The Complex Art of Rosie

to

o stumble and nearly drop all of her books. She was walking through the campus to get to one of her lectures when she had cr

rom croaking out any sob-like noise. She was used

hem laughing when Rosie hadn't said anything.

the sigh. "Give me something, Rosebud. One

er. If she stood here silently and let them get in all the snickering they wanted, they would eventually grow bored with her silence and leave her alone. Even if she

t her head so she would look at him. He smirked when her eyes locked with his. "There we go, sweetheart. Look at those gorgeous ey

ste. She shook her head, causing his hand to fall to his s

, his smirk growing. "Lo

d her ground but her legs started to feel like jello. Th

his attention. "Come on m

sie for even a second. "Why's the cat got your tongue?

to break their eye contact. It was like Blaze had her trapped in his gaze, making

ing from becoming rapid and shallow. She was losing all

k. "Continue this later. If we're late, you know

pulled his face further away from Rosie's. He stood straig

is signature smirk before him and Andrew walke

s ached from how tightly she had been gripping onto her textbooks. She shut her eyes for a moment, e

he library to work a shift. She practically ran away

workers, asked as she walked into

than her, only being a freshman. Similar to Rosie, Simon was quiet, didn't hav

y didn't make much more than small talk. The odd times they would have longer conversations, it was simply because

ag. She slumped against the checkout desk

the spinning chair and lookin

irely wanting to explain the embarrassing

nte

or Simon to know exactly

ay. Simon knew just how much of a bully Blaze Winter

with a side of dir

umourless laugh,

a jerk. Sorry you h

r shoulders. "Not

e world loves to tear on

needed to be shelved. It didn't take Rosie long to finish the usual daily work she had at the library. Once the wor

ed because she spent more time than anyone else in this library. It was her safe spac

area of the wall, it would open up into a tiny hidden room that was filled with ol

needed any help but the library was usually empty and hardly got any customers, occasionally a student or two looking for

mon asked as he gath

, watching h

t, Ro

library was now closed. Instead of going home, she stayed at the library for a

ent was close to both the campus and the library she worked at. Her almost daily walk allowed her to clear her head a

some c

d, nearly jumpin

king closer towards her. "I was out on a

ment to catch her breath and calm

had already started walking. "We'r

two of them walked in a mostly comfortable silence. The sky was dark, th

em walked. He wanted to make conversation but he knew Rosi

ally spoke, stating the obvious because he didn't know w

ked. She felt bad that she was such a poor conversationalis

aceful work

to her, she knew he was being cautious and speaking in sentences that gave her the option of remaining silent with h

nuing to kick small rocks and pebbles as the two of them walked. "He had a massive library filled with so many books, I didn't think it was possible

ced at Anthony through the corner of her

t without him being conscious about it. He just found it easy to talk to her, even if she wo

her head so her hair would curtain aro

e meant by that. I never thought much about books, nor did I like reading. I guess I al

to him speak. She liked that she was learning about him,

her responses, or lack of responses. Rosie felt like she could continue to be herself, as awkward as she may

ng, you escape reality for a little while and fall into a whole other uni

he had finished speaking. She quickly shook

She winced at herself, continuing to shake he

ng in his tracks to get Rosie to stop and

n her face, her eyebrows p

iled softly, his warm eyes peering in hers. "It's not, you're no

was dark out so he couldn't see the blush that was spreading across her

ed in silence but it was comforta

utside the apa

ny grinned at Rosie, a playf

ightly disappointed they had gotten to the apartment building so soon. She had

eyes lingering on her for a moment too long before he t

out in a breath. Anthony turned to look at

ravels,