I led us to a table in the reference section of the library. I plopped my backpack on the table and he chose a seat opposite me, pulling out the chair, but not sitting in it as I hadn’t sat. He looked at me with his brows raised like ‘What’s going on?’ I grinned at him because we needed to go to the computer first and look up Piaget to find the library’s collection. I pointed at the wall of monitors.

As I assumed there were a lot of books. I scanned the screen, jotting down the numbers as I picked some to look at. This was what I was good at; hiding behind research, behind academics, avoiding tough confrontations. I led him to the stacks.

I found the right row. As I scanned the spines, he asked. “Do you like me?” I froze. My heart suddenly skipped a beat. I wanted to tell him the truth, he deserved that much, but I also didn’t want to embarrass myself too much. I closed my eyes and took a breath.

“I.. I always have.” I confessed almost in a whisper. Since we were in a library, it was very audible.