Remembering the forgotten

"I'm going to the library Jen, why don't you come with me?" Lianne asked her best friend as she twirled the phone wire gently with her finger. She was leaning against the edge of the peninsula in her kitchen, wearing only a skimpy short and a tank top.

"Nah, I don't think so. You know very well I'm not into reading books, Lianne, but if you can spot me some cute guy in the library, then I might consider going with you next time, " Jen replied, humor coloring her tone.

Lianne sighed and rolled her eyes.

"Well, suit yourself. I'm going now. I've got to return some books I borrowed there and maybe check out another, but don't worry I might spot a cute guy for you."

She softly chuckled.

At the other end of the line, Lianne then heard a loud 'Yes!' in response.

She ran upstairs into her bedroom right after putting the phone down and whipped up a fashionable match of clothes suitable for a library visit. Thereafter, she took three books she used for her History thesis and placed it on a paper bag. It was still ten o'clock in the morning, but it looked like it was going to rain sometime soon based on the gloomy atmosphere outside.

Just before she could exit the bedroom, wind rushed through the window and softly blew the curtains up. Upon seeing this, it instantly made her feel awkward again, the same feeling she had been having since three days ago; that certain feeling that troubled her heart for some reason.

Dismissing it with a deep breath, she then continued her way down the stairs, taking her shoulder bag labelled Hermes with her as she passed by the console table, then locked the main door of her apartment.

After a few minutes of waiting on the roadway, a cab approached her.

"To where are we going, Miss?" the cab driver asked with an Asian accent, his eyes directed on her reflection in the mirror when she climb in.

"To the Fortville City Library, Sir, " Lianne replied.

*

*

Twenty minutes later, she arrived at the entrance gate of the place. Before she stepped down the cab, she adjusted the voile scarf around her neck, expecting a gush of wind to welcome her. She wore a white floral dress, above-the-knee in length, coupled with a pair of brown ankle boots and a brown leather jacket.

Staring at the sky, she smiled. This kind of weather would indeed suit best with a book in hand.

When she was about to enter the library's gate, she looked up and noticed a figure of a man wearing a black coat with its collar adjusted up, standing at the porch of the library's second floor. He stood there just looking at the pine trees in front of the library. His dark brown hair tousled after being blown by the strong wind.

It took her by surprise when he suddenly looked into her direction and at that moment, their eyes met. She speedily looked away, blushing faintly, and quickly walked towards the entrance door embracing the paper bag she had been holding.

"Hello Madame Sella, good morning, " Lianne said, greeting sweetly the lady librarian as she took out the books from the paper bag and placed it on the countertop.

Madame Sella was in her forties but still single. A kind woman in her own way, she was like Lianne's adviser of problems; almost like a mother she never had.

"Oh, hello dear. You've come to return those books back I see, " the lady librarian answered. "What good timing. There were two students that kept on coming back here every hour checking if there is an available book of this edition already returned. It seems they needed it that much."

"Really?" Lianne exclaimed. "Oh, I think they are from my class too. Our History teacher actually gave us a project of making a thesis about these books when there are only just ten copies and he has forty students! He really wants us to push the limits I guess."

"It sure looks like it, " Madame Sella replied, smiling. "Here, sign this." She handed her the borrowing card and pointed a space for her to sign.

'Lianne Dievin'

Lianne scribbled her name neatly in cursive style.

"Here, thanks, " she said and then handed the card back to her.

The librarian sweetly smiled in response. "Wait, I have something for you." She reached down for her table drawer and then pulled out a small piece of folded paper with Lianne's name written on the front.

Lianne gave her a confused look. "What is this Madame Sella?

"There, I have given it to you, " the librarian announced. "It is from a man that came here an hour ago. He said that I should give this to you when you arrive. He looked kind of in a hurry though that's why I wasn't able to ask him his name or ask if he is your friend. But seeing that you're so beautiful, I bet he is one of your admirers at the university. He is one good looking gentleman, my dear. You're going to like him, " Madame Sella teasingly remarked.

Lianne, on the other hand, shyly blushed and then hurriedly took the piece of paper from her grasp.

"Uh, right. Thank you Madame Sella." She gestured with her head to the stairs and continued, "I'll be on my favorite side of the library again if you need me."

The librarian just smiled again and nodded.

Lianne was bewildered, looking at the folded paper on her hand. This was the first time ever she received something like this. Mostly her friend, Jen, would be the common target of these love notes - if that was how she'd call it - and not her. What was more unusual was that it has her name written on it.

She headed to the second floor of the library and turned towards the south wing part, but before she could reach her favorite place, her eyes caught a glimpse of the library's porch and remembered about the man she saw there.

He wasn't standing on the area anymore.