whoever you want me to be

___

Niko grinned and nodded. That was why he asked for opinions on which books he should get. He didn’t know what was inside every cover, so it was nice to get some help. “That sounds great, honestly. I like a bit of world building. The first one just jumped into the thick of it and slowly revealed what happened. So I like that this one will add more to that,” he grinned. “I don’t think that makes you a monster. I think that’s actually pretty cool because you can look up at the covers on your wall and think about the different books or see that you’re well-read. As for where I keep them, it’s not a very exciting answer. I just prop them up on the book shelf. This way I for sure know where they are, and they are out of the way. Plus, if I forget to read a book for too long then it is there taunting me and encouraging me to pick the book back up.”

“Then you’ll love it. And if you don’t, feel free never to trust my book judgement again.” A pause. “But If you do love it, feel free to come back for more recs, because I am full of them.” Which was true. Ama was full of book recommendations. Books were the one thing that kept her from boredom most of the time and their pages had gotten her through a lot over the years. Rolling her wrist, she arched a brow, and then replied to him. “You’re one of the few people to say that. But would you still agree that I’m not a monster if I told you that I write on the pages of my books?” Her eyebrow arched, curious. “I think that’s an interesting place to put them though. Have you got any that you haven’t read in a while that have been taunting you?”

Preach. “Careful, you’re getting dangerously close to the warm and fuzzy heart of the capitalist agenda.” Nadia gave an exaggerated wink, settling back into her seat. She paused, thought for a minute, then shook her head. “Can’t say I’ve heard of it, but if I had to guess it’s some post-Fifty Shades erotica thing?”

“You’ve got a point there,” Nadia said with a snort. “The problem is when they’re pounding out this stuff–pun intended–quicker than you can blink they don’t care about healthy. It’s a quick fix and something they can throw at sad singles on Valentine’s day.” Not bitter at all, she’s just had a long time to think about this and delights in being able to spill her guts on the subject. It’s nice to have the company, too. 

“You’re right, but it gives a bad example to people everywhere. They’re going to think some of these themes aren’t toxic and it’s going to end with them stuck in dysfunctional or unsatisfying relationships. These companies have a responsibility to uphold. But whatever.” Ama waved down at the ground, then rolled her eyes. She then tilted her head up just a bit to make eye-contact with Nadia. “Have you read ‘The Protector’?”

Niko looked at the young person and nodded. “I have heard of that one. It’s a sequel to The Handmaid’s Tale, right? I read the first one when I heard about the show coming out. And I had some friends posting on Facebook about how good it is. So I read it. And you’re right about the prose. Margaret Atwood is an excellent writer. If you say the sequel is good, I’ll get it,” he said and plucked one off the shelf. “I like the dust jacket of it. I tend to take them off when I’m actually reading the book, but I always keep them in a safe place so they don’t get flattened.” Niko was a believer in protecting books, so he always made sure his were in good condition. He also tended to get hardcover books - preferring them because they kept their shape much better than paperback. And they always looked so nice on his shelves.

Listening to the man go on and on and on was fun to Ama. Hearing customers speak about anything was part of why she chose to work at a bookstore, instead of staying home all day. While she had a fun side-job making videos, when she wasn’t doing that she was bored because she didn’t have too many friends to do things with. And when Ama was bored, she found herself over thinking. The shop’s customers kept her distracted though and she was a huge fan of that. “Great. If you liked the first, you won’t regret it. It’s a lot of world building and gives you more than one perspective. I liked it a lot because of that.” Ama placed her hands in her pockets, happy to help.. “I’m the same, except I’m a monster who frames the cover of every book they’ve read on their wall.” She laughed. “Where’s your safe place for them, if you don’t mind me asking?”

place: ama’s apartment

“I love the romance genre when it comes to books, but a lot of them are so cringe and gross. We need more romance novels about healthy and supportive relationships because I feel that’s what people deserve, you know? None of this gross stuff we’ve been spoon-fed lately,” Ama rambles to her friend as she sits down at her kitchen table, drinking a dark cup of coffee as her body leans against the back of the chair. It’s two in the morning, but sometimes when she’s with friends, she tends to get carried away and keeps them around for as long as she possibly can. She can’t stand being alone, after all. especially on days like today, when she wants to avoid being left alone with her own thoughts.

Winifred blinked twice and cocked her head to the side, “Perfect! I’m sent by the Monmouth Art Museum, I’m sure you know the one, and I need some books to put in our children’s area. Trouble is, I haven’t looked a child in the eye since the early 2000s, so I haven’t the faintest idea what they’re into these days. Would you happen to know a thing or two about that?”

Ama’s small smile shapes into a wide ole grin at the mention of the museum. She knows a thing or two about children’s books and has always been a fan of the Monmouth Art museum. Practically every weekend, since she was a child, she’d go there just to stare at the same piece of artwork, completely memorized by it. So helping someone who works there find books for its young visitors is tremendously exciting to her. 

“Of course, I do. But you have to tell me: are you looking for fiction or non-fiction?” she asks, curiously, her hands free of books as she looks at the other. “Because that would narrow down our choices.”