Thursday evenings meant being the librarian's assistant till it was 12 and after that, I'd have to hand over the keys to the guy who took the morning shift. Out of all the part-time jobs I could have, I was grateful to have this one even if it meant going through hundreds of issued books and sorting them or re-issuing them again.

The library was owned by a family named Pine and even though private-owned libraries are supposed to be overrated and expensive, this one was the opposite. Apparently the family ran this like some sort of charity and they did not hold back on anything which meant that the building looked like it came out of some gothic fairytale with its stone facade and arched windows which held stained glass art.

It opened into a foyer which also served as a reception for its members while the spacious winged foyer was for people who just wanted to read (their own book or the library's) and leave. Behind the reception desk was a grand staircase and the open ceiling allowed one to get a good view of the two floors above and enclosing it all was the magnificent glass dome that was outlined concealed ceiling lights.

Behind the grand staircase was a corridor trimmed with rows of fluted columns which at certain intervals broke into arched pane less windows which also served as seats. The horizontal corridor opened into the student's lounge adjacent to a small cafe whose coffee was the only reason I could keep awake some nights.

This building was like a fairytale home to me and I bet they were surprised when they saw a tiny eager looking college freshman holding up a leaflet of their ad for an assistant. To my luck, the head librarian was a kind woman in her mid forties, Miss James. She happened to be the head of this charity as well making her always on her feet.

'Ah, Salome! After you settle in, I'd like you to help a group of students in the lounge. They're looking for architecture books and you might just be able to put them out of their misery', she said and I grinned.

The one thing I was good at doing was finding books based on architecture. After five years of architectural education and I finally realized that research was my strong point, which brought me to MG where I could take a master's in it instead of slaving around in an office, stuck in front of a computer screen from 9 to 8.

As I walked into the student's lounge, it was easy to spot them out because they were the only group of people who stood in front of the Architecture section looking like lost sheep.

'Can I help you?', I asked and the person who had his back turned against me quickly turned around to say, 'Yes, we-...', but he trailed off and then broke into a smile as he recognized me.

'Ethan', I said and I'm pretty sure that I looked like a gaping goldfish.

'Hello, Salome', he said and his smile grew wider so I quickly pulled myself together as I noticed that his friends were looking at us strangely.

'Hi, how can I help?', I asked and looked at the others so that I wouldn't have to only engage with him. 'We're trying to find books on Italian architecture', said a girl.

'The history', added Ethan.

'Okay, so this entire aisle', I said pointing at my right, 'Is architecture but to the left, you'll find the history category of it. We have only a few books just for Italian so you might also want to look up the ones in European history', I explained and then watched as they proceeded to hunt for their books, except for Ethan who chose to stand in front of me.

'Did you find your phone?', he asked and I internally cringed.

'Yeah, I happened to have it on me', I said and noticed his smile become lopsided from amusement.

'So, you work here?', he asked and I nodded.

'Pretty cool job', he said and I smiled at the compliment.

'Yeah, it's like working in Belle's library', I said and watched as he chuckled at my Disney statement. 'Yes, quite like Belle', he said and held my gaze but the buzz from my pager brought me back to earth.

'Yeah well Belle needs to re-issue some books', I said and mentally face palmed myself for addressing myself as Belle.

'Oh okay. I'll see you before I leave', he said and felt like I was on one of those rides that went up and then suddenly drops you. Why on earth would I feel that way?

'Let me know if you guys need help', I replied and he nodded before leaving to join his friends.

The second he left I could feel the oxygen return to my lungs and I felt like a fool for being influenced by someone who I barely knew. As I returned to re-issue the books, I could hear Dev's voice in my head saying 'You're a sucker for any good looking guy who talks like some English gentleman'.

I could already hear my insides groaning at me for being stuck in a fictional world but hey! You cant deny class and besides I'M HUMAN! I appreciate human beauty!

'How's that story coming around?', asked Miss James as she entered the cubicle. I smiled at her concern for my lately dust-gathering hobby.

'It's getting...somewhere', I said and watched as she laughed softly at my concerned voice.

'Oh, so you're still stuck at her kidnapping?', she asked and I grinned at how she remembered.

'You actually remember it?', I asked and she waved her hand at me as if it were no big deal.

'I have no issue in remembering good stories, Salome. Besides, what do your 'Wattpad peeps' think about it?', she asked and I couldn't help but laugh out loud at her question. There was something adorable to how adults used young people's terms.

'I think they've given up on regular updates', I said and she laughed.

'Well, as long as you're writing, that's all that matters', she said and I nodded as a scanner beeped across the code lines.

Once she left for her rounds, I thought about what she had said. It was true, as long as I wrote something, regardless of whether it was good or not, I'd be okay. For over a year all I can write about is Karthick and what he meant to me or scenarios that play around in my head and even dreams. I hadn't touched a single-story plot I had left behind but I was trying now and I guess I owed it all to this new place.