𝙏𝙞𝙢𝙚 𝙒𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙏𝙚𝙡𝙡 // Callum Turner

002. Eager Are We

Song of the chapter : Saturn x Slow Dancing in The Dark — SZA | Joji

All my life I was never really the social type. That's why I took up working in the quiet ends of a bookstore. It's also the reason why most of my world exists on the internet. You can be whoever, or whatever you want to be online.

If I'm being completely honest, Id never spoken to a guy before. I mean I've had conversations with them but I'd never spoken to a guy in hopes of being more than friends. And now, here I was, sat on my bed, staring at a note from a guy, with his phone number on it. The phone number of a guy who I thought was very, very attractive might I add.

I picked up my phone and saved the contact. I named it "bookstore guy" and clicked on the little message icon. I stared at my phone for what felt like an eternity trying to figure out what to say. Do I send "Hi" ?? No that's too basic. What about "Hey" ?? No that seems dry. Maybe "What's up?" Ugh that sounds like I'm being bothered to talk to him.

Spoiler alert, I ended up not sending anything, and the exhaustion of trying to figure out what to say ended up putting me to sleep. The odds are NOT in my favor when it comes to these kinds of things.

TIME SKIP ~

As I entered the bookstore the next morning I noticed bookstore guy wasn't in his early morning corner. I probably blew it, my one chance, and probably my only chance. Gosh, why didn't I just text him?

I picked up a a stack of returned books and began my way to the aisle on which they belonged. One by one I put them into their correct slots, when suddenly I heard a low voice come from next to me.

"Hey." An accent? I turned my head, to follow the sound. At first I was only met with a chest, which caused me to have to look up at the figure. I caught his eyes for a second before realizing It was the guy, the bookstore guy. "Thought I'd find you here." he said with a small grin and a cute low British accent. I looked around. "You thought you'd find me in the science fiction aisle?" I replied amused. "Ok, maybe not specifically in the science fiction aisle" he said laughing. It was a laugh that genuinely shot a wave of butterflies through me. I smiled back at him before continuing to stock the shelves. The eye contact was getting a little too much for me to handle.

"Did you find the note I left?" He asked moving in a little closer. "Ohhhh so it was you who left that paper, sorry I think the janitor may have thrown it away." I watched as his brows furrowed. "I'm just joking, yea i did find it." I say smiling.

"How come I didn't get a text from you?" He says putting his hands in his pockets. "Do you give your number to every girl in hopes of her texting you back?" I respond sarcastically. "Only the pretty ones." he says slightly smirking. "Huh, soooo you're telling me, I see you come in here everyday, always reading a romance novel and yet THAT, was the best you could come up with?" I question laughing. He laughs too which makes me blush. "Couldn't have been that bad" he says, likely in response to my sudden red cheeks.

"Soo, When are you free?" He asks. "Eager are we?" I joke. "I'm off tomorrow, why do you wanna know?" I question.

"Because maybe I wanna take you out for coffee."

"How do you know I even drink coffee?" I raise an eyebrow.

"Because you live in New York City." He says grinning.

I lightly bite the side of my cheek and say "fine."

He smiles victoriously and holds out his hand. "Callum" he says, I look down and grab his hand, "Elsie." "Elsie, that's a beautiful name." I thank him and our hands linger together a bit longer than they need to. He tells me he'll text me before he walks out of the bookshop.