"Bookishly In Love"

                    

 

 

                                 Bookishly In Love 

 

He gathered the book from the ground, then dusted it off as he stood. He gazed at its cover. "The Last Song" By Nicholas Sparks. It was one of his favourite Romance books. The cover had a beautiful picture of a beach where a few footsteps were traced on the wet sand. Opening the book on the first page, he glanced a name written in an elaborate penmanship "Sophie Dawning". 


…..


Daniel had an afternoon work shift in downtown bookstore. It was by all means quite humble in appearance. Its front brick-wall facade was a navy-blue, and it had a glassy window which displayed some fancy bestsellers to attract the by-passers. Being located at the corner next to the coffee shop, it became also a sort of ritual that the books purchasers would turn just around the corner and drink a hot cappuccino while they admired their new book. This way, both shops benefited each other and attracted more customers.
Daniel that afternoon carried his cup inside the bookstore as well. It smelled like a mixture of wood and old books inside, and between the aisles lingered an agreeable coziness about the bookshelves. The costumers always found it peaceful and homely. He sipped at his cup behind the counter, and looked through half-closed eyes at the silent empty aisles. It was another routinely afternoon. It didn't take long, though, until the front door, so suddenly, was pushed just slightly open, and at once caused the bells to shake and send a gentle ringing across the empty bookstore. Daniel peeked from the counter and remarked a fine woman still standing at the door. She appeared to be hesitant for a moment, as if waiting for a compassionate voice to welcome her. Then, in an instant, she released her nervous grip from her purse and advanced toward the first aisle. Her easy and light gait was so elegant and feminine. Her attire was a soft clothing of pink and white that flowed almost to her ankles, yet it was too simple a dressing to really attract any onlookers. Daniel presently was rather absorbed in staring at her slender hands as she picked up one of the books. Their white skin was giving off a mesmerising brilliance. It seemed to hold his eyes hostages as he stared. He couldn't look away, and felt as though if he quit "paying" attention, he might not retrieve his sight intact. She went around the aisle and came back carrying another book in her hands; such beautiful hands. She set the two books on the counter and smiled warmly at Daniel, who, if not blinking, would be mistaken to be frozen.

"It's 35 dollars." He said.

"Okay." She returned with a low, attractive voice. 

"I hope you did not judge the book by the cover." He added, motioning with his chin at the book with a fancy and colourful cover. 

"No," She said placidly as she handed him the money. "I actually have read a lot about them and found them quite intriguing."

"Hum..." He mumbled, half preoccupied now with giving back her change. 

 

When she sandwiched the two books in her purse silently, the woman looked up at him again, apparently for a last time, and Daniel noticed a fleeting passion steal at her hazel eyes as if she just remembered something else.
"I was hoping I would return home with three books, but, unfortunately, I did not find the third one in your library." She cordially said. 

"Is that so ? Well, how about I recommend another book for you?" He leaned on the counter, smiling. 

"But, I'm the kind of reader who has to know a lot about the book before reading it." 

"And there is no issue. I can tell you about it abundantly." 

"Superabundantly !" She insisted earnestly. 

He laughed at her excitement, and then nodded. "There is a coffee shop close-by, would you like to come tomorrow to discuss it ?" 

"That would be lovely.." Was her courteous and sweet reply.
        


The next day, they met at the coffee shop in the early morning. They seated themselves next to an open window, and the conversation smoothly shifted from small-talk to likes and wishes. It was so easy and spontaneous. A cold whispering air occasionally fondled with her dark curls as she spoke delicately about her favourite books. Daniel had learned that her name was Sophie, and was since then becoming increasingly infatuated by her manners and candour. The sunlight began streaming some golden strings across their table, and slowly, the sense of time started to fade away as they hopped from one topic to another.

"I'm sure you would adore his style. He is a genius!" Exclaimed Daniel after he had spent quite a long while talking about the book he wanted to recommend for her. "The Glittering Court by Richelle Mead." He said the title again by an impulse of pride. 

"The plot really set me on edge." She confessed, "I can't wait to read it." He watched her eyes glisten eagerly with a tinge of green in the gentle sunlight. 

"I will bring the book for you to read in about a week." He told her. 

"Really?" 

"On second thought, maybe not." His tone was half teasing and half serious. 

"Oh please, I will be forever grateful if you do so. Besides, next week happens to be my birthday." Sophie said, "And since my family is also bookish, it would be wonderful to have you attend the party and bring me the book." 

"That seems like fun. I enjoy birthday parties, so I would definitely not miss it." 

"Amazing!" She exclaimed. 

He leaned closer toward her and murmured. "But, you will have to conduct me to your room too, show me some of your treasured pictures and items..." And then he winked to her. Sophie backed away from him, covered with smiles and blushes...


Surprisingly, they spent the next days meeting again and again everyday, each time taking a long walk together to special places around the city. How delightful their meetings were! They never kept track of what was said. It was simply a pleasant experience to talk together. Sometimes they talked so much that they blurted things they never expected to tell a person. The flow of words was like breathing, and they just couldn't stop it for a long time... At other times, the harmony and empathy of their talk were uncovering their buried sentiments, their old memories that they couldn't reach before. And it felt good; it was a peaceful tingling feeling somewhere inside their chests. The moment they met, they were both thrilled to begin discovering something new about each other, to find those unique little details about a person's personality and smile happily at them. It all felt like putting together pieces of a jigsaw puzzle, the more you put the pieces the more the beautiful picture emerged and the more you get that sense of self-gratification. 

Two days before Sophie's birthday, they met half-way down the road to the bookstore. Having agreed to pass some time together, they walked across the silent street toward a nearby open park, and there, by the evergreen tree, rested a shadowed wooden bench, which they found a shelter from the burning sun. They blabbered on about their news, amusedly teasing each other one time or another. And that very carelessness of speech led them to a peacefulness of heart, for which Daniel had longed and now gravely sighed in relief. It had them embrace a moment of silence. Yet, it was not an awkward silence, but it felt comfortable, in fact, it was somehow more convenient that way. 

"I have a younger sister who is quite a careless heedless little soul." Sophie suddenly broke the silence. "She is fond of pictures and paintings, and for some reason, she always liked staring at the covers of my books." Daniel smiled sympathetically at that as though he just sighted something adorable. "The most favourite book cover she liked," she proceeded, "was that of Nicholas Sparks entitled The Last Song. A month ago, she went to a camp, and the misfortunate me, I didn't think she would take the book with her. When she came back, the book was nowhere to be found."

"She lost it." Added Daniel intently.

"Yes, and I was enraged by what she did because I never finished that book." 

"But, you can buy a new one." His voice was calm and reassuring, something Sophie was beginning to like about him. Despite that, she turned her head away this time and looked far ahead, apparently searching for words, then she turned her passionate eyes to meet his eyes and began speaking with determination. 

"That loss set me thinking. How can one be so attached to an unreal story contained in a book, yet be so detached from the real world where emotions and feelings can be felt way better than fiction?" She asked, but Daniel now became silent, his expression emptied of any emotion. "That night I reclined on the couch and I was instantly immersed in my wild imagination. I wondered "How wonderful would it be if that book is returned to me by the hands of a caring person, of a loving gentleman whom I shall consider the one. " She said, this time more talking to herself than to Daniel. 

"That's very silly." Interrupted Daniel rather frankly. She pursed her lips and said nothing. She couldn't disagree. "What if an old man finds the book ? You would seriously date him ? " He suddenly asked. Sophie wrinkled her nose in disgust and pushed him away from her.
Then, he caught her hands apologetically and they began laughing heartily together. 

"Tell me," she said through the giggles, "How would you like to meet the one you are looking for ?" 

"Oh no, I don't want to be chased by a wrinkly old lady" 

Her sweet laughter went louder this time, and she covered her mouth to calm herself. "Seriously, tell me." She insisted with an awkwardly laughing tone. 

"I have no opinion." He said reservedly.

 "I know you do. You have read countless romance books, so you must have one." He quietened, his expression too neutral and distant. 

"I think love as that is silly." He finally said, "imaginary, and too ideal to be true. I mean, how can such a perfect love happen in a life that is so disorderly ? What life has prepared for you, Sophie, is completely outlandish to what you imagine." His words sounded so bitterly realistic. Her lips parted slightly, in an attempt to share what she thought, but she was surprised to see him turn away from her and stare down at the pavement. He appeared suddenly like an outsider; his presence invisible and cold. Even though she was puzzled, Sophie decided to refrain from speaking and wished to let a moment pass to drown out his passiveness. Yet, she couldn't help being worried about what just went amiss for Daniel, who was now unusually silent and abstracted. 

"I think it's time to go." He rose abruptly from the bench. "It's getting late." 

She rose herself, reluctantly, and followed after him in silence, one single thought was disturbing her. "It's definitely not getting late." A single word was not uttered on the way, not until the point they separated and he wished her goodbye with a forced smile. It got her madly confused. But, she made no comments. 

The next two days, Sophie visited the bookstore at Daniel's shift time to see him again, but she didn't find him there. When she payed enough visits and Daniel still didn't come, she found it odd and therefore asked the bookstore owner about his whereabouts, but the poor old man was of no clue. He complained to her that he needed him too, and, sadly, Daniel was nowhere to be found... 


    On Sunday afternoon, a noisy and loud chattering was heard all over the house. Kids were running up and down the stairs, making an unbearable clatter, and the party music was playing in the background. When the guests entered the kitchen, none of them seemed to notice Sophie just sitting there, staring blankly out the window. She was wearing a bright yellow dress with blue flowery design, and round her waist, was strapped a clean kitchen apron. She listened to the guests' laughter rise and how their amused voices filled the ample house with joy and fun. But, none of them really noticed her. Some of them must have thought that she was someone else, and though others should have recognised her, they apparently just satisfied their curiosity with "she is just waiting for someone". Well, perhaps the latter was, in fact, true. 

As she placed her palm over her cheek and continued staring in an melancholy air, her mind began drifting back to her recent memories. How easily they perturbed her usual composure. They inflicted upon her a distress so heavy that she felt her heart was full. She had never thought that things would end up this way, this terrible way, and found herself consequently feeling so unwell and sad that she thought it best to just let go. So, she busied herself with some chores, ran here and there, helping around the house, and left time pass at its own pace until the party almost came to its last event. It was a moment so eagerly awaited by everyone. Sophie held the knife with both hands before the eyes of the guests; such beautiful hands. When she sliced through the birthday cake, the guests cried so merrily. A faint clapping emerged from amongst them as they congratulated her, and quite helplessly, she had that sad smile plastered over her pale face, Sophie retired to her own room later, and was by all means quite fatigued and weary. She let herself fall on her bed, feeling underneath her the soft sheets caressing her skin. Tranquil and silent, the room began to impress on her a tempting sensation of sleep. She closed her eyes and slowly drifted into an effortless slumber.
Barely a minute elapsed and then the door was suddenly hammered hard several times, and thereupon caused Sophie to awaken with such a disoriented and disturbed state of mind. She started up and hurried to open the door, and there stood her little sister with the most excited expression Sophie saw that whole day.

"I have a gift for you Sophie! Happy birthday !" Her sister handed her an adorned beautiful box. 

"Whose gift is this ? You made it ?" Sophie asked her. 

But her sister gave no reply, and instead ran away childishly to play with the other kids downstairs. Sophie was confused, as she could not believe her sister, at such a young age, would take the time to make her a gift.

 Left alone in her room again, she began opening her sister's box, and by the time the gift inside it was becoming visible, so did Sophie's eyes grow wider and wider. Surprise literally opened her mouth when she gazed at what seemed like the book her little sister had lost months ago in the camp. "The Last Song by Nicholas Sparks" was beautifully engraved on its cover. She opened the book at the first page and found her very name scribbled on it. The same handwriting. The same signature! She inhaled uneasily as she tried to understand how did her sister get the book again. Did she just come across it lying on the ground? 

She sank in a myriad of questions, restlessly thinking, and just as the book moved slightly on her lap, she accidentally spotted a piece of paper half-hidden between the pages. She pulled it out quickly and read the note on it : 


Dear Sophie,
        I want to be unrealistic. I want to challenge life's cruel decisions with our dreams. Most important of all, I want to see you again. Can you meet me at the coffee shop ? 
Happy Birthday...                 
                                                                                                Daniel.