32 In the Bookstore for the First Time

"It's here"

After walking 30 minutes, we arrive.

*breathing* *breathing*

"You're good?"

"Yeah... it's just... I'm not used to... walk anymore..."

"You should exercise. Let's go in"

*ding* a bell rings when opening the door.

'Huh?'

"Hello, missis"

"Good morning Elin. You are just in time"

"Yes hehe, sorry... I'm going to change quickly"

Elin passes by the side of the counter and goes down a corridor.

'Elin! Don't leave me alone!'

"Hm? And who are you?"

'Eeeh...'

The manager of the bookstore speaks to me.

Although she is a bit old, she still seems to have a lot of energy.

"I'm... a friend of Elin..."

"Did you accompany her here?"

"Well... I'll be with her while she works..."

"I see"

...

...

'What an uncomfortable silence...'

I observe the library.

'The space is quite small, but there are a lot of shelves full of books...'

I approach one and read the names of the books.

'Hmm... There are interesting books. There are also novels'

"Hey, girl"

"Ye- yes?"

"You like books?"

"Oh? Yes, a lot... I have read some of these...'

"Where did you bought them?"

"Eh? Well... my dad bought them..."

"Good. Today, young people prefer to download them from the Internet"

"Seriously? But it's better to have it in your hands..."

"Everyone has their preferences. But I can't deny that it affects my earnings"

"..."

"I'm ready"

Elin comes back dressed in her work uniform.

'Woah... She looks very cute with the apron...'

"Elin, your friend told me she will stay here with you"

"Yes, I'm sorry I didn't told you before..."

"Do it next time, now I have to go. I'll not be back before you leave, so shut the place before you go"

She gives her a key.

"But, I'm only here four hours"

"It doesn't matter, today we will close early"

"Understood. Don't worry about anything"

"I trust both. See you!"

"Goodbye!"

*ding*

She leaves the store.

"I didn't expect us to be alone"

"..."

"Could you stop seeing me like that?"

"Ah, I'm sorry! It's just... you look very pretty..."

"Tha- thanks... Let's go to the counter" she blushes.

Elin brings a chair from the back of the store.

"Here you have"

"Thank you"

We sit behind the counter.

...

...

'It is very quiet. And Elin is watching her phone...'

...

A minute goes by and I am sitting, moving my legs trying to distract myself.

...

"Elin... Is it always this quiet?"

"It is like this most of the time"

"Isn't it boring?"

"A lot, but I distract myself by reading something or watching videos"

"Videos?"

"We have a chat group for school, but it is full of funny videos. Do you want to see one?"

"Okay"

Elin starts to slide the chat, looking for something to show me.

"Mmmmm... This one!"

She puts her arms on the counter and shows me the screen.

"Watch"

I get close to see it.

A cat is on the edge of a high shelf, preparing to jump to another shelf on the other side of a room.

"What is he-?"

He makes the jump with hardly any impulse and falls to the ground without advancing anything.

"Hihihi" I laugh timidly.

...

Elin looks at me.

"Elin?"

"It's the first time I hear your laugh. It's very cute"

"Eeeh..." I blush.

"This is what you do for four hours?"

"I also have to order books and clean, but-"

*ding*

"Someone entered" I say alarmed.

"Yes"

...

"Will not you do anything?"

"It is not necessary unless he asks for help or buys something"

"Okay…"

Between the holes of the shelves, you can see that the person seems to navigate the store without looking for something specific, only browsing the novels.

And Elin is still watching her phone.

'...'

After a few minutes, he leaves without buying anything.

*ding*

'Elin could have done something...'

...

"Elin, what can I do?"

"You could read anything you find. Just make sure there is at least one more copy for people to see"

"Sure"

I get up and go to one of the shelves next to the wall.

'I will look for a novel'

I move the novels, looking for one that catches my attention.

'Not this one... Neither this one... No... Wait, what am I doing? I shouldn't judge them by their cover. I will choose any and read it a bit'

I move my hand and grab the first one I reach.

'The City of the Seventeen Kites...'

I open it and start reading it.

'Oooh... A love story of- '

*ding*

'Hm?'

A guy enters the bookstore.

I watch him intently.

'He is cute...'

But he turns and sees me in the eyes.

'Ah!'

I turn quickly to the book, pretending that nothing happened.

'Looks like he went to the other side of the bookstore'

*sigh*

'Now, what was I-?'

"Hello!"

"Aaah!"

He appears behind me and gives me the shock of my life.

*breathing* *breathing*

"Are you okay? I didn't want to scare you" the boy says embarrassed.

"Yes... I'm okay…"

I see his face closely.

'Oooh... he is really cute...'

"Are you new?" he asks me.

"N- no..."

"Really? I have never seen you around here, I would remember it well"

"Eh?"

"Yes, I saw you when I came in and I think you're very cute" he says while holding his head nervously.

...

"Eeeeeh!" I didn't expect that.

*ba-dum* *ba-dum* *ba-dum*

"Oh, I'm sorry! I didn't know that would bother you!"

"N- no! It's not that…"

"So what is-? Is that The City of the Seventeen Kites?"

"What? Oh, yes... I just started reading it..."

"It's the best novel in history! You have to read it! Its plot is very well directed and developed..."

While he talks to me about the novel, I turn to see Elin between the shelves.

And she is watching us.

'Elin, please help me!' I try to tell her with my face, but she just raises her thumb as a sign of approval.

'Son of a-!'

"Well, I better stop there, I wouldn't want to do a spoiler by accident"

"Yes…"

"I know! What do you say if we meet at a café to talk for a while?"

"Eeeeeh!"

*ba-dum* *ba-dum* *ba-dum* *ba-dum* *ba-dum* *ba-dum*

"Eeeh... I..."

'I don't know what to answer!'

I turn again to see Elin.

She is shaking her head, telling me to say yes.

'...'

"Oh, I'm sorry again! That was very desperate of me, take your time to think about it. Could you give me your number to call you later?"

"Eh? But... I don't have that..."

"What! Everyone has one! Okay, what's your name in DictionaryPeople?"

"Dictionary... People?"

"Aaah! Any social network?"

"N- no..."

"Then where do you-! Ah, I see…"

'Hm? What does he mean?'

"You already have a boyfriend, right? Someone like you couldn't have no boyfriend..."

"What? No, it's not that!"

"You could've said it from the beginning... I'm sorry if I bothered you, someone like me has no chance with someone like you..."

He turns around and leaves the place, clearly depressed.

*ding*

'...'

*pom!*

Elin hits me on the head.

"Hey!"

"You ruined it. You just had to say yes, he was really cute"

"You could have helped me! You were just watching!"

"Calm down, it's not that bad-"

"It's not that bad? You were not locked up for 18 years waiting to have friends! You don't know how hard it is for me to talk to someone..."

"Alex... You're right. Sorry"

...

"I... I'm sorry too... I shouldn't have yelled at you..."

"But you should overcome that fear, it will be very difficult to make friends that way"

"I don't think it's fear..."

"So what is it?"

"I don't know how to explain it…"

...

"You'll know. Let's go back to the counter"

We return to the counter and continue to wait for clients.

----------

During two hours, a few arrive.

"One sold and two rented. Not bad" Elin says.

"Isn't that very low?"

"Yes, but there have been worse days"

"Really? That's sad…"

"Yes, I know... Well, I'll go and see if the books are in order"

"Need help?"

"Yes please. Go see the ones on the other side of the store"

"Understood"

Elin and I go to opposite sides of the store.

'Let's see... Ordered books...'

I look at all the books to see if they are unordered.

'This one should be here... This other here-'

*ding*

'Oh! Somebody arrived. I guess Elin will attend him'

I keep ordering the books.

'This one is too tilted... Why is there a book in the novel division? Oh?'

Between the openings, I see that the person is talking to Elin, unable to see their faces.

'I hope she sells something... Why can't I hear them? The place is not that big...'

I see some sudden movements.

'That's weird...'

I approach slowly, trying not to attract attention.

*mutter* *mutter*

'Why are they muttering?'

The other person turns around and starts walking towards the door.

I go with Elin.

"Why were you talking so low?"

"Ah! Alex, you scared me. It's just that-"

"Wait, isn't she Naomi?"