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I can also see why Allie was worried about me meeting him. I feel like a snob saying this, but he’s not like the other people we’d normally talk to ? not that we had loads of friends back home. I can also see why Allie wants to be friends with him. He seems like a genuinely nice guy and not someone who will stab Allie in the back. His eyes, although covered by his glasses, are kind and gentle.
“Hey, I’m Willow,” I greet, giving him a wide smile.
“I’m Alex. Allie has told me a lot about you,” he tells me, smiling kindly. He glances at Allie with a soft expression. I try to search deeper, to see if he harbours any feelings for Allie, but I can’t tell. He’s a hard person to read. He seems closed off, like something happened in his life that has made him learn to shut people out. It makes me feel for him already, knowing what it feels like to want to shut everyone and everything else out.
“Hopefully nothing too boring,” I jest.
He waves me off, smirking. “Nah, all fun.”
“Good. So, you work at the library, huh? What’s that like?” I ask as we take a seat in the living room.
“It was boring as shit until Allie started working there. She’s the reason I didn’t quit actually. Unlike the others who are employed there, she actually works, which is a bonus. Most of the others use the job as a way to pick up a girl for the night, thinking book nerds are easy. The rest don’t do anything but stand around and gossip with each other.”
“It’s true,” Allie agrees dryly. “I’m gonna go serve dinner. Do you want a drink? We’ve got tea, coffee, or pop.”
His eyes light up. “I’d love a brew.”
“Great,” Allie cheerfully replies, her body finally relaxed. I watch with amusement as she turns to leave, but not before glancing at me and mouthing ‘thank you.’
The dinner goes off without a hitch. Allie was right about Alex. He’s such a great guy. And boy does he love to talk when he’s comfortable. He’s chewed our ears off for hours, and honestly, he’s actually really funny. I like him. I can see why Allie befriended him.
He’s just telling us about one of the other lads who work there. “He was showing off, making out he knew his shit, when Allie asked him where milk came from. The lad only answered, the fridge. I nearly pissed myself from laughing.”
I laugh at his story, and can’t help but love how close he and Allie have become. I’ve noticed during my time with them that they are just friends. They don’t have a secret crush on each other, and I like how he respects her a lot. He’s not using her and he genuinely likes her as a friend, nothing more. Allie didn’t act all flustered like she does every time she’s around CJ either. It’s how I knew for certain she didn’t fancy him. She would have been tripping over her own feet if she did.
“That is so funny.” He’s been filling me in on all the other members of staff who work at the library and telling me about some of the athletes who pop in thinking they can find some nerd to do their work for them.
“It was. You should come and keep us company one night. You’d be surprised how slow some of the nights can be so it will be good to have company,” he offers.
I smile. “I will. There’s a project I’m working on actually, and I was going to pop into the library to see if they had any old newspaper articles. I want to do some research on past headlines.”
“We do. Although, the collection they have is really shit. If you want to read some juicy headlines then you should read Whithall’s Scandals. It’s a blog our manager reads. She prints them off and keeps them all in a folder. Every single post this blogger has ever written, she keeps. I’d think she was weird for doing it, but I’ve read a few of the headline stories. They’re pretty interesting. Last year, we found out one of the IT techs was sleeping with his students,” Alex informs me.
‘A blog that posts gossip.’I should be thinking of the assignment I haven’t even started, but I’m now thinking about what kind of stories have been written on that blog. It makes me wonder if the blogger has reported what happened to me on there or any other incidents that relates to mine.
“You okay?” Allie asks. I’d been so lost in thought that I didn’t answer Alex. I glance at Allie, forcing a smile, yet my mind is running over scenarios in my head about this blog and what it could mean for us.
“Yeah, I spaced out. I’m sorry,” I reply, trying to laugh it off, more for Alex’s benefit than Allie’s. “Do you have the link to that blog, Alex? I’d like to check it out. It sounds interesting and like it could be of some help.” It’s only a half lie.
Allie straightens in her seat, obviously clicking on to why I want the link.
“Yeah, I’ll text it to Allie. Hold on. She can forward it to you.” He’s oblivious to the sudden tension in the room. He presses a few buttons on his phone before Allie’s phone beeps with an incoming text message.
“Thank you.”
“Any time.” He beams, seeming pleased he could help. “I hate to love you and leave you, but I need to get going. My nan will lock me out if I’m too late.”
“You live with your nan?” I ask, finding it all kinds of sweet.
He ducks his head, a blush rising in his cheeks. “Yeah. She needs help getting around and I’m the only family she has left.”
“I’m sorry to hear that. It’s lucky she has you, though,” I say gently.
He shrugs. “She’s pretty cool.”
“I’ll see you out. Maybe next time I can meet your nan,” Allie offers, seeming excited to meet her.
“Yeah, she’d love that. She’s always up to seeing a friendly face,” he tells her, slipping his trainers on.
