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But for me, it just made the game all the more enjoyable. It took a special kind of commitment to watch a girl like her break and lose her faith in someone.
And that became my primary motive.
I just needed a good opening line. So, I pretended to let out a frustrated sigh as I turned the pages of the book in front of me.
In a masterstroke, I'd chosenLetters from Father Christmas,which Tolkien had written and illustrated himself for his kids.
Continuing my performance, I buried my face in my hands as if I couldn't understand what to do with my life. That's when I caught her attention. She looked up at me, a concerned frown in her eyes.
"Hey, are you okay? D'you need some help?"
I knew she was one of those people. Y'know—the folks who have this raging savior complex that makes them think they must hop in to save the day.
You could spot them from a mile away because, like me, they were also on the lookout for targets.
I just brought my prey back to their base instincts. If you asked me, it was the better game.
When you were playing the savior complex one, you had to be willing to fail a hundred thousand times because quite often, people would come right back and tell you they didn't need changing and that you were foolish for thinking you could try.
"Oh. I'm so sorry," I replied, glancing guiltily at her. "I've been looking for a first edition of this book for ages. I wanted to gift it to my nephew for his birthday, but I can't seem to find one anywhere."
She smiled at that. I noticed it didn't take her too long to warm up to someone she'd never seen before.
"Have you tried looking on Abe Books? They have a really great collection of first editions, although the price is a bit steep."
At this point, the librarian came and gave us a death stare that propelled us to leave the library.
We continued our conversation in a cafeteria just outside, and she showed me this online bookstore that truly had a brilliant collection of editions at super steep prices but well worth each penny.
I didn't buy the book. That had never been my motive. But I did achieve what I'd set out to do.
"I'm sorry. You..." I paused as we finished the last of our coffee. "You've been kinder to me in the one week I've moved here than anyone else in my whole life."
I could have bombarded her with the story I'd made up in my mind then and there.
Single kid, parents died in a tragic car accident, grew up with and got abused by his rich aunt and uncle, somehow managed to make it on his own. I even had a profession down—I was a food journalist looking to get into the book publishing business.
Juniper simply nodded. "It's hard sometimes. Whereabouts are you located?"
"I'm putting up in a condo in the southern precinct."
"Would you like me to show you around? I haven't been living alone for too many months myself, but I grew up here. My mama lives in the southern precinct. I myself got a little home in the Central region."
"You'd do that?" I asked her, making sure to have my eyes light up.It’s a performance, after all.
"Of course," she said, smiling. "That makes us friends, by the way. And as your friend, I expect an occasional bourbon pecan ice cream treat."
I could have done a victory dance then and there. It took all of my higher-class upbringing to not do that, actually.
Instead, I returned her smile with a warm one of my own and inclined my head. "I'm not one for colloquialisms, but you're as sweet as a peach in July! I take a solemn oath to feed you as much pecan ice cream as you'd like, even in winter."
She chuckled. "You sound like someone who's seen a lot of the world. I've always wondered what that's like. To be able to do it too, like I can't think of staying away from Oakmont for longer than five months. I've always been a homebody."
"Well," I replied, folding my arms across my chest, "’Tis a dangerous business, goin' out your door."
"Oh, goodness, I can't believe I've met a fellow Tolkien nut," she said, her tone positively bouncing with excitement. "I've wanted to rewatch the films with someone too!"
"That can totally be our first assignment. But before that, will you show me around the city's historical landmarks?"
