Chapter Text
Gavin immediately recognized the nostalgic smell of books when he entered the library. It was one of his favorite smells, and played a big part in drawing him back to the library every week to check out more books. The local library was small, but homely, and housed all the books Gavin would ever want to read. He usually would check out two at a time, take a week to read them, and then exchange them for another pair. It was part of his routine, and he was now a familiar face by the library’s owner.
Gavin swung in the front door, dropping off his last two reads at the front desk. The librarian, Mrs. Sherman who wore bright orange hair that was usually tied up into a high bun, smiled in return and collected Gavin’s returns. “Good morning, Gavin!” Mrs. Sherman greeted as she dropped the books into the return bin and strode back over to her computer.
“Good morning, Mrs. Sherman.” Gavin answered, taking a moment to pet the library’s cat, Joe, who was happily sitting on a nearby stool. After the cat was satisfied, Gavin turned and started to wander down the isles that towered above him, holding countless stories and adventures that were waiting to be read.
Gavin didn’t have many friends. He moved from England after graduating high school to Austin, Texas, and never found an opportunity to mingle and meet new people. He worked part-time at a coffee shop downtown, which only brought him irritated customers who wanted their frappes quickly. He found solace in reading, and liked the idea of being able to melt into a whole new world apart from his current boring one. He could spend hours reading, which to him, felt like minutes.
Gavin had made a few friends, despite his scheduled life of work and reading books outside cafés. The person he talked to most as an older, gruff man by the name of Geoff Ramsey. They went out for drinks often, and would often go over to each other’s places to play Xbox and to watch movies. Geoff was married and had a daughter, whom Gavin was familiar with as well. They weren’t ‘best friends’, but he was someone Gavin could trust.
The Brit much preferred reading over hanging out, any day. He searched the shelf and found an interesting book titled The Bell Jar. Gavin was familiar with the author, Sylvia Plath, and figured this was just another stunning work. He pricked it off the shelf and continued down the isles to find his last catch.
Upon deciding that he was going to read The Lord of the Flies for the eighth time, Gavin picked it off the shelf and sat it on top of The Bell Jar. He smiled to himself, considered today’s finds pretty successful, and checked them out of the library. Petting Joe goodbye, and waving to Mrs. Sherman, Gavin exited and proceeded to his favorite café.
Gavin always liked to read in front of Galaxy Café, due to it’s chic street-corner location and pretty foliage decorated outside. It sat a few small tables outside for you to do whatever you needed to in the warm air and sunshine of Austin. Gavin preferred to sit and read, or fool around on his laptop. Every now and then he’d order a cup of coffee or tea, or a small pastry. It was a quant café, and the atmosphere was pleasant to be around.
Gavin walked the streets of downtown Austin. The sun was bright, and there were few clouds strewn across the baby-blue sky. It was a picturesque Spring day in Texas, where the temperatures weren’t hot enough to melt the clothes off your back. The air felt mild on Gavin’s skin, and was free of the cheeky humidity that bothered him to no end. There was a slight breeze picking up the ends of Gavin’s hair, blowing them to the right. It wasn’t a strong-enough wind to annoy him, though, so he ignored it and hoped his hairspray would be enough to keep it styled.
Gavin arrived at Galaxy Café and entered the building. The aroma of coffee beans instantly filled his lungs, which was always a comforting feeling that reminded him of his home where his mom made at least three pots of coffee everyday. Maybe that’s why he worked at a coffee shop, because the smell always put him at ease. Gavin didn’t mind the fact that almost every article of clothing he owned smelled of coffee and laundry detergent.
Once ordering his vanilla cappuccino, Gavin bought a cookie and exited the building to sit at his normal table. The shade of the umbrella on table was enough to make him remove his shades and take his books out of his satchel strung around his shoulder. He sat, setting his coffee and cookie perpendicular to each other in front of him, and took a deep breath of the springtime air before opening The Lord of the Flies to reread.
Gavin was instantly confused upon opening the first page of the book. There writing scribbled on the inside of the cover that wasn’t there the last time Gavin had the book in his possession. How dare someone write on a library book! Gavin was even more taken back by what the writing said.
“Call me- 512-438-9336 (: XOXO”
Gavin must’ve read over the short message twenty times. Why would someone leave their phone number in a public library book? It was disrespectful! The Brit considered calling the number to give the writer a piece of his mind. He pressed his thumb harder onto the pages he was holding, and slammed the book closed. He wasn’t going to read today. He was going to spend all day contemplating whether to call or not. Scooping his books back into his bag, and grabbing his refreshments, Gavin walked a little more fast-paced towards his downtown apartment.
It was about a fifteen minute speed-walk from Galaxy Café to Gavin’s apartment building. He lived up on the sixth floor, which sported a great view of the shops and streets below. Gavin would watch the people when he had nothing better to do, and read in the natural sunlight of the window. He liked his apartment, and thought it was the perfect size for a quiet man like himself.
Once inside his apartment, Gavin threw his satchel on the living room couch and collapsed on the nearby chair. “Bloody hell,” he murmured in frustration. He found himself rubbing his fingers through his hair. What if the number belonged to a girl? Gavin hadn’t had a date in a long time. If she checked out the book, she must be a bookworm like himself. The very idea excited Gavin, but he knew the chances of him meeting a girl that was actually interested him through a phone number on a book was very low.
Gavin bit his lip. He wanted to call the number, just to see who had the right mind to vandalize public property. He didn’t want to seem like a freak who was going to call someone out for writing on a book, well at least, that’s not what he wanted to come across as. The whole situation was causing Gavin anxiety. He told himself over and over again that nothing would come out of it if he just wouldn’t call the number, but something inside him was screaming at him to do it. What’s the harm, after all?
Gavin reached for his satchel and pulled out The Lord of the Flies. He opened the cover, and read the message in the corner again and again. He was going to call it. There was a beacon of courage inside of him that told him just to call the fucking number. Digging inside of his pocket, Gavin pulled out his phone and unlocked it.
Gavin dialed the number, and stared at it for a good three minutes. He was doing this. He was doing this. There was no turning back now. The number was dialed, and the decision was made up in Gavin’s head. He was going to press call, and see who picked up. Despite the feeling that twisted in his stomach, Gavin gently tapped call and held the phone up to his ear.
Ring. Ring. Ring. With each ring, Gavin’s stomach turned to more ice. What if he didn’t pick up? Was he going to keep calling the damn person until they did? Wouldn’t that be a little weird? Gavin felt his hand shaking as he held the phone, his thoughts only getting interrupted when a voice answered.
“Hello?”
It was a male voice. The possibility of a hot girl who liked books was now ruled out. Gavin opened his mouth and thought of the words to say before speaking smoothly and not like a freak.
“Who the fuck is this?”
Gavin snapped back into the reality of the phone call when he realized he had been silent for a few moments. “Oh, sorry,” he shot back, awkwardly, fumbling over his words. He didn’t know how exactly to start up conversation, but was trying his best. “I, er, found your number in The Lord of the Flies.”
Gavin furrowed his brows when he heard a maniacal cackle from the other line of the phone. “Oh, did you?” the voice replied, still snickering. Gavin was amazed at how ignorant the man behind the phone sounded. “Did you call for a good time?”
“No,” Gavin responded dully, not phased by the unknown number’s idiotic attempts at trying to be funny. “I was just interested in who you were, that’s all.”
The voice was silent for a few heartbeats, before piping up his obnoxiously loud voice again. “Oh, well, I put my number in there for shits and giggles.”
Gavin figured as much. “Thought so,” he muttered, crossing his legs. At least he got some sort of conversation going. “Introduce yourself.”
The line was silent for a moment. Gavin began to regret being so straight-forward, until the man began to talk again. “Michael Jones,” the voice answered, smoother and less irritating. “And you are?”
Gavin felt his throat go dry. A name like Michael seemed to fit the voice so well it almost unnerved him. “Gavin Free,” he replied, clenching his thumb in his fist. Michael Jones sounded a lot more friendly when he wasn’t cackling like a loon.
“Nice meeting you, Gavin Free,” Michael said. “Well, I haven’t met you. Maybe I should meet you.”
Gavin felt his stomach leap again. Michael wanted to meet him? He’d been talking on the phone with him for a mere three minutes! For all Michael knew, Gavin could be a serial killer or something!
“You want to meet me?” Gavin repeated, sounding a bit unconvinced. “You’ve only just talked to me for a few minutes.”
“Well, you know,” Michael replied, his voice cracking. “You sound pretty cool, and you’ve got a cool accent. You like coffee?”
Gavin smirked. This Michael character sounded pretty funny himself. “Yeah, I work in a coffee shop three days a week,” he said, running his free hand through his hair.
“You have work tomorrow?”
“Yes, at 3:00,” Gavin said quickly, anticipating where Michael was going to ask to meet him. He was eager for the opportunity to actually make a friend. He was tired of being alone all the time with his books, and occasionally a drunk Geoff.
“Meet me at Galaxy Café then at 11.” Michael invited, and Gavin could tell he was smiling. “I still think it’s hilarious that you called that number.”
This time, Gavin was the one laughing. “I was curious!” he said defensively. “Anyways, see you tomorrow, Michael.”
“See you tomorrow. Bye.”
And with that, Gavin’s miraculously found friend clicked the line and ended the call. Gavin was still bewildered and how well everything played off. He called an anonymous number in a library book, and ended up finding a possible new friend.
Squealing with excitement, Gavin scurried off to read the book that might’ve led him to a new light in his world of stories.