Demi shifted the strap of her messenger bag across her chest as she stepped off of the train and onto the platform, heading towards the town square. She could smell freshly baked pastries in the air, the scent mingling with the salty ocean breeze. This was her fresh start, a quiet place to get away from the bustling cities and rediscover herself.
After grabbing a warm croissant from the bakery, she headed over to a booker store resting in the corner of the plaza. The battered old sign read “Ink & Ivy”. Ivy vines were carved into the frame and hand painted flowers decorated it, worn with time. Drawn with curiosity Demi pushed open the door, a bell gently chiming and announcing her arrival.
Sitting behind the counter sat a woman with curly ginger hair, curled up in a chair with her nose in a book. She wore an oversized sweater that pulled over the top of her hands, and she had a pair of round glasses perched upon her nose. She looked up to briefly acknowledge Demi’s presence before immersing herself into the book once more.
“Hello,” Demi softly spoke, not wanting to startle the pretty woman. She looked up from her book, warm brown eyes speckled with gold locking onto Demi’s. She smiled slightly.
“Welcome to Ink & Ivy, are you looking for anything particular?” she said while gently setting the book down. Her voice was soothing, melodic and low. It had a slight rasp that made Demi’s heart flutter in her chest. “I’m just browsing for now, I’m new in town.” Demi responded while looking around.
“It’s always nice to see fresh faces, welcome I’m Ixelz,” the woman said, extending her hand outwards. Demi took it, the firmness of Ixelz’s grip surprising her. “Demi,” she replied, trying her best to sound confident.
“Nice to meet you, Demi. If you need any help finding anything, let me know,” Ixelz said before letting go and returning to her seat. Demi nodded then turned to the isles.
She wandered through the shelves, dragging her fingers along the spine of the books as she walked. The shop was warm and cozy, there was a seating area with mismatched plush chairs scattered around. Faint classical music played over a speaker in the background, giving the shop a peaceful feeling. Every so often as she wondered, she’d catch Ixelz glancing at her with an unreadable expression.
Too shy to do much more than just buy books for now, she found a few that she liked before checking out. No more words were exchanged between the two, even as Demi continued to sneak glances at Ixelz throughout the transaction.
Over the next few weeks, Demi found herself visiting the bookstore frequently. Each time, Ixelz was there perched behind the counter with a book. They quickly fell into a routine of quiet conversation and book recommendations while enjoying each other's company.
On one rainy afternoon, Demi found herself once more curled up into one of the shop's armchairs, a book held in her lap. Ixelz approached her quietly while carrying two steaming mugs of tea with her. She quietly held one out to Demi, waiting for her to take the mug before sitting on the chair next to her.
Demi sipped on her tea, enjoying its warmth while reading. She was oblivious to the look in Ixelz’s eyes as she watched Demi. After watching for a while, Ixelz finally mustered up the courage to get Demi’s attention with a gentle tap on the shoulder. “Do you need something Ixelz?” Demi asked, confused.
“You,” Ixelz responded, moving to share the chair with Demi. Demi looked surprised, she had never considered the fact that Ixelz could like her back. She had assumed that Ixelz only saw her as a friend. “I don’t believe you,” Demi whispered quietly. Ixelz grabbed her chin gently before kissing her. Pulling away, Ixelz smiled. “Do you believe me now?”