Map: Part I

She swept her hair from her eyes and squinted at the paper in her hands. Aaron stood and watched her, knowing not to say a word.

Finally, she looked up, her brown eyes piercing. “Ok, tell me what it is,” she said.

“It’s a map,” he replied nonchalantly, looking away and staring at the rows and rows of books behind her. It was so like her, to find her in the library.

Rosie rolled her eyes and pushed the paper back at him. When he didn’t take it she dropped it and let it flutter to the ground. Without saying another word, she leaned forward and began studying the book spines.

Aaron sighed and picked up the map. “You don’t want to know where it leads?” he asked, following her down the row as she trailed a finger along the books.

She stopped. “Last time I helped you with a project,” she began, emphasizing ‘project’ with finger quotes, “we ended up in the rain outside the sushi place looking at a dead cat.” She raised a brow and folded her arms, as if she’d won the argument.

Aaron stared blankly at her, pretended to recall that day. Really he was just staring at her. She shifted on her feet and abruptly turned back to the books.

“There was no way for me to know that cat was going to be dead,” he muttered.

Rosie was very good at ignoring him.

“I’ll be at the park at eleven tomorrow morning. With the map.”

Still, she said nothing and instead swiftly picked up a book and flipped to the front summary.

“Rosie,” he said, stepping closer and taking the book from her hands, “You should come and have a real adventure.”

She pushed her hair out of her eyes again, which had narrowed significantly at him. He always thought it was silly that she didn’t tie her hair back. It was always in her face.

“Shut up and give me the book back.”

“I’m checking it out,” Aaron said, glancing at the cover. The Deadly Princess. Yikes. “I’ll bring it to the park. Eleven. Sharp.”

She swiped at him for the book, but he easily raised the book higher into the air than she could reach. Her face was very close and very irritated.

Aaron smiled at her and left. But not before checking out the book.

Read part II: https://theprose.com/post/244351/map-part-ii