Weekends were different to weekdays, mostly because I didn't visit the library... but I never went a day without books. Instead, I worked at the bookshop around the corner from my place in Highgate. 

Saturday and Sunday were pretty uneventful though. Of course, we were really busy given the increased customers during the tourist season. With good weather on the way, many from around the world had flocked to London to take in its history and grandeur while it wasn't overcast with misery. But the days passed quickly, bringing the new week with it.

I eagerly arrived at the library Monday morning, curious as to whether I would see him once more. Wondering how his weekend was. And, to my heart's delight, he was at his usual seat. 

Our eyes locked as I had rounded that corner, but this time a smile graced his face.

Taking a deep breath, I walked over to his table and said, "May I sit with you today?" 

He stared back with his eyes slowly widening as the seconds ticked on, not saying anything in response for a while. 

Evidently the weekend of talking to customers had instilled some misinformed sense of confidence in me, which waned as the silence continued to grow. 

But then he eventually said back ever so softly, "I think I'd like that."

With the corners of my lips turned upwards, I took the seat opposite him, pulling my belongings out and setting them up. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw him rest his elbows on the table and his head on his hands, watching me.

"What?" I asked.

"Always the same." He pointed at each item as he spoke. "Pens, book, pencil case, laptop, then reading book."

"I like structure," I defended.

"I noticed."

He did?

He shook his head, a slight amused smile colouring his face. "You can have your seat back from tomorrow."

I stopped setting up and looked at him. "Are you not coming?"

His eyes searched mine, as if considering what he was going to say. "I wasn't going to."

I couldn't help myself. "Why?"

"I'm almost finished reading everything I came for." But echoes of the unsaid haunted his words.

I didn't know why I was desperate. I supposed I had grown attached to having him around. But now that I was finally talking to him, it felt like the little bit of magic in my life was about to disappear as quickly as it came. And while I knew good things never last, I didn't want this to end just yet. So I implored, "What did you come for?"

"To learn more about vampires."

I pursed my lips. "What have you read?"

Pointing to a set of shelves he said, "Everything down that aisle."

"Everything?"

He nodded.

"All mythology texts, fables, short stories, longer fiction..."

Another nod.

I crossed my arms over my chest, determined to not let him think he was finished, but also questioning how he could have possibly read every book in the very long library aisles in only two days... unless he was here on the weekend. But even still... "No. You have more to read."

"Do I now?" His brows raised as he leaned back in his chair.

Flipping through my research, I went back to my notes on vampires, taking out my page of references. "Have you read every single book on here?"

His eyes only glanced at the paper before meeting mine again. "You've made a reference list of every text on vampires?"

I nodded. "Still probably have more to come across as I keep working through my list of other creatures, I imagine."

He smirked. "I suppose I do have more reading to do then."

"I suppose you do."

He looked at me, humour tickling at his mouth again.

And I stared back, challenging him. Almost begging him to return here once more. 

Then he said, "Okay. I guess I can come back just for tomorrow."

"We will see how many you get through..." Surely my list would take him two days.

"I'm a fast reader."

"Yeah. I noticed."

"You've noticed me, hey?"

At once, I got to my feet, hating that he just pulled a reverse card on me... but also relishing in it."I have to get my books," I muttered as my face washed with heat.

But my heart glowed in delight as I took steps away from him. And a part of me urged me to be quick so that I could return to our desk once more. Though that feeling was quick to disappear.

Because, as I browsed the spines, selecting all sorts of texts on fairies today, I was conscious of the fact that he had joined me, though on the other side of the shelf.

With the dimmed lights between the towering walls of bound paper and surrounded by scents of wood, vanilla, and ink, an electric spark seemed to echo between layers of books between me and him.

I swallowed the saliva down my drying throat, pulling a random book from its place, anxiously peering through to check. 

And there he was. A swirling ocean of blue gazed back at me, like he was waiting for this gap in the shelves to appear.

At night in bed I would question whether I imagined what I wanted to see in his stare, but in the moment, I felt there was a part of him that longed to know me as I him. 

However, one of us would have to find the courage to push forward.

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