Complications by Abbie Smeaton (top 100 novels .txt) 📕

CHAPTER 1: THE MEETING

The dark bangs of her fringe fell over her left eye as she placed the last book on the rickety old book shelf. A sigh of relief escaped her lips as she cought a glimpse of the clock in her periferal vision. 10 minutes till closing time. It had been a long day, the tram had broken down outside the shop and caused an awful lot of comotion for the customers browsing the shelves. Content with the work she has done, she took a seat in the large faded arm chair in the corner of the store. It had been in her family for years but no one had the heart nor the money to replace it. Business had died down a lot lately with people going off to look for a new start over seas. Most of the young men in the town had moved away, that is apart from the ones with steady jobs or families to look after, and George. George didn't leave, he couldn't. She'd be lost without him. She scaned the store looking for something to do and gently slipped into a dream-like daze.

He pulled the pocket watch out of his waist coat, 10 minutes till closing time. His stroll turned into a brisk walk, then a slow jog. Now was his chance, the one time of day she wouldn't be pestered with other customers or distracted with work. He had planned to stop off at the confectioners and buy her some chocolate but now there wasn't the time. How had it gotten to be so late? He was half way across town and he knew she was punctual enough to close dead on 6pm. He hardly knew her yet he was willing to give up everything for her. He broke into a run and made it to the store at 5.55pm. Opening the door slightly out of breath their eyes met over the faded wooden floor boards of the book store.

The entrence of the man into the store shattered her blissful daze and brought her hurtling back to reality. Neither of them said anything for what felt like an eternity. She was cought of guard by how handsome, wise and yet so youthful he looked, she felt she could spent all day looking into his deep brown eyes. The sudden reality that he was a customer hit her like a wall of water. "G-good evening sir, how may I be of service?" She put on a smile and took her place behind the counter blushing.

She was even more beautiful upclose than she was from afar. His eyes explored every inch of her pefectly round face. "hmm?" He had tuned out and not registered her question. It hit him, he was in a book store, he was a customer, this was where she worked. "Oh yes, I'm looking for a book by...a book by..." His mind went blank as he frantically searched the shelves for inspiration. "A book by Charles Dickens, please" he smiled somewhat mockingly as she turned around to find his books. "Did you have anything in particular in mind?" she asked climbing the ladder to reach the top most shelves. "Um..." he couldn't think of anything, his mind had gone blank. "What do you suggest?" This might open up opertunity for conversation, the key factor in getting close to a girl according to his father. "Well my personal favorite is 'A Tale of Two Cities' but I'm not sure if you're the kind of gentleman that would be interested in that sort of book" she blushed and turned around. "And what makes you say that little lady?" He took a step forward, leaned on the counter and put on a mocking smile. She turned around to face him, her balance wavering on the ladder, "Well, if I'd be so bold, I'd say by the look of your clothes you're not origionaly for round here and you're only doing basic work and therefore wouldn't be interested in such literature" she shyly turned back around. "You're perseption of me is correct m'am, except, my love of the written word has been with me since before I can remember" he smiled and glanced at the clock on the wall. 6.03pm.

She smiled as she took the book off the shelf, it was one of her favorites and people never took the time to ask for her opinion these days. She hugged the book to her chest and breathed in its unique scent. As she climbed down the ladder she felt bissfully content. "I didn't catch your name sir" she smiled sweetly at him and tapped the ammount into the register. "It's Edmund, but you can call me Ed" his cocky smile and dazling eyes made her giggle. "Pleased to meet you...Ed" she batted her eyelashes and blushed. "My names Rose, like the flower, I was named after my mother" she smiled sweetly but you could see the hearache in her eyes at the memory. "Rose, what a beautiful name, a beautiful name for a beautiful young lady" he smiled and stood up straight, his hands slipped shyly into the pockets of his waist coat. "And your mother, where is she now, if shes half as beautiful as you I'd very much like to introduce myself". She looked down mournfully, "alass kind sir, my mother passed on when I was almost too young to remember her, its just me and my father now". She sniffed in a poor attemp to hide the fact her eyes were filling with tears. "I'm so sorry sir, how very rude of me, you must be feeling most unpleasant at my sudden emotional outburst, I do appologise". She dried her eyes and began wrapping the book in brown paper and string. "On the country, If one doesn't empty the contence of ones sould once in a while, it's impossible for the new to replace the old." He picked up the book from the counter and played with the string which enclosed the book. "Thats very poetic sir" she smiled and her eyes sparkled for what seemed the first time in years. Her eyes glanced over the clock, 6.15pm. The realisation of the time sent hysteria rushing through her, she was due to meet George at 6:20 and she still had to close up shop. "I'm very sorry sir but I'm very late, you're going to have to leave now, its 15 minutes past the closing hour" She frantically nudged him towards the door, trying to tidy as she went. "Wait! when will I see you again" his hand wedged the half shut door open. She paused, George would be waiting for her, but at that moment she didn't care. "Meet me at the rear entrence to the park at midnight but don' tell a soul" She shut the door, smiling and prepared to go and meet George.

Publication Date: 08-05-2010

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