Daniella was finding it odd to be walking around in November and to not have snow on the ground. Her mind flashes back to her life in Alnwick, the snow of winters there. While she could no longer feel the cold of the snow on her skin, she had still enjoyed sitting near the frozen pond, seeing the Estate covered with a white blanket. She always loved how the world looked clean and new after the snow fell, walking around and watching the snow fall and dance in front of her. Focusing on the world in front of her, trying to put memories behind her, she puts her hands in her pockets and keeps walking.


The thoughts had brought a smile to her face as she entered a used book store she had found near her haven a couple nights ago. It was fairly empty, and she was not surprised considering the time. The guy behind the counter barely looks up as she enters, offering a mumbled evening, clearly he loved his job, she muses.
She had no trouble finding what she was looking, though her problem seemed to be making her mind up. As she looked at the three books in front of her, trying to pick out one, but knowing she would leave with all of them. She had been watching a guy from the corner of her eye, as only a Shadow can do, using her sight to gauge him. It would make sense to pick up dinner with her books, and his aura made him an easy target. Sighing, but with a smile, she makes her way to the counter, all three books in hand, the employee of the year barely making eye contact as he takes her money and she leaves. As she turns, she bumps into the guy from the shelves, dropping her books, she acts surprised.


“I am so sorry!” she exclaims as she makes an attempt to reach her books. Her eyes meet his on the way down, “My mind seems to be all over the place this evening.” His eyes met hers, of course reaching for her books before she does and gives her a goofy smile, “No problem, I should have been watching where I was going.” As he starts to hand her books back to her, he glances at the title of the top book, “Raymond Chandler? An interesting choice, your first time reading his work?” the guy asks. Accepting her books back, “It is, he was recommended to me by a very good friend. Have you read any of his books?” she asks as she tucks her books into her bag, glancing at the clock on the wall. “I haven’t, though I have heard good things about him, and he is on my Syllabus,” catching her look at the time, “If you are not in a hurry, maybe I could buy you some coffee and we could discuss it?” she raises an eyebrow, he must be a college student, but, she needed dinner, and he was offering it up to her. Her smile widens, “Well, I have sometime before I have to get back, it sounds great!” She pauses to adjust her coat and follows him out the door.

~~~


Thankfully the street had been empty, and complaining about her shoes hurting, they stopped to sit on a park bench. She allowed him to make a move on her, waiting until she had the perfect moment to make his night. As she stands, she picks up her books, thankful for the cover of night and for anyone looking thinking they were a couple making out. She glances at him once more before leaving, sitting, relaxed, a blissful look on his face and walks into the night.