Find the book

For hours, I searched through the dusty shelves, flipping through volumes and scanning titles, but I found nothing. My frustration grew with each passing minute. I'd even bribed the librarian to get me access to areas usually off-limits, but it wasn't helping. Three hours of searching yielded nothing but disappointment.

Finally, I slumped into a chair, exhausted and disheartened. My fingers drummed on the table as I stared blankly at the rows of books around me.

Suddenly, a voice interrupted my thoughts. "You seem disappointed."

I lowered my hand from my forehead and looked up to see Jack standing there.

"Jack, what are YOU doing here?" I asked gently, a bit surprised to see him again so soon.

"I'm just a student here," he replied with a smile and sat beside me. "Do you also study at this college?"

I nodded, and Jack's smile widened. "So, what are you reading?" he asked, glancing at the scattered books on the table.

"Nothing," I sighed. "I was trying to find something, but I don't think it's here."

In truth, I had only searched through a portion of the library's vast collection, and there were still many shelves left unexplored.

"Tell me what you're looking for. I can help, or we could ask that lady over there," Jack suggested, gesturing toward the librarian. He started to get up, but I quickly grabbed his hand to stop him.

"No, I—" I hesitated, trying to think of a good excuse. "I already asked her. She's new here, so she doesn't know much about the older collections."

Jack looked at me with a mix of concern and curiosity. "Oh, I see. Well, then let me help you search," he offered, his hand still holding mine. His grip tightened slightly, a gesture that felt both reassuring and intimate.

I realized that we probably looked like a couple to everyone around us. I could feel the eyes of the other students and the librarian on us, their curious gazes making me a little self-conscious. My heart skipped a beat at the thought, and I quickly started to shake his hand, trying to break the momentary connection.

"Yes? Don't you want my help?" Jack asked, his voice filled with sincerity.

"I want to, but you're holding my hand. People might misunderstand us," I said with a teasing smile.

Jack quickly loosened his grip, looking a bit flustered. "I'm sorry, Erin. I didn't even notice."

I couldn't help but laugh softly. "It's okay. Let's just find that book."

Jack seemed eager to help, but I shook my head. "It's okay, Jack. Milli will find it. I think we should head to class."

He nodded, and we left the library together. Before leaving, I whispered to Milli, asking her to keep searching for the book. If she found it, great; if not, I'd be back to continue the search tomorrow.

As we walked to class, I couldn't help but notice how nice Jack was being. He even offered me his previous notes, which was a pleasant surprise. I didn't mind the help at all; in fact, I was starting to see the benefits of having friends, something I hadn't really considered before.

Jack was different, though. He was a bit shy and introverted, which made him stand out in a way. I'd seen plenty of girls trying to catch his attention with their flirtatious smiles and longing glances, but he seemed to ignore them all. It made me curious—why was he so willing to talk to me, and only me? Was I overthinking things?