#ncuticl

𝚋𝚌 𝚛𝚎𝚒𝚗𝚍𝚎𝚎𝚛 𝚘𝚗𝚎𝚜𝚒𝚎𝚜 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚌𝚘𝚘𝚔𝚒𝚎 𝚋𝚊𝚔𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚙𝚛𝚘𝚖𝚒𝚜𝚎𝚍      /         @ncuticl​

WORN     LEATHER     rests     underneath     his     fingertips,     digits     tapping     a     nervous,     unrhythmic     pattern.     he     could’ve     gotten     a     newer     book,     one     that’s     spine     wasn’t     bent     back     beyond     its     form     and     whose     pages     didn’t     have     soft     corners     from     dog-earring     them     several     times     over     to     keep     his     place.     but     this     copy     had     all     his     notes,     as     jumbled     as     they     were.     when     he     heard     that     there     was     a     new     book     club     on     campus     that     was     reading     his     favorite     book,     john     ambrose     jumped     at     the     chance     of    making     friends.     perhaps     a     bit     too     eagerly.     he’s     the     first     one     in     the     room,     the     squeak     of     his     shoes     deafening     in     the     quiet     space.     

eating     lunch     in     the     library     probably     wasn’t     the     way     one     made     friends,     but     it     was     a     lot     less     uncomfortable     than     looking     out     of     place     with     nowhere     to     sit.     not     that     he     minded,     cold     turkey     and     a     copy     of     his     latest     good     read     wasn’t     too     bad     of     a     way     to     spend     the     thirty-minute     block     between     classes.     all     he     had     to     do     was     mind     his     business     and     survive     twenty-seven     more     minutes.     unfortunately,     john     ambrose     was     too     curious     for     his     own     good.

his     eyes     fall     on     a     girl     sitting     a     couple     of     seats     down     at     the     same     table,     raven     hair     sticking     out     from     the     top     of     the     book     she     was     engrossed     in.     perking     up,     john     ambrose     removes     his     sandwich     from     his     mouth.     i     know     that     book.     he     sets     his     sandwich     down,     freeing     his     hands.     as     slowly     and     quietly     as     he     can     he     begins     to     rip     a     sheet     of     paper     out     his     notebook,     cringing     as     the     tear     rips     through     the     quiet     library.     then,     clicking     his     pen,     he     scribbles     a     quick     note,     scratches     that     out,     thinks     and     scribbles     something     else     instead.

‘     not     to     be     weird     but         you     have     a     great     taste     in     books     :)     plus,     i     feel     like     i’ve     seen     you     around     before?     is     there     a     reason     you’re     hiding     out     in     the     library?     i’m     john     ambrose     by     the     way.     ‘

FINS.     it’s     all     he     can     think,     all     he     can     see,     yet     the     word     thankfully     doesn’t     come     out.     john     ambrose     doesn’t     doubt     that     he     looks     like     a     gaping     fish     watching     anaia     at     the     edge     of     the     water,     seemingly     unaware     of     his     existence.     when     she     said     the     sea     was     her     home,     he     should’ve     taken     that     a     lot     more     literally.     he     assumed     she     was     just     really     into     the     beach.     a     surfer,     even.     though     he     should     say     something     to     announce     his     presence,     he     doesn’t     want     whatever     foolish     thing     that     will     topple     out     of     his     mouth     to     interrupt     the     melody     that     her     voice     carries.     it’s     the     kind     of     voice     that     could     lull     even     the     most     disconsolate     child     to     sleep.     it     could     calm     turbulent     waters,     soothe     nightmares,     part     the     clouds     and     let     the     light     pour     down     from     the     heavens.     it’s     angelic     and     he’s     entranced.