BY A BOOK’S COVER

Prompt: You keep borrowing stacks of bad romance novels and then sticking them in the indoor dropbox instead of just handing them to me because you’re too embarrassed to let me see them but you know your name pops up when I check these in right? I already know who you are.



Anna tried concentrating on her notebook. She really, really did. She had a lot of budgeting to do and the library was supposed to be the kind of environment that encouraged concentration. Lately, it was taking a lot of willpower just to function as an adult. From juggling bills to facing the inevitable question of what she wanted out of her life. For some reason, her parents didn’t seem to consider ‘chocolate and a warm bed’ as a suitable answer.

Honestly, she didn’t really know if a position as a library clerk was really a waypoint in her life or the final destination. It paid the bills and she liked her coworkers, the work wasn’t too bad either. It was peaceful but for some reason it always now felt like she was on the edge of something. Like she was waiting for something exciting to happen any moment now.

It had started to be like that ever since she had, indirectly, met Elsa Lynn Walters.

As a clerk she checked in books by the dozens. Their close vicinity to several colleges and schools made them a busy library. More than mainstream news had led to her to believe. In her work she normally didn’t remember names, her brain politely and desperately forgetting the sheer volume out of necessity. That is, until one day her favorite book had popped up on the screen for check in.

It wasn’t a common book, about as old as any of her father’s peers. To be honest, she was surprised to see that the library had a copy. But there it was, and she looked at the book in confusion. Who else liked cheesy space opera romance? Her own obsession with the genre had come from an isolated childhood with her father’s influence of favorite shows like SG1 or Star Trek to push her that way.

So, she had noted it and moved on. An idle thought to keep herself entertained as she worked. The discovery of the book did make her decide to dive into the collections herself. She was a social butterfly, even at work, chatting with co-workers and various patrons but the sight of the book had made her remember the other books she had liked so much. With nostalgia in hand, she started to pull out books from the library and her own personal collection. Reading at work was a suitable distraction and not exactly out of place.

Almost days later she started to see an odd trend.

A single name checking out the same books she read. They left and came back almost astonishingly fast. A Elsa Lynn Walters, a name that had gone without a face for days. Until one of her co-workers, Hans, noticed her staring at the file.

“Elsa? She’s the tall shy pale girl that comes in all the time.”

She knew right away who he meant. The ‘tall shy pale girl’ almost always came in at two in the afternoon, leaving almost like clockwork at three thirty. Besides how quiet she was, she remembered her most for the sheer quantity of books she checked out. Even if for some reason she preferred to have Hans check them out for her. A fact that hadn’t bothered her until now.

After that she couldn’t help paying extra attention to this Elsa. It was inevitable and her curiosity wouldn’t let go for anything short of a full answer. Besides, it was better then depressing herself with worry about how adrift her life had become so she delved deep until she realized just how far she had gone.

It started out normally. Noticing when Elsa came up to the desk with her check-outs and giving a small smile. The first time she had said hello she could have sworn Elsa had turned three shades of pink before almost mouthing a reply. Until her eyes locked onto Anna’s own and darted off in embarrassment.

Of course that didn’t help at all; Elsa was now adorable. Maybe even adorkable.

It came to the point where she kept an eye on the time, excitedly looking up from her work at two to notice Elsa walking in. Their eyes would meet for a moment before Elsa hurried off to the stacks to hide. If Anna didn’t know the signs, she might have thought she was something repulsive to the elusive blonde.

It was cute that the college student had a crush on her. It did heaps for her ego to have someone so well, Elsa, react like that.

It grew even more adorable when Elsa stopped bringing her books up to check them in. Hans had switched his shifts, leaving Anna alone in the afternoons. Seeing as Elsa had continued reading Anna’s now purposeful silent recommendations she probably didn’t want her to know she was reading the same books.

But she knew, they showed up under her name even if she stuffed them into the book drop box outside instead. The thought of the girl not having the courage to admit her crush was a bit frustrating, but she didn’t push. She just smiled and chose out another book for Elsa to find and devour. Though her book recommendations got a lot more interesting in retaliation.

Apparently, the library had a large collection of LGBT novels and titles. She had debated if it was too much of an obvious clue to smack her with, but after several months of frustration she ignored conventions and went forward to find the trashiest of them.

It backfired, spectacularly. While Elsa had only just started to get the confidence to say hello, she now hid. Her face now a great big mess of blushes and evasion. Anna all but howled in frustration. So close, yet sooooo far. Honestly she had no reason to hide, Anna knew and Anna liked to think she shared the same feelings that Elsa had. Unless she had somehow been reading her wrong the entire time.

Her patience wore thin days later when she came in to Elsa already there. Face red as she stuffed the latest romance novels into the drop box.

“You do know your name pops up when I check these in right? I already know who you are.” Elsa looked at her in complete shock, books falling out of her hands. “If you want to get to know me you could just ask, that is what dates are for.”

“O-oh.” Elsa still stood there frozen and Anna couldn’t help but smirk. Teeth showing as she took one of Elsa’s hands.

“And if you do, want to know me better that is,” She scribbled her number down, “Call, because I have been dying to know you!”

All of that led to now. Sitting at the desk with a budget while she tried not to think of how badly she had ruined everything. Elsa hadn’t called, not even a little peep. She hadn’t even seen her in the last few days either. Which was right torture, the not knowing. All she could hope was that no news was somehow good news. Unless the blonde had decided to hide from her forever because she had gotten the wrong idea about everyt-

A book was placed in front of her, the sound interrupting her line of thought. It was a reference book and she blinked at the title.

“A Dummy’s Guide to Dating?”

“I would like to know you better. Would tonight at seven work?” Slowly she looked up, seeing Elsa’s flushed face. She was dressed primly with shoulders squared and eyes looking straight into hers.

“Absolutely!”