Alex – POV
"I finished all three books," I said, setting them down gently on the table in front of Penny.
She looked up from her papers, her eyes lighting up. "That's amazing, Alex!" she said warmly. "How did you feel about them?"
I scratched the back of my neck, searching for the words. “They were… kind of depressing, honestly. But insightful too.” I gave her a proud smile. “And insightful means showing accurate or deep understanding.”
Her laugh was soft and genuine. “Well done. Your vocabulary’s already improving. Reading every day will strengthen it even more.”
I smirked. “Strength training is kinda my thing.”
She raised an eyebrow, amused. “So, what now? You want more books?”
“Yeah,” I said, surprising even myself a little. “If you’ve got any recommendations. I’ve gotten used to reading at night, and now I don’t know how to fall asleep without it.”
Penny gave me a pleased nod before walking over to the massive bookshelf behind her. I watched as she scanned the titles, fingers gliding over the spines, pulling a few out, inspecting them, then sliding them back. After a few minutes of careful consideration, she returned with three new books in hand.
“Here,” she said, placing them in front of me. “Let me know what you think.”
I took them, flipping through the pages a little. “Will do. Hey, do we have any second copies of these?”
Penny tilted her head, curious. “Reading with a friend?”
I hesitated, then shrugged. “Yeah. Haley and I sort of… started a book club. Kind of a secret one.”
She looked delighted—and slightly amused. “You and Haley?”
I chuckled. “She caught me reading one night and wouldn’t let me live it down. Next thing I know, she’s asking me to read to her like we’re in some black-and-white movie.”
Penny grinned. “I love that. I’ll go check for doubles.”
She disappeared into the back, and I let myself enjoy the quiet. The library used to feel like a place I didn’t belong. Now it felt… steady. Like maybe there was more to me than muscles and a football.
Ten minutes later, Penny returned with two extra books in her hands.
“I couldn’t find a second copy of the third one,” she said, setting them down. “But hey—sharing a book isn’t the worst thing in the world.”
She gave me a knowing wink.
I laughed. “You’re right. Might even be more fun.”
------------------------------------------------------
Haley was already sprawled on the couch when I walked into her place, flipping through some magazine she wasn’t really reading. She looked up as I held up the two books like a prize.
“Delivery for the Book Snob,” I said with a grin.
Her face lit up, but she rolled her eyes like she had to keep her cool. “Took you long enough. I was starting to think you’d ditched our super-exclusive, highly intellectual book club.”
“Never,” I said, tossing one of the books into her lap. “You’re the co-founder. Can’t run the club without you.”
She glanced at the cover. “Ooh, this looks kind of dark. Is this gonna make me cry or think deeply about my life or something?”
“Hopefully both,” I said, flopping into the armchair across from her. “Penny said it’s good.”
Haley gave me a mock-serious look. “If I cry, you owe me coffee. Emotional compensation.”
“Deal.”
For a while, we just read. The silence wasn’t awkward—it was the good kind. The kind I didn’t get very often. Usually when things were quiet, I got stuck in my head. But not here. Not with her.
I glanced up to see her squinting at the page.
“You stuck already?” I teased.
“Big word,” she said, nudging the dictionary I’d brought. “Can’t believe I’m using a dictionary on a Friday night. Who am I?”
“A genius in the making,” I offered.
Haley snorted. “If we both come out of this smarter, we’ll be unstoppable.”
“You mean more unstoppable,” I said.
“Right, right,” she said, then paused. “Hey… would you read a little out loud? Just until I catch the flow of it?”
I blinked, caught off guard. “Seriously?”
“Yeah. I liked it last time.” She shrugged, but her voice was softer now. “You have a good reading voice. It’s calm. Like… grounding or whatever.”
I opened the book, throat suddenly a little dry. “Alright. Don’t laugh if I mess up.”
“I won’t,” she said, tucking her legs underneath her and settling in.
So I read. At first, I stumbled a bit, but then the rhythm kicked in. The words stopped being a challenge and started becoming a story. Haley listened quietly, her eyes on me more than the book.
When I stopped to take a breath, she smiled. “Told you. Grounding.”
I gave her a sheepish grin. “Don’t spread it around, but I think I kinda like this.”
She leaned her head against the back of the couch. “I won’t tell. Besides… I think I kinda like you like this.”
I looked at her, surprised—but she was already flipping through the next chapter, pretending like she hadn’t just said something important.
And just like that, something shifted.
It's like I see her in a whole new light now. She isn't just a kiddie pool, she's like me. Labled, when in reality its all a front.
She doesn't know it, but I also like her like this.
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