Chapter 1: Spitballs

Sometimes, I regret getting a job at the town's public library because it meant helping out the elementary students with their homework. They tend to be a bit hyperactive and to put it bluntly: annoying. They struggle to finish their homework because they're too busy shooting paper balls (which I have to clean up most of the time) across the library at their friends.

The little boy Terry, a loud and obnoxious fourth grader, glanced over my shoulder and grinned mischievously as he crumbled up the piece of scrap paper I set out for him to work out his division on. I groaned loudly, my patience lessening as the time ticked by. "Terry, please put down the paper."

Terry ignored me and I pressed my fingers lightly to my temples. "Audrey, I need help with my multiplication!" I glanced at the group of girls behind me. They were staring at me with confused looks on their faces.

"One second, girls, I just need to help Terry," I replied before glancing at Terry, who was now ducking behind the table, avoiding the oncoming strand of white, lined paper balls flying in his general direction. I glared down at the table as I felt the crumbled ball hit my face.

I grit my teeth as the boys snickered. "I don't think you can supply Terry with the help he needs, you're not a professional," one of the middle school girls joked. I nodded along with her before turning towards Terry.

"Terry, finish your math work; if you need help, call me over here," I informed him.

I need a break. Other than Ms. Janie and Mr. Pete, I'm the only person who works in the library. I'm the only teenager who works here, unfortunately. I have nobody to socialize with when I do have a break. I begged Sandra or Lola to work with me but they both turned down my offer because they can't deal with kids or the idea of staying in a place with more than 2 books by choice. They say it gives them a headache. Let's just say, I don't hang out with the same group of kids I did back then.

---

I sighed in content once all of the children filed out of the library. "We need to get you some more help, huh?"

I turned to Ms. Janie and nodded my head tiredly. I still needed to complete my own homework. "That'd be great."

"Nobody has responded to the hiring sign..." Ms. Janie sighs.

I shrugged. "I might be able to find some help at the school," she and I let out a laugh. "Who am I kidding? I don't socialize."

Ms. Janie frowned. "Audrey, you need to, dear. Make more friends, broaden your circles, it's your last year there- make it your best year there," she informed me and I shrugged, spinning around in the chair childishly.

"Why? I have Sandra and Lola," I muttered.

"What happens if Sandra and Lola are absent on the same day?" Ms. Janie asked and I shrugged.

"Well, I guess I'm also absent because we skipped to watch 'Magic Mike' together," I grinned up at her. Ms. Janie rolled her eyes.

"You're crazy, you know that, Audrey?" Ms. Janie asked me and I shrugged.

"Crazy for Channing Tatum, that's for sure," I replied, grabbing my coat and heading towards the door. "I'll see you tomorrow, Ms. J."

---

I glared at my mother as she laughed and joked on the phone. She'd called me downstairs to help her make dinner yet she was still on the phone with Emily. Don't get me wrong, Emily is a great person, it's just that I'd rather not be interrupted to help with dinner while doing a project, especially if I'm only listening to my mother talk about how the new stapler at the office is defective.

"Mom, can we please hurry this up?" I asked as I propped myself on a stool. I've been sitting here for fifteen minutes, just waiting for my mother to hang up. Every time I made a move to leave, she'd wave at me to come back over and point to the stool that I'm currently seated on. As you can assume, I've just attempted to escape.

My mother held up her index finger, indicating that she'd only be another minute. Yeah, you said that two hours ago. I let out a loud sigh as I laid my head on the counter top. "Looking for work?"

I just closed my eyes and listened as my mother paused for a moment. Maybe Emily is the one hanging up. "I'm pretty sure the library is hiring."

My head snapped up at the sound of that and I quickly shook my head. My mother was keen on ignoring me. I cursed myself for complaining to her about how I needed some help at the library. "Just have him swing by."

I was vigorously shaking my head as if to say 'no.' "Yeah, well, I have to let you go now, Em. Yeah, Audrey is getting impatient," as they ended the phone call, I let out a loud groan.

My mom just smiled at me. "You wanted to start cooking, right?"