The SVE Club

24. Stranger

Sam wasn't used to being stared at. Tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear, she glanced quickly at the stranger who had been watching her through a gap in the bookshelves.

Sam was in the public library, holding an arm full of reference books. It was early Saturday morning. She had taken the bus downtown in order to get a head start on the assignment Midas had given her, which was turning out to be quite dull.

This guy's definitely been following me, she thought suspiciously. Curious to get a closer look at the stranger, she casually meandered into the same aisle. She could have sworn she saw him stiffen as soon as she came into view. Out of the corner of her eyes, she saw him scrambling to look busy, running his hand across the book titles. Busted.

Sam handled this the way she handled most situations; bluntly and to the point.

"Hey," she said as loud as would be allowed in a library.

The stranger looked at her in surprise, his eyes going wide. He was young, likely high school aged or recently graduated.

"It's rude to stare," she said sternly.

"Oh!" he exclaimed, running a hand through his platinum blond hair and stepping backwards awkwardly. He stumbled a bit and tripped over his shoes. "I-I wasn't... I didn't-"

Sam laughed, which seemed to put him at ease.

"S-sorry," he said. "I didn't mean to startle you or anything. You just look familiar, that's all."

Sam thought for a moment before snapping her fingers and pointing. "I got it! You must go to my school. Cherokee North, right?"

"Uh, no actually," the stranger said, his eyebrows coming together to crease a 'V' shaped scar between his eyes.

"Hm," Sam said. "Well, there's gotta be at least a thousand people that look like me. I guess I just have one of those faces."

"I don't think so," he said, rubbing his chin. "In fact, I'm pretty sure I know you from somewhere, like your name's just... on the tip of my tongue, you know? Is it... Gwen?"

Sam made a face. "No. That's so off, it hurts." She began to walk past him to examine the nearest section.

"Didn't think so," the stranger said, following her. "I remember it being short for something else. See? Gwen? Gwendolyn?"

"I see," Sam said, selecting a book titled 'Domination: Villains and their Dastardly Goals' and adding it to her pile. "If it's any consolation, I am usually called by my nickname."

"Knew it," the stranger said. "Anyway, what is your name?"

Sam gave him a puzzled expression. "Why should I tell you? You're a complete stranger."

"Well, not completely. But I guess you've forgotten me. You really have no idea who I am?" he asked.

Sam shook her head. "Not a clue," she said as she hauled her stack of books towards a table and dropped them.

"Why so many law enforcement books?" the stranger asked, scanning the titles. "ISH, Insomnium, heroes and villains. School essay?"

Sam looked at him sharply. He held his hands up.

"You're right, sorry!" he said, laughing nervously. "That's none of my business. Jeez, why do I always say the first thing that comes to my mind?"

Sam shrugged and chuckled. "You're alright." She sat down at the table and began going through the texts, trying to decide if there were any she could go without. After a small silence, the stranger walked around the table and sat in the chair across from Sam.