text: I really hope shes comes back today. This marks day 4 this week of trying to work up the courage to finally drag my feet over there and ask her for her name. The first time I saw her, she was just sitting there, blissfully unaware of her radiating beauty. Sitting alone in a bustling library, both airpods in, tapping away on her macbook in what looked like a studying trance. Seemingly unaware of the world around her. The soft steady beeping of the library patrons checking out their books and the humming of the overhead florescent lights drowning out near silence. I had been in this library to escape a rain shower on my morning walk to work. I pass it everyday and look at it in awe. Nestled in a little park stood this elegant library. Weathered stone bricks lead up to emerald green oak doors that looked to weight hundreds of pounds and seemed to stretch all the way to the roof. It had large stained glass windows, with a magnificent array of colors and inspiring designs. Around the windows there was swamp green ivy crawling up the walls along with bright pink flowers in bloom every 6 inches or so, creating a coat of leafy floral armor. The library is at the very beginning of my walk, so it wasnt the easiest or most fun getting here everyday, but I needed to talk to this girl. I feel like a creep watching her, but I cant take my eyes off her soft beauty. Her dark brown hair spirals off her head, falling into full beautiful curls, resting about her shoulders. Gold-framed, circle glasses, big enough to catch the sunlight that comes in from the great windows to blind me every so often, reminding me that ive been staring for far too long. I wonder if shes even noticed me. Everyday shes brought her Mac Book protected by an avocado green case, her baby blue back pack, and what looks like a iced latte from starbucks. What could I say to such a striking woman to even get her attention? Should I even try to interrupt her studying? What if she hates that? I guess I could just introduce myself, but what about after that? what if she has a boyfriend? she must, shes too gorgeous to be single, but what do I know? I wont do anything anyways, and she will just walk away, again. At least so I thought. Today stop in was like any other. Sounds of steady beeping of the book scanners and the now familiar smell of old paper and freshly brewed blonde roast from the nearby Starbucks filled the air. She was getting ready to leave. Packing away her laptop and books into her oversized backpack. Takes the last few sips of her coffee, and gracefully walks out of the building, capturing all the sunlight as she leaves, leaving the room noticeably dimmer. Everything was the same, except this time she accidentally left her pencil case on the table. Immediately my body moved on its own. I walked over to the study desk and picked it up without even thinking, and chased after the woman ive been too afraid to talk to. “Excuse me! I think you left this.” She turned around, finally allowing me to be able to take in all her beauty up close. Her eyes, striking and deep brown, like luminous burning coals on a cool fall evening. Peachy desirable lips sat on her face underneath soft and delicate cheeks. She had that true kind of beauty, not the kind you would find flipping through a popular fashion magazine. Only the kind that can be found on the face of someone you never could forget, no matter how hard you tried. “So you’re finally going to talk to me?” she replied in a playful tone. I looked at her puzzled, trying to hide the embarrassment and guilt of getting caught. “What do you mean?” “Oh, so im not supposed to notice the guy who isnt reading any books and keeps looking at me?” Damn, she really got me. “Ooooh” I said with a laugh. “You noticed that?” She chuckled “Well you didnt make it very hard. You came in for three of the last four days, and have picked up one book since youve been here?” she replied. I can feel my cheeks burning red with guilt. I guess I wasnt very good at hiding my slack jaw gaze. “Haha, well, I guess that wasnt the smartest idea, to be honest I just couldnt take my eyes off you. From the first day I saw you I wanted to introduce myself, but I was just too afraid to walk over.” “What? Why were you too afraid to walk over?” “Well, I have a hard time talking to beautiful women.” I replied. “Wow, did you really think that cheesy line was going to work?” she said in a mocking but playful tone. Shes really giving it to me. “Yes.....okay no. But its not just a cheesy line. I am bad at talking to pretty girls, and you are beautiful.” Now I can see her cheeks starting to flush. “Ok...so you have known ive been looking at you this whole time?” I asked. “Yes.” “And you obviously didnt think it was creepy or that I was weird cause you didnt have a worker to ask me to stop or leave.” “Wellll, I wouldnt say that.” she said with a smartass smile. “So wait, did you leave the pencil case on purpose?” I asked “Now you’re starting to catch on.” she replied in a sarcastic tone. “You kept looking at me and coming back in but didnt say anything so I decided to do something myself.” Oh wow, so she might like me too if she was willing to do that, but shes got me in her hand like putty and she knows it, I can see it in her sweet but intense eyes. “You havent even told me your name yet” she said flatly. Shit, how could I forget to introduce myself. I got so wrapped up in being embarrassed, I forgot how to be normal. “Oh yeah, duh. My name. Im Matt, its nice to talk to you finally” “Its nice to meet you Matt” she replied with a smile, “Im Natalie, but everyone calls me Nat.” “Well Nat, now that I have your name, can I have your number so we can go out some time?” “I dont know, are you going to stop coming into the library to stare at me?” she asked playfully. I slyly laugh it off, “of course, I will stop being a creeper from this day forward.” “Ok Matt, well here is my number.” She hands me over a piece of ripped loose leaf paper she took out of her pocket. “I had written that down earlier waiting for you to finally come over today but I had to leave my pencil case to get you in gear” “Ah, yes. Well im glad I was able to grab it finally. Ill go ahead and give you a text, I really gotta get to work.” I handed back her pencil case and we said our goodbyes. I watched as she walked away down the busy city street disappearing into the school of people in their way to whatever destination they had in mind. How am I supposed to go back to work after that? It was like the fourth of july and christmas morning all at the same time! I just cant believe she gave me her number. The feeling of anxiety of wanting to talk to her and dread for not talking to her leaving my body like all the gas being released from a pressurized can. I let out a relaxing exhale. That long walk back to the office just didnt seem so long that day.