To the library

You weren't sure if it was a sense of obligation or the appeal of air conditioning, but after you'd had enough of the sun, you decided to check out the library.

The sign over the door simply read "Cedar Springs Public Library" and as you stepped inside, you caught the familiar smell of books. The smell wasn't as appealing as you'd remembered, but you pressed on anyway. The librarian at the front desk looked up, somewhat startled, as you entered.

He was a youngish man, and would have been attractive if he weren't slightly overweight. He smiled, nodding at your shirt, as you approached. "Hey there miss, how can I help you?" The tag on his jacket said 'Alex.'

"I'd like to set up a library card." you replied, but even as you spoke the words, you started to question yourself. Would you *really* be frequenting this little library? It smelled musty. "... If it's not too much trouble." you added.

Alex walked you through setting up an account with the library as you finished your coffee, and then pointed you toward the various genres. "Fiction is that way, Nonfiction toward the front. You can find science fiction over in the corner by the window." He must have been guessing by your shirt, to point that out.

You started toward the Science Fiction section, then paused. "What about Romance?" You asked, blushing a bit. Maybe it was your fight with Greg, but you felt like you could use a good romance novel today.

He answered with a smile that was *almost* condescending, "In the back, near the computer bank. Guilty pleasure?"

Your blush deepened, and you nodded, heading towards the back. You felt his eyes on your butt as you walked away, and felt a tingling sense of pride.

*It feels so good when men watch you,* said that small part of you, *and it's fun!*

You'd barely read romance before, but you still recognized covers as you thumbed through them. They all looked mostly the same, with variations of shirtless men holding beautiful women against a backdrop of something picturesque. In the past they'd seemed simplistic and patriarchal, but you found yourself reading the descriptions with interest.

*This is exactly the kind of thing my shirt is rebelling against,* you thought. Still, you fished out a couple, skimming summaries and moving through.

*Some of these descriptions are pretty hot,* part of you thought.

You'd collected three books when your phone vibrated three times and stopped; the low battery from this morning had finally given out. About time to go home.

You resolved to make this trip productive by bringing home some books, but you were starting to have second thoughts about your fight with Greg. Sure, he'd been a jerk. But he'd also been really great helping with the house. You'd had some great sex before you got upset with him. So what if he's called Aimee a slut? She'd called *herself* a slut!

As you considered the situation, you felt the dizziness from the day before returning. Your vision swam, and you gasped, throwing a hand out to steady yourself against the shelf. Embarrassed, you looked around, but Alex didn't seem to have noticed.

Your vision settled, and you regained your balance, as the room stopped spinning around you. It wasn't as bad as the day before, but still disorienting. You would have to see a doctor about that if it kept up. You picked up "The Martian's Lover" and "Silent Knight" and made your way toward the front, worried about fainting again.

You rounded a corner heading back to the front desk, and had Alex scan your books, bagging them up for you as well. You enjoyed the feeling of his eyes on you as you walked out with your books.