I laughed by his response- a proper laugh, for the first time in a while.
Resting my head on the palm of my hand; I edged closer.
"If I'm 'peculiar', then what is Mr Librarian boy over here?"
"…the same?"
I deliberately pulled a puzzled look, still going along in the jokey tone- but even now, I hinted seriousness.
"But there's nothing strange about you"
The tension from the pause was…unsettling. I shifted a little, which seemed to have jolted him back to life.
"Heh… yeah…"
I sighed a little, staring at the floor once again until, something clicked in my mind and I looked up, finding his look to be emotionless.
An ear-to-ear smile formed across my face. I staggered off the table, walking past him, his eyes following the back of my head inquisitively asking where I was going; a simple reply was, 'home'.
But before I opened the door, I span round catching him off guard.
"By the way," I cocked my head "I never got your name."
He paused but then smiled a little, "Cedric."
I raised a brow; scanning him, his name actually related to him, unlike mine.
"Yours?"
I hesitated, wondering if I should tell him my real name or the one I preferred.
It didn't take me that long to decide.
"Ember."
He nodded in understanding and turned his back, making his way back to the counter.
"Hey!" I called, causing him to look round.
"This isn't the last time you'll see me." I grinned, swishing some hair onto the right side of my face.
Turning and walking through the door, I smirking at the last remark made, but before the door closed I heard him chuckle and mutter to himself.
"Bloody humans..."
