Imagining Us

Chapter 2- Year One of Master's Degree

It is a truth universally acknowledged-

Delete.

IT IS A TRUTH UNIVERSALLY ACKNOWLEDGED THAT...

Esi sighed and swiped a weary hand down her face.

It is a truth universally acknowledged that the book Pride & Prejudice had absolutely nothing to do with a group project for an "Approaches to International Development" class for Esi's Global Affairs masters. It probably was not the best idea for her to be listening to Dawn by Jean-Yves Thibaudet from the 2005 adaptation of Pride & Prejudice's soundtrack. Her mind was now bombarded with thoughts of the movie and the book.
Nevermind that she had to submit her part for an important group project that was due on Sunday night.
Knowing that she wouldn't be able to concentrate in the flat or apartment—for how long that she'd been living in the States, she'd constantly slip back into her British lingo—, she packed her laptop into her tote, pulled on her shoes and headed downstairs to drive to the campus cafe which also "happened" to include bookstore hoping for a bit of respite. She would find a quiet corner, sip a Earl grey latte and dive right into her project.

She walked into the bookstore, box braids swishing and priorities in order. Her aim was to pass right through the store and head straight to the cafe.
At least that was what she told herself.
If  her priorities were in order, she would have found a quaint spot in the corner of the adjacent cafe to finish her paper. But, she would claim that a book was a good way to de-stress and then refocus on her work. So, she found her feet taking her to the classical literature section of the bookstore.

As she turned the corner towards the row, she stopped abruptly. There was a guy already in the section. He wasn't just there lingering, he was holding the exact books that she came for. She would recognize the Penguin's classic paperback and the blue, filigreed edition of  Pride & Prejudice anywhere.

Not wanting to disturb his perusal of the books, Esi lingered back and leaned against a nearby column while observing his actions. He flipped the books backward and forward and tested them like she had seen sellers do with vegetables many times at the markets when she would visit her mother's side of the family back in Trinidad. She couldn't help the amusement that threatened its way across her face. She also took the time to observe him as much as she possibly could with his back slightly turned to her.

He wore a long sleeve button up black shirt and tailored grey pants with a matching black belt and a black pair of leather shoes. She swore as his foot twitched that the sole of the shoes were a striking red.

Who wears Louboutins casually around campus?

Esi watched as he took the books off of the shelf, comparing them both in his hands. She took notice of how long his fingers were as he successfully juggled  both books while flipping through the pages in each.

She couldn't really judge him per say, she'd gotten lost in her perusal of books before. She wondered if he was trying to decide what kind of reading mood he was in that day. Maybe it was a day to snuggle under the throw comfortably and read a bendy paperback or maybe it was more of a sit in the corner with a cuppa and gently turn the pages of a hardcover book. The man's brows were furrowed in deep concentration, he probably didn't realize how long he had been standing there, hogging the shelves.

She rolled her eyes and sighed.

She'd been standing there at least three minutes now.

As hypocritical as it was, she sighed again, a bit louder this time, hoping that it would give him a hint that someone was behind him.

He didn't move a muscle.

What was he even looking at?

Esi knew that she was being a hypocrite. How many times had she hogged the classics or the fantasy section in the bookstore and had to constantly move out of the way?

She peered around him, thinking that she could just snatch a copy off of the shelf and go on her merry way. She didn't see another of the blue softback books. Yes, there was that other edition, but she wanted that particular one.

She really shouldn't buy it because it would mean overstepping her book ban that she had put on herself.
Limit: no more than 3 books a month. Series do not count as one book.
She had to keep reminding herself of the latter. As a master's student, she shouldn't even have time to read, especially with the stack of projects due in the semester. But, she looked at reading as a way to de-stress from her work. And, also a way to feed her addiction.

One more minute, she thought, tapping her feet.  That was all she'd give him.

As she waited, she thought back to when she first discovered her love of books. Her mom would take her to the bookstore and she'd indulge in the Great Illustrated Classics and all the Enid Blyton fantasies. She could still picture her old bookshelf back in England, lined with all her childhood favourites.
The vibration of her phone brought her out of that day dream. She pulled her phone out of her bag to check her messages. It was her mom reminding her to visit them for dinner on Thursday night. She sent back a quick affirmative reply. She glanced at the top of her phone and realized that the minute was up.

She looked back up at him.  How could someone be so oblivious to their surroundings?
She took a step towards him, and the words tumbled out of her mouth before she could catch herself.

"It's the same amount of words in both."

She paused, anticipating a response from him. His body didn't even move an inch. It was as if he didnt hear her.
She continued a bit louder, "I think it's a bit too late for the author to add bonus chapters. So, it's the same amount of words in both copies."

If it wasn't for the fact that they were now no more than two feet apart, Esi would have thought that it was impossible for him to hear her. She was about to take a step closer and say something else, when he turned around to face her.
She stood there mouth slightly ajar. Her heart was beating faster than it was supposed to and her hands were unusually clammy.
He was undoubtedly good looking. Her eyes roamed his face, and as she absorbed his features, she realized that "good-looking" was too mundane a description.
He was beautiful...and tall, which Esi hadn't realized when she was standing off to the side observing him. But, now that she was standing closer, she realized how much she had to tilt her head up to keep eye contact with him.

She barely could because of how he was peering down at her, and she started to regret even bothering him at all. She may even have unconsciously sniffed him. She glanced away briefly trying to regain the confidence that she had before.

Because as much as his face was graced with those beautiful Nordic features, his eyes told a different story.

They were a startlingly grey, and they reminded her of the Trinidadian skies after the passing of a hurricane. Although, after a hurricane, there was usually a calm, but his eyes—these mercurial eyes—looked like they were meant to unearth secrets and lay waste to hearts.
Well, maybe not "lay waste to hearts", Esi chided herself—did she think that she lived in a medieval drama?
But, for sure, those eyes were heart-breaking eyes.