Author's Note: This one is inspired by a Thai short film that our teacher in English made us watch. By the way, thanks to Rosie6583 for reviewing! So here is another installment for you guys. Enjoy!
THE LIBRARIAN
It was raining hard outside the public library. The green librarian was sitting in the counter and checking the books that were borrowed and returned on that very day.
After a while, a drunk wet man came running in the counter to return the book that he borrowed on the past couple of days. Besides the book that he was holding, is a ring and his phone that he put on the table. Apparently, he just proposed to his girlfriend and got dumped on that same instant. He gave Elphaba, the green librarian, his library card and he signed the slip. While signing, he got a text message from a person named Galinda Upland and Elphaba peeked at what the message said.
Fifi, I'm sorry. I wasn't ready yet. Will call you tomorrow.
'Maybe that was his girlfriend', Elphaba thought. The man gave the slip to Elphaba, and she got his name.
Fiyero Tiggular, she finally has a crush.
Fiyero is a book worm primarily because he visits the library everyday to borrow books. And in each and every day that he visits the library, Elphaba couldn't help but get her feelings for him deepen until she realizes that she is in fact, falling for him. There is only one problem, she is too scared to confess her feelings to Fiyero.
Two years later...
Fiyero came in the library with a pretty blonde clinging on his arm. They got matching rings and the petite woman got a 3 month-baby bump on her stomach.
'He already got married', Elphaba thought in a disappointed manner. Apparently, she hasn't told Fiyero about what she feels for him. She never did.
Fiyero got to the counter and gave her the new book that he is borrowing. She managed to process the signing of the slips without looking at his eyes. She can't.
5 years later, they came again in the library. This time, Fiyero is holding a jolly little girl that keeps jumping up and down as they get inside. His blonde wife came behind them, her attention is on her phone and to the person she is texting with.
"Daddy! There!", Dorothy said while pointing at the fairytale section of the books in the library.
Fiyero laughed as they get the book that Dorothy wanted and proceeded to the counter.
When they got to the counter, Dorothy remarked, "You're still pretty even if you're green". Elphaba just laughed while preparing the slips.
They got out of the library, together with his wife who never got her attention out of her phone that whole time.
A year later, Fiyero came in the library to return the book he borrowed a couple of days before that day when suddenly a couple went inside the library.
It was his blonde wife and another man. Fiyero was shocked and left the library.
5 months after that, Fiyero, who just got divorced from his wife, is seen in the library again with his daughter. He is teaching her how to play chess. They are sitting on a table a few meters away from Elphaba who acts like she is being busy about the records of the books but was really watching Fiyero and Dorothy.
A chess piece rolled near Elphaba's boots so she got it and returned it to the two people playing behind her.
"Thanks", Dorothy smiled. "Wait, I don't know your name yet", and with this, Fiyero looked at the green librarian too.
"I'm Elphaba", she felt her stomach churn as she looked directly at Fiyero's eyes. She smiled and blushed as she saw Fiyero flash a smile at this.
A year had passed and Fiyero never came back nor visited the library. Elphaba stared at his last slip, he never returned the book he borrowed last year. Suddenly, a man came and approached the counter. He handed Elphaba a book.
Till We Meet Again
It was the book that Fiyero never had the chance to return.
"I'm sorry this is a year late. Apparently, Mr. Tiggular died in a car accident a year ago so he never had the chance to return it", the man said.
Elphaba froze. He... died? After this, the man left. And all the tears that Elphaba is preventing to escape in her eyes, came rushing down her cheeks like a faucet. She held the book and opened it. There was a letter in the cover.
Fae, this might be the last letter that I might write to you because I think this will be the last book that I might borrow. I'm leaving in a week to start my medication for this tumor that they found in my brain. Thank you for playing with Dorothy when we visit here, she always talks about you when we get home and tells me that she wanted to be a librarian too when she grow up. I wish I had told you in person that I loved you since the very first time that we met and I borrowed my very first book. I was just too shy and scared. I wish, I wasn't. - Fiyero Tiggular
Elphaba was crying, she couldn't help it. If she just told him that she loves him too- wait...
She read the letter again and gave emphasis to the phrase, "this might be the last letter that I might write to you" she wiped off her tears and hurriedly went to the shelves and looked for the books that Fiyero borrowed. There is a letter to every book that he borrowed.
Delusional, his first book and she saw a letter attached to the inside cover of the book.
Hi, I shouldn't be writing to you but I couldn't help it. Elphaba, is that your name? Well, that's what your nametag says. I think, I'm gonna call you Fae because I think, it's a nice nickname. You're so pretty and I think I have a crush on you. I'm crazy. I think I love you. The title of the book says it all, I think I really am delusional to fall in love with a girl I didn't know and just met. - Fiyero Tiggular
Pretty Girl, the second book that he borrowed. Again, a letter was attached to it.
Fae! You're so pretty. I like it when you brush your raven hair with your fingers and you clutch your nose before you fix your eyeglasses for the right place. I wish I can tell you all these personally. xoxo - Fiyero Tiggular
Several more letter are revealed to have been attached on each book that Fiyero borrowed, and Elphaba is crying really hard as she read each and every letter. Every word breaks her heart into pieces because there could've been a "them" if she just told him or saw these letters.
I've Been There
Hi Fae! Well, do you have a boyfriend? I think so because you're so pretty. Anyway, my girlfriend dumped me after I accumulated all these courage to propose to her. I wish I got a courage left to at least say hi to you. - Fiyero Tiggular
She suddenly remembered that night when he came running to the library to return this book. Tears kept rushing down her cheeks.
Still
Hello Fae! Today, my wife gave birth to Dorothy. She's really pretty! I might bring her here in the library when she's older so you can see and get to know her. I already have a wife, but I think I still got a crush on you. Is that illegal? - Fiyero Tiggular
The Land of What Might Have Been
Hey. I just discovered today that my wife is cheating on me. I knew it. I feel so heartbroken. I didn't know what to do. Fae, I wish I just had the courage to ask you out. I'm always there, wandering on the land of what might have been, thinking what if I just told you from the very start that I like you? Do you think, we'll end up together? - Fiyero Tiggular
Elphaba cried. She should've just told him. Now he's gone. She never got to tell him. Her shoulders are trembling and her knees meet with her chest. She felt a cold breeze inside the library, that dried her tears and made her feel better. It was Fiyero. He was there. He never left.