“You know, I don’t think that's really necessary.”
I spin around, a small boy in front of me. Well, not exactly small, probably the same age as me, just shorter. He looks at me expectantly. I can't help but stammer. “I...I was just…” It’s strange, I’m usually the quick to answer, sarcastic roaster person, but now I’m tripping over my own words. I’m hardly ever caught, it was uncommon that a regular boy was the first to do so.
Our eyes lock for a second, reminding me of someone, but I couldn’t put my finger on who exactly. Unlike the spanner in my hand. Though I was caught and I didn’t know what else I could have done but run. So I run. I sprint outside, round the corner and I was about to lose him when something caught hold of the tool in my palm.
“Wait.”
I hesitate unsteadily, then drop the spanner and run away.
Away from the boy like me
Because,
It takes a thief to catch a thief.
My heart pounding, shoes slipping, I reached the library. Oh how I loved the smell of old books, new books, the sound of the clatter of stationary, silence, the occasional whisper of voices. I liked being alone. Alone with the spiders in the walls, alone with books to read. Alone with no worries or sad thoughts. I’m happy here, the only place I know where no one sees me.
“Lost in a book huh?”
I spin around. Déjà vu.
He doesn’t say anything else, just walks in and sits next to me. I go stiff. He takes a book and opens it up. “My favourite” he says quietly. He looks up, my heart racing. Did he mean me?
“Your name?”
I shouldn’t trust him, no I won’t trust him.
For once I can talk without stuttering. “What? So you can tell me off?” He shakes his head. I hide my tail.
“_.”
Sitting on the floor at the back of the library behind the bookshelves next to _ makes me feel strange all of a sudden. As if spiders missed some butterflies that found a way into my stomach. He smiles. Then he looks back at his book and reads. Reads and reads until I’m almost asleep, until my book feels very boring and I am almost leaning on _‘s shoulder. He glances at me. “June.” I tell him, muttering. Oops, I didn’t mean to. smiles. “That’s a nice name.” Suddenly, but slowly, he gets up off the floor.
“I have to go, see you soon.”
“Bye.” I say as he leaves the library, and I realise it's about to close soon. I get up too and leave with a strange feeling in my heart.
I reached home, safely. Going in I could smell burnt fish. Emily tried to cook, I could guess that. Why? That is the question. She hurries down the stairs.
“Where were you?” she shouted. Being my sister she is strangely concerned.
“I was in the library.” I reply. She doesn’t believe my words of truth.
“Really?” she raises an eyebrow. “For the whole day?”
“Not for now or this morning.” Still the truth.