At the Library ~ Finale

A continuation from Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 and Part 4.

A few days later...

"The person who said that 'love means never having to say that you are sorry' has re-enrol in Love Lesson 101. Look at them, isn't that like the most adorable thing you've seen?"

Clara was whispering to Jayne as they sat in the college library. They had one eye on their text books and another eye discretely focused on the affectionate couple two tables away from them. Everyone else in the library was secretly doing the same. Matt and Eileen were after all, the most popular and glamorous looking couple on campus. Seeing them kiss and make up and making cow's eyes at each other was like watching their very own local One Tree Hill live - simply gossiplicious.

"I guess I'll be dateless for the annual ball then," Jayne said with a wry grin. She turned to look at Clara suspiciously. "You didn't have anything to do with this, did you?"

Her best friend's cute features were immediately composed to a most innocent look. "Oh well, maybe I did, maybe I didn't. Who cares. What matters is, Matt's off your back. You can have the pick of the crop as your date now."

The librarian who was manning the counter nearby cleared his throat and looked pointedly at them. Clara had the grace to look rather sheepish and tugged at Jayne's sleeve, "I am outta here. Long periods of silence gives me the hives. You coming with me?"

"Nah, you go ahead. I need to finish a few more chapters."

"Ok then, see ya," Clara walked away, leaving a very pensive Jayne behind.

Having a pick of the crop of college men indeed. She only wanted to be with one guy and unfortunately, he had someone else in his mind. Life can be so harsh sometimes.

She looked at the empty chair opposite her and sighed. Dean was nowhere to be seen. He was probably avoiding her like the plague. Clara may have a point in saying that Dean was not her type. But heck, try telling her heart that. Ever since they bumped into each other at the library about a year ago, she had felt a connection towards him. In him, she had found not only a loyal and steadfast friend, but someone who made her days so much brighter. It was just too bad that he did not feel the same way towards her.

She sighed some more and buried her nose back into her revision. Maybe her mom was right. Guys were a great big distraction when it comes to hitting the books. Maybe she could learn to live a life of a nun for now, just until her exams were over.

Someone walked past her and settled on the seat opposite her. Jayne didn't bother looking up from her books. It was so darn illogical but she felt that it would not be right to look up and see someone other than Dean sitting there. She propped the book up a little higher and sank her face a little lower so that it was mostly hidden by the book.

It was a most uncomfortable way of reading. Five minutes into it and she was ready to give up and find somewhere else to sit.

Then a yellow sticky note came peeping out from under the base of her textbook. It read:



Jayne blinked at the note in disbelief. Dean was here! She could scarcely believe it. Her eyes shone as she dropped the textbook down with a great big thud and she finally came face to face with the dear face that has been haunting her thoughts the past few days. This time, the librarian cleared his throat in an even more ferocious manner and nearly half of the library's occupants turned their heads towards her in irritation.

But she didn't notice and she didn't care. Why should she when the joy of her waking hours was sitting just in front of her, large as life, as he always had been and she hoped, always will?

For the first time in days, the impish grin was back in her face as she wrote a reply on his note and shoved it back to him.

It simply read:



He looked at her with remorse in his chocolate brown eyes and whispered, "Jayne, I'm sorry for putting you through this. I just... I just didn't want to betray a friend."

"It's ok," she whispered back, not quite understanding what he said. But it did not matter. Not when she knew that he liked her that way, too. Oh, let the heavens sing!

"I'm just so glad you're here, Dean." They grinned at each other some more like a couple of loons before Dean broke the connection with a shy grin.

"So, wanna grab some bite to eat?" he reverted back to his usual line of conversation.

"Ok," she said happily.

And this time when they left the library together, no fly could have had a prayer to pass through between them.

~ The End ~