Honey and Spice | ✔️

Chapter 10

Ryder

Stepping into the air-conditioned library is like walking out from the oppressive afternoon heat and into a blissfully cool evening. Cold air fills my sinuses with a gentle numbing feeling as it rushes down my windpipe and fills my lungs. I look over at Nathan in his beige sweatshirt and wish I wore a sweatshirt too. The soft glow of the library lights and the coffee-coloured walls gives off a very warm and inviting feel. Shelves after shelves of books line the walls, their mismatched spines giving colour to the library. I could see Nathan staying in here - living, maybe. It just fits him.

Nathan grabs a fiction novel from one of the shelves and I grab a Guinness Book of World Records (because I have nothing to read) and we take a seat at a small table at the far end of the library. Soon, Nathan becomes very engrossed in his book while I flip through one page of weird world records after another. After reading about someone who is, like, thoroughly tattooed or something, I steal a glance at Nathan and my heart skips a beat.

Sitting across me with the book in front of him and one hand propped under his cheek, he looks. . . how do I say this? Really adorable. (And I don't take the word 'adorable' lightly.) His eyebrows are slightly furrowed and his lips are slightly pursed like he's biting the inside of his lips. His deep blue eyes - which I guess means concentration or something along those lines - follow the text as if it was a soft call of a lover. From time to time, his eyebrows raise slightly in surprise or slightly knit together in confusion.

I mimic his pose, one hand under my cheek and continue watching him. He looks so at peace, which makes me feel the same too. I could sit here forever, just watching Nathan.

Yeah, I could do that.

Then, Nathan's head jolts up, snapping me out of my dream-like trance. I jump out of my skin and my heart rate spikes. Oh god, that scared the shit out of me.

"You scared me," I say and I look at Nathan. Cute, confuzzled Nathan. A blush sears through my cheeks and my face feels like a hot oven. Ugh, why does he have to be so cute?

"Sorry," he mumbles, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "I don't like this book. Um, the plot's too confusing and messy."

"Okay, then. Try this." I slide the Guinness book towards him and sit beside him. "It's weird."

"Consider my curiosity piqued," he beams at me and I smile.

Together, we read about the world's longest eyelash, largest Batman memorabilia collection, largest teddy bear collection, oldest bodybuilder, tallest cat and the longest kiss on TV.

Nathan

My entire right side is warm with the heat from Ryder's body (although we're not touching, we're just close enough). It's sort of cosy here in the cool, softly-lit library and Ryder sitting next to me subtly warming me. He patiently waits for me to finish reading before flipping the page at a small nod of my head. Then, one world record catches my eye.

"World's tallest hat?" I say. "That's crazy!"

"I know, right?" He grins. "It's like a real-life Doug Dimmadome."

"Owner of the Dimmsdale Dimmadome!" I add in, laughing.

Ryder chuckles. "Oh god," he says, "look." I follow his finger to another world record.

"Woah, largest Converse shoe collection?"

"Yeah. I'm so jealous."

"Me too." I look at him. "Hope all."