With a stomach full of today’s incredible cottage pie, fresh greens and more cake and fruit than I could eat in a week, I make my way back toward the sixth form block.
Unlike when we walked out before lunch, students are loitering around, ready to move toward their final class of the day.
Everyone I pass is talking about the same thing.
The boy who’s walking around after having his face rearranged by… well… I’m yet to find out by who exactly, but I have my suspicions.
There’s a ‘closed to students’ sign on the door, but I think nothing of it as I push inside and find the entire library deserted.
Unease ripples down my spine, but I figure the librarian is just having a well-deserved lunch break and I make my way toward the back of the space, breathing in the scent of books.
A sign for the young adult section reminds me of what I said to Rhea last week when she showed me around this place and a little excitement stirs in my belly.
Instead of lingering with the books, I rush to the room that’s once again booked for Nico’s session, and the second my arse hits the chair, I pull my notebook and phone from my bag.
I’ve got a couple of notifications from Calli, but I push those aside in favour of writing this list.
Opening my Goodreads app, I scroll through my bookshelves until I find the one I want.
“Yes,” I hiss as I write‘Books Rhea Must Read’at the top of a blank page.
I’ve got a list of at least ten books, most of them series that I think she’ll love based on our conversation the other day, by the time the door clicks open and the air around me changes.
“You’re late,” I snap without looking up.
Honestly, I have no idea what time it is. The second I started thinking about books, the minutes just slipped away, just like when I’m reading.
“What’s that?” he asks, walking over and staring down at my list.
“None of your business,” I snap, slamming my notebook closed. But I’m not quick enough with my phone and he snatches that up and starts scrolling.
“I guess it should come as no surprise that a filthy whore like you should love nothing more than reading porn.”
“It’s not porn,” I argue, reaching out to snatch my phone from him. “It’s romance, with some red-hot smut thrown in for shits and giggles.”
“So… porn?”
“Because all that shit you watch to make yourself feel less lonely at night has any kind of romance in it?” He opens his mouth to argue, but I’m quicker. “A plumber turning up to service a girl’s pipes does not count as romance. Nor does Daddy’s friend who appears to have a sympathetic ear and shoulder to cry on.”
“Oh?” he asks, reading through something. “So this review that I assume you’ve written is the opposite of that, is it?I’d happily call him Daddy and let him spank my arse raw.”
“That is one part of it. Not the entire thing,” I hiss, finally able to snatch my phone back before he reads any more.
“Think I might need to check out some of these books. Might learn a few things.”
I pause with my phone half in my bag at the words,You don’t need any more skills, right on the tip of my tongue. Thankfully, I manage to swallow them down. The less sex talk we have in here, the better.
“Feel free to read all you like. It’s good for the soul.”
“The soul, riiight. So did you want to tell me why you’re writing a list of ‘romance’ books for my teenage cousin?”
“I’m recommending her a few things in the hope of sparking her love of reading.”
“By corrupting her?”
“You have met Rhea, right? I’m not sure anything I’m going to suggest will teach her new skills.”
“She’s fourteen.”