chapter 7

Elizabeth's POV:

Classes went by fast. Too fast, if I was being honest. No one spoke to me except Teo and Zack, and even they seemed distracted. Zack's other friends kept glaring at me once in a while but never said anything.

I guess that was a good thing, but it still made me feel like I was constantly being watched, judged. Their glances didn’t go unnoticed—especially from the girls. I felt their eyes on me, quiet but sharp, like they were sizing me up. I wasn't exactly eager to figure out why, so I avoided looking their way.

Now it was lunchtime, and I knew better than to show up at the cafeteria. I wasn’t in the mood to sit there under those stares again, forcing a smile or pretending everything was fine.

The air in there felt too thick, too tense. It would be awkward, stuffy, uncomfortable. No thanks. I sent a quick text to Zack, letting him know I wouldn’t be coming, then made my way to the school library instead.

The hallways were quieter than usual, with most students either heading to lunch or already there. The faint sound of chatter and laughter echoed through the empty halls, but it felt distant, like another world I wasn’t part of. I sighed, tugging at my bag strap as I finally reached the library doors.

When I walked in, the familiar scent of old books hit me. It was comforting, the kind of place where the noise of the outside world faded into the background.

I gave a quick wave to the elderly librarian, who sat at her usual desk, peering through her glasses at something I couldn’t quite make out. She nodded back, her eyes warm with recognition. I’d been coming here often enough that she didn’t bother asking if I needed help finding anything anymore.

I wandered aimlessly between the rows of shelves, the soft shuffle of my shoes the only sound I could hear.

The quiet was nice. It gave me space to breathe, to think. Eventually, I found myself in front of the romance section. The spines of the books were a rainbow of colors, each one promising a different kind of love story. My fingers skimmed across the titles until they stopped on a green book with a particularly beautiful cover.

I pulled the book from the shelf, feeling the weight of it in my hands.

The cover was soft beneath my fingertips, almost velvety. It was stunning, the kind of book you’d want to display on a shelf just to admire. The title, "BE MINE," was written in elegant gold letters.

On the cover, a woman in a flowing white dress sat on a tree branch, her head tilted back as she gazed up at the sky. There was something about her expression—peaceful, lost in thought—that drew me in.

I smiled softly, running my hand over the cover again. It was silly, but just holding the book made me feel a little lighter, like I’d found a small piece of beauty on an otherwise ordinary day. I probably looked ridiculous sitting there, staring at it like it was some kind of treasure.

Shaking my head, I flipped the book open, curious to see if the story inside matched the cover’s promise. I had just started reading the first few lines of the author’s note when a quiet voice broke the silence.

"That's a great book."

I jumped, letting out a small squeal as I clutched the book closer to my chest. My heart raced, and I snapped my head toward the source of the voice. A girl stood a few feet away, looking just as startled as I was.

"I'm so sorry; I didn't mean to scare you," she said quickly, her hands raised as if to show she meant no harm.

I blinked, taking a moment to calm my racing heart before really looking at her. She had long, dark hair, and her eyes—small, almond-shaped—reminded me a bit of Mrs. Brown, the librarian. There was something about the way she carried herself, slightly hunched as if she was used to keeping to the background.

"It's okay," I mumbled, still a little shaken. My voice came out softer than I intended. I couldn’t help but notice the thick, black-rimmed glasses perched on her nose, so big they almost looked too heavy for her face. She gave off a distinct nerd vibe, but in a comforting way, like someone who probably spent just as much time in this library as I did.

"I'm Anna," she whispered, giving me a small, hesitant smile.

I returned the smile, surprised at how relieved I felt. Finally, someone wanted to talk to me. "Elizabeth," I said, matching her tone. It felt nice to say my name aloud to someone other than my brother. Anna nodded, her gaze shifting to the book I was still holding.

I noticed her interest and held the book out slightly. "Wanna read it together?" I offered, surprising myself with how easily the words came out.

Anna’s eyes lit up just a little, and she nodded, a small chuckle escaping her lips. It wasn’t much, but it was enough to make me feel like I wasn’t completely alone. I pulled my chair closer to hers, and we settled into a comfortable silence as we both leaned in to read.

For a while, neither of us said anything, absorbed in the story. It was simple, sweet—exactly what I needed to escape for a bit. I could feel the tension from the rest of the day melting away, replaced by the warmth of the words on the page. Every now and then, I’d glance at Anna, noticing the way she focused so intently, her brows furrowed in concentration. It made me smile.

The bell rang, signaling the end of lunch. We both sighed at the same time, reluctant to leave the story unfinished.

“What class do you have next?” I asked, slipping the book into my bag. We’d have to finish it later, I decided.

"Science," she mumbled, her voice barely louder than before.

"Same with me," I said, smiling. I stood and held out my arm to her. She stared at it for a moment, eyebrows raised.

"Come on, shy freak, let's go together," I teased, rolling my eyes when she hesitated.

She huffed, muttering something under her breath about not being a shy freak, but she took my arm anyway. I chuckled as we walked toward the library entrance, waving at the elderly lady once more.

The hallway was busier now, students rushing to get to their next class. Anna kept her head down, and though our hands were still linked, she didn’t say much. I glanced at her occasionally, waiting for her to speak, but she seemed content to stay quiet. That was fine. Sometimes silence was better.

When we reached the science classroom, I spotted my brother immediately. He was with his usual group, laughing loudly about something that probably wasn’t even funny. He didn’t notice me at first, but when he did, his expression changed. He shot me a glare, one that I pretended not to see. I wasn’t in the mood to deal with him or whatever issue he had with me today.

I led Anna to the other side of the room, choosing seats far enough away from my brother and his friends. We settled in quietly, taking out our books without a word. I could feel my brother’s eyes on me, his glare practically burning a hole in the back of my head, but I refused to look at him. Instead, I focused on the teacher as she walked in, trying to push everything else out of my mind.

For now, all I wanted was to get through the rest of the day in peace.