“Did you find something new and exciting?” She asked, her smile slowly melting away as she looked down at the book, turning it over in her hands.
“I hope so,” I said. “I think I’ve read almost everything else.”
I chuckled. Mrs. Clark continued to look confused.
“This is the second one today,” She said to no one as she examined the book I had chosen.
“What?”
She sighed. “This book belongs to the public library. It shouldn’t be here.”
“Oh.”
“I don’t know how this keeps happening.” She gave a dismissive chuckle before looking up to me and holding the book out to me. “I’ll tell you the same thing I told the last person—you’re so good to the books. If you promise to return it to the public library when you’re done, you can take it home with you.”
“Really?”
“Of course,” She said as I slid the book from her hand to mine. “It would kill me to not let you check out a book, Katina.”
“Thank you, Mrs. Clark.”
This was even better than a Banned Book. This was truly a book I wasn’t meant to read.
“Don’t forget to return it, and don’t make me sorry.” She gave me a stern look that was not without a hint of playfulness.
“I won’t.” I shook my head gleefully. “I mean, I will return it, and I won’t make you sorry.”
“Good.” She nodded. “Enjoy your book.”
“I will,” I responded in a hushed tone.
By the time I had walked out of the library, I was already aching to get home and find a way to start reading the book. Even if I had to work hard to make sure my mom and dad didn’t catch me reading it, and even if the book wasn’t that great, I just knew it was going to be one of the best reading experiences I’d ever had.
Chapter 3 – Frankie
Ignoring Nate wasn’t exactly easy. He’s probably not really aware of it, especially since he’s always so focused on hating me when he sees me, but his energy can fill a room. It’s like a cloud of anger rolls in, the pressure in a room changes, and all of a sudden, it feels like I could suffocate whenever I’m in his presence. Even in a room as cavernous as the library at Long-Moore. When I’m in the same room with him, all I can do is avoid his eyes and wait for him to make his exit. Then I can breathe again. I can be myself again instead of guy-who-doesn’t-know-Nate-is-there. Being that guy sucks, but what else can I do? It’s not like I can actually confront him. I know what his problem is and he knows what his problem is, so it would be pointless. It would probably also lead to fists being thrown and expulsions from Long-Moore High School. Then we’d have to enroll at Destin High across town, I’d be grounded for the rest of my life. However, it probably wouldn’t be a long life because my parents would probably just end up killing me.
When I go to the library, I try to time it so that I don’t run into Nate. The guy likes to read. It’s the only thing about him that doesn’t get under my skin. Of course, if someone said Hitler loved to read, I’d be, like, well, at least there was one thing that didn’t suck about him. Readers are often some of the best people—if you can overlook everything else about them. We all have parts of us that are great and parts that are bad, I guess. Reading was one of the things I had in common with Nate. We both ended up in the library each school day, either returning a book, looking for a new book, or simply wasting time between classes. Being surrounded by shelves and shelves of books makes the day a little less annoying. The fact that the library is the only place in the whole school where a guy can actually have two seconds of peace and quiet is another part of its appeal. However, the books are definitely in the number one slot if its perks were being ranked.
Mrs. Clark doesn’t let anyone wreak havoc in the library, and she’s been known to silence a fully grown man with a simple look, so it’s a very peaceful place. Almost tomb-like. I’ve never been dead, obviously, but I imagine the library at Long-Moore High School is a lot like being dead and entombed. Nothing but the type of oppressive silence that thick stone walls or stacks of books insulating the room can provide. I’ve always found that interesting about the library. All of the shelves of books make the quiet almost tangible. It’s like humidity. You can’t feel air, but if you add water to it, it feels like you can. The same can be said for libraries. Between the shelves of books, you can feel the silence pushing down on you, hugging you as you search for your next great adventure. There’s no feeling in the world that is as unnerving and exciting at the same time.
If it weren’t for Nate, the library would be my favorite place in the whole world.
Any place where I can pick up my next great fantasy read is a pretty sweet place.
Girls in sci-fi and fantasy books don’t get enough respect if you want to be real about it. There’s always got to be the male hero counterpart to a really strong, fleshed out, complex female character for some reason. Movies and T.V. aren’t much better when it comes to just letting female characters be heroes without having to throw some subpar dude into the mix, either. Not that I’m against guys as heroes—anyone can be a hero in their own story—but I just wish more authors just let a woman be the main character without needing assistance from a man sometimes. I’m not the first person to point this out, but if Hermione Granger was the main protagonist in Harry Potter, that series would have only been one book long. She would have kicked Voldemort’s butt in less than 300 pages while Harry and Ron were figuring out their first spell and chasing down Chocolate Frogs. The fact that Harry Potter was written by a woman is surprising.
Those are my favorite books—fantasy and sci-fi—especially if they have strong female protagonists who don’t need some guy to define them. It’s kind of weird for a high school guy who’s considered the star player on the baseball team to want to read about strong women kicking ass in made-up lands, but it is what it is. Those books appeal to me like no others. If I can’t read, T.V. shows and movies will do the trick—as long as they fit the same criteria—but nothing can replace getting lost in the silence of a book all alone. Pushing the world and all of its noise away while lying in bed or lounging on the sofa and reading a really great book is the best thing in the world. Can you name anything that’s as crazy good as feeling like you’ve been swept away to mystical lands of duels, dragons, and dungeons? There’s no better way to spend a day. Especially since no matter how the story turns out, you’ll always be safe and sound on your couch or bed at home when it’s over. Even if you’re reading a splat-fest written by George R.R. Martin—instead of a story where everything’s well in the end—you don’t have to worry. When you close the book, for better or for worse, the world is still where you left it.
I’m only sixteen years old, but thanks to books, I’ve been on more adventures than almost anyone in the world. I’ve been to Middle Earth, Hogwarts, Narnia, Westeros, Earthsea, Alagesia, Discworld, Ga’hoole, Inkworld, Panem, and even Oz. How many other sixteen-year-old baseball players have visited that many worlds? I’m not crazy. I know it’s all in my head—I don’t really go to these places when I read, but it feels like it. For hours on end, I can forget the real world and not be the high school baseball player. I can be the guy who’s along for the journey to save the world, with some kickass heroine or hero. Some kids my age are into drugs, drinking, and sex—those it’s not as common as the media, T.V., and movies want parents to believe—I’m into saving the world one page at a time.