Toothpaste squirts all over my brush, my hands and the sink. Swearing under my breath, I decide I can clean it later and get to frantically brushing my teeth once I get most of the minty paste off of me. I'm late, and as always when I'm late, things aren't going well.

Finishing in the bathroom I rush to my bedroom, throwing a glance to towards the clock as I slam the door shut. It's eleven fifty and I'm not even dressed. Questioning again, just why the hell I had to say Levi and I should meet at midday, I'm halfway through getting my pyjama bottoms off before I hear the ring of a doorbell drift from downstairs.

It's like hearing a stopwatch that's telling me out of time. I swear again, a bit more colourfully this time and, as quickly as humanely possible, I pull on the first dress I can find. Grabbing my brush, I attempt to think of a way to tame my hair in a way that'll take approximately thirty seconds.

The sound of Mum's laughter drifts from downstairs and I'm wondering what Levi's said to make her laugh on a day she's been scarily irritated from the morning. I've only dared to ask twice what's been behind her moods and all I've had are snappy remarks. Asking a third time would be like requesting a death wish.

I haven't even finished dragging the brush through the mess of tangled curls once before I hear Mum call up the stairs, "Ruby! Levi's here!"

Knowing full well that Levi's here, I smooth down my dress in an attempt to look at least presentable. Presentable. I shut my eyes in frustration; why today of all days did I have to forget to set my alarm? The whole thing feels even more ridiculous seeing as I'm the one who's late, and Levi's the one who's giving me a ride- even though I asked to go to the bloody library in the first place.

"Ruby?" Mum calls again and I curse, accepting the fact that there's nothing I can do about looking like I've only just gotten out of bed (which I have). I've just got to brave it.

Jogging down the stairs, I swallow down the fluttering feeling of apprehension. Walking into the hallway, I see Levi's standing there on the welcome rug. His gaze lands on me just as Mum turns away from him and both of them stare at me in surprise. I know I'm in trouble when Levi's eyes brighten with amusement as he stops himself from laughing.

Mum then gives a small gasp. "Ruby?" she asks, her eyes on my head. "Why's there a..?" She trails off and my hand reaches up to find what she's gesturing to. Oh crap.

My fingers enclose around the handle of my brush which I've left stuck in my hair. Why, god, must I be such a failure? As I pull it out, at the corner of my eye I notice Levi ducking his head down, unable to hold in his laughter.

When he looks up again, his eyes are glimmering with bright amusement. "Now that you're ready, should we get going?" he asks, barely concealing his smile.

I glower at him and huff, "Yes."

* * *

Due to the rare and promising sunshine gleaming outside, the library is quiet. Barely anyone's indoors, instead opting to spend the pleasant April day out in the streets of Wickworth. Leaves are beginning to grow instead of blossoms on trees and the warmth in the air is uplifting after such a murky spring.

Passing through the library doors, I don't know if it's because of the hushed voices, the dim lighting of the sun passing through tinted windows or the endless rows of stories bound in books- the magnificence of the place suddenly strikes me. Wickworth's library is one of the things all its citizens feel proud about, it's often the only reason why some visitors pass by.

There are rumours about this place being a century to hundreds of years old, and it's true that it lacks the modern, almost empty look of some new libraries. Everything about this place seems pleasantly old-fashioned. From the lack of computers to the ancient-looking mahogany shelves that an endless number of books rest on, Wickworth's library feels like an antiquity. It's beautiful.

After searching for and collecting some potentially helpful books, we finally reach an area full of tables and chairs specifically reserved for studying and homework. It's completely empty except for someone that I recognise as Kasia Badowski, the bossy girl from Geography.

She doesn't look up when Levi and I sit at a table opposite her, her eyes remain firmly fixed upon the open Maths textbook before her, her fingers fiddling her white-blonde plait as she figures out whatever difficult equation before her.

Looking away from Kasia, I begin to get my things out my bag, suddenly aware that Levi and I do in fact have a lot of work to be getting on with. He's already flicking through a book whilst I fumble for a notepad and pen. In my haste to find a biro, I accidently send the contents of my bag clattering to the floor. There's a particularly loud thud when my hole-punch bounces off the table leg.

There's the sudden sound of a book slapping against the desk. We both look up to see Kasia scowling at us. Her glasses magnify her eyes, making them appear both owlish and slightly mad. "Excuse me," she says in a clipped voice, "would you keep it down, please." The word 'please' has such a dangerous tone to it you'd be forgiven for forgetting it's usually reserved for polite requests.

I mumble an apology, while embarrassed I can't help but feel annoyed as Kasia's attention returns back to her work.

"Jesus," Levi breathes, turning to me. I widen my eyes and shake my head, convinced that if we so much as speak one more word, we may be bludgeoned to death by a textbook.

We both try and get back to doing the work. A few long moments go by reading and after a couple of chapters, I've found nothing useful in the book I've got.

I reach for another way, noting some helpful bits and pieces from a passage. As I look through it, I notice how close Levi's arm rests on the table to mine. It occasionally touches mine as he turns the page, each brush sending a breath of warmth through my body.

I look down again at my book, skimming over the contents but now, I'm barely able to take any of it in. No sentence really makes sense as my mind wanders away from the contents of whatever I'm reading. The words shift out of focus at every breath or movement Levi makes.

Sitting so close to him, I detect the faint, familiar scent of spring and the woods that I associate with him. I also notice the gentle crease between his eyebrows as they furrow in concentration at whatever he's reading. My eyes down trail to his lips which are curved slightly upwards as he writes something down. I then get the feeling that he knows I'm blatantly staring at him.

As a heated blush blooms across my cheeks, I glance back down at the Geography book, trying hard to focus on some sentence, any sentence. A librarian somewhere is hushing someone to be quiet and it reminds me again about how this assignment is due in tomorrow.

Then Levi sighs softly and stretches. His leg brushes mine and my pulse quickens. It's not like the time in the café, way back in December. That time he'd been teasing me, purposely trying to rile me up. This feels different.

I chance a glance his way and see that Levi's still looking down at his book. Though this time he's eyes aren't moving over the page. He's not reading. His leg still remains against mine. Levi reaches for a different book, the one I picked up in the beginning. His arm presses against mine as he moves, the movement making my breath shorten.

Calm down, Ruby, I silently warn myself, stop begin such an idiot-

And then Levi's fingers brush mine. It feels as though something has sparked between our skin. The touch is electric. Out the corner of my eye, I notice Levi glance my way.

He knows I'm holding my breath, he knows my cheeks are flushed and that I'm completely and utterly not paying the slightest bit attention to what I'm reading but to him.

Hastily, I attempt to dissolve whatever this is between us and skip through a few sections of the book I'm reading in an effort to find something interesting to focus on. I come across a section describing rising sea levels across the globe and hastily begin to read before realising we've studied this topic months ago.

When Levi lets out an amused huff of air after peering over my shoulder I realise he's noticed too. I turn around to throw a glare at him when, with a lurch of my stomach, I realise he's just behind my shoulder, only a breath away. Levi's dark eyes stare into mine and with a fluttering heart, I notice his eyes drop to my lips and-

The quiet chime of his phone interrupts everything, including Kasia's studying.

She loudly inhales irately as I tear my gaze away from Levi's as he reaches for his phone, putting it on silent. He turns to Kasia, about to apologise when she gets there first, "You do know that libraries are meant to be silent?" Her voice is sharp as she glares at us.

I narrow my eyes as annoyance flares up. "Hey, we're not trying to distract you."

Kasia's glare deepens and she's about to reply when Levi interjects. "Let's look for another book," he says quickly. I open my mouth, about to protest that we don't need any more books (partly because I don't want to be the first to back down) when he raises his eyebrows at me. I roll my eyes in a way that says fine.

After sighing loudly and lengthily, I slowly push back my chair and leave the study area alongside Levi while quietly muttering how annoying a lack of manners are. When I've had enough, I realise that we're not heading down the same aisle we visited earlier. I look curiously at the signs telling us which we way we were heading down before asking, "Where are we going?"

"I think I've had enough of Geography for now," Levi replies. "Besides, we could do with a break."

I raise my eyebrows. "A break? We've hardly worked."

"I mean for you," he says, a smirk tilting his lips upward, "since you looked like you were about to murder that girl back there"

Crossing my arms in defiance, I'm too ready to argue how I'd been perfectly right to get irritated before I notice that one of the signs we're passing reads Children's. Levi stops and glances up at what I'm looking at, reading the sign too.

His eyes flicker towards the stacks of shelves surrounding brightly coloured bean bags which are currently empty. "What was your favourite book when you were a kid?" he asks.

The unexpected question leaves me stumbling for a few moments to find a response.

"Er..." I begin, thinking back to early memories. "Probably Little-," I stop in my tracks.

"Little..?" Levi asks expectantly. I look away from him, reluctant to share the title.

I'm not exactly encouraged when I see how he's grinning. "Little Red Riding Hood," I say finally, trying to put as little emphasis on the word 'red' as I can. As soon as Levi hears the name of the fairy-tale he starts to laugh. I attempt to glower at him, but I can't. Not when I'm listening to such a wonderful sound.

"You're kidding," he says, his eyes bright with humour. Red. I still find it absurd he found out it was my favourite colour before I did. To be honest, I'd never thought about it until he pointed it out.

"I wish I was," I mutter. Now I'm curious to know what his answer is. "What about yours?"

"Where the Wild Things Are," he replies, without a moment's hesitance.

I recall the story, remembering the little boy Max and his journey into a fantasy world home to the Wild Things. I remember how captivated our class were when our teacher first read it aloud to us in Year One.

I smile. "How come?"

Levi simply shrugs, looking towards the books again. "No idea," he responds. I frown. Any idiot would know he's not telling the truth. I stand quietly, waiting for a moment before he sighs and runs a hand through his hair.

"It's the first I remember reading, or my Dad reading back before everything, when we lived in New York. I remember all his voices, me not wanting to sleep because I couldn't stop thinking about the jungle and the Wild Things. I don't even know why I remember it so well," Levi says, his eyes cast down to the lower shelves of books. A small smile shapes his lips.

"It's a brilliant book," I reply quietly, nodding. I'm smiling too and both are smiles are sad and happy all at once, in the strange bittersweet nostalgia that comes with remembering someone lost.

"I remember coming here years and years ago with my grandparents," I say. The memory of being eight years old and coming here at six years old stirs in my mind. "I think the only I reason I remember coming here is because they showed me a red book, an old version of 'Alice's Adventures in Wonderland'. In it they'd left a little note from ages ago when they were teenagers." I realise I'm rambling, but with each word the memory rushes back more quickly while my smile grows a little wider and a lump rises in my throat.

Levi's edges closer. "What did they write?"

"Just their initials in a heart, really small," I say, remembering the small doodle and the feeling of scandal I'd had at the time at the idea of writing in a library book. I don't quite know why the memory of my grandparents flicking through the book in front of me and gasping and giggling at their small act of sweet vandalism has stuck in my mind so well, but it's a memory I cherish. It's a time when everyone was truly happy.

At this thought, my heart aches in my chest and I have to turn away from Levi for a moment.

"I'd be surprised if it were still here," I say, thinking how long ago that memory was, and then how long it's been since my grandparents first came across it.

"Red cover?" Levi asks, furrowing his eyebrows slightly. "With the White Rabbit on the front?"

I nod. Levi straightens before saying, "I might've seen it."

A grin tugs at my lips as I look at him questioningly. "What were you doing reading 'Alice in Wonderland'?"

"I said seen," Levi replies with a touch of disdain. "Besides, I used to work here a while ago. I think I remember stacking it on the shelves."

I grin wider when I see him appear faintly ruffled, finding it both strange and enjoyable to be one who isn't flustered.

"You can't remember where you found it?" I ask.

Levi thinks for a moment before shrugging slightly and saying, "We could try finding it." And before I know it, we're off, walking in the direction where the book could be.

I follow after Levi, totally convinced that we aren't going to find anything. There's no doubt that the book's old, and when a book's old in a library it's more often than not tattered and shabby. When books get like that soon their next destination becomes a charity book or the skip.

Any hope I have of finding it quickly disappears when we search for the edition I need. I'm about to tell Levi there's no point before he stops in his tracks and turns to his right. He then disappears into the aisle beside him. Reluctantly, I follow after him.

"I seriously doubt you'll find it," I say as he begins to look through the shelves in a small alcove tucked away at the very back of the library. Here the light is more subdued, the sunlight filtering through the old windows is tinted a warm amber as the day descends into afternoon.

"Ever heard of having faith, Bug?" Levi asks, sliding out a scarlet-covered book, peering through it, before putting it back again.

I lean against the shelves, folding my arms. "Not when it comes to finding a book I last saw nearly eleven years ago."

Levi momentarily looks up. It's almost ridiculous the way my heart reacts just from our eyes meeting. It stammers and falters like it's trying to tell me something. Levi's quiet for a moment before turning back to the shelf. "Unlikelier things have happened."

I crease my brows, I don't know what he's referring to. Levi doesn't sound like he's just talking about anything and when he crosses the length between the opposite bookshelves, to the one I'm leant against, I can see it in his expression. With each step he takes my pulse beings to flutter.

"Like what?" I ask, trying to ignore how my voice sounds more breathless. There's something that's shifted in the air, a tension that gently pushes the mood towards something that makes my lips part and my chest tighten as Levi takes another step towards me. The distance between us further declines and the rate my heart's thudding accelerates.

Levi stands so close that if either of us takes a step forward, we'd be touching. Against each other. The heat submerging my skin rises in temperature. I can hear and feel his breath and it mirrors mine. It's fast.

Levi doesn't answer my question. Instead he leans forward and suddenly, mind-spinningly, I think he's about to kiss me.

And then, and then he's reaching forward for a book close by me. I exhale, not realising I'd been holding my breath. I notice the hollow feeling of disappointment stir in my stomach and attempt to swallow it down. I close my eyes for a moment, swearing internally for being so stupid.

"Here," Levi says and I look at what he's holding. A heavy, crimson hardcover book with the faded gold words 'Alice's Adventures in Wonderland' engraved on the front.

Now my heart's thudding hard for entirely different reasons. Gently, I take the book from his hands, and I can't get over how well I remember it. This book. It looks the same, feels the same- and just to be sure- I flip towards the back.

There it is.

A small heart in midnight blue ink has been drawn at the bottom of a blank page. The letters 'E & E' are encased within it. Earl and Evelyn.

I don't why such a wave of emotion sweeps over me as I peer at the old and special memoir left behind by my grandparents. Maybe it's because I haven't realised just how empty things have been without Gran or maybe it's because I can no longer ignore the fact that something's definitely up with Granddad. Or maybe it's none of those sad things.

I feel a surge of happiness as my fingers trace over the two E's. I'm glad. I'm happy I get to see this small token of their relationship that shouldn't have ended so soon and so sadly.

I finally glance up from the yellowed page. All this time Levi's been quiet. The corners of his mouth uplifts in a smile when he sees I'm grinning. I shake my head, looking back down at the book and up again.

I open my mouth and for a moment I don't know what to say, still unable to believe that the book's actually in my hands rather than having been thrown away. "I can't believe you found this," I breathe. "Honestly, I could kiss you."

As soon as the words slip out of my mouth, my eyes widen. Levi's flicker with surprise.

Oh god.

I hear the faint amusement in his voice as he asks, "Really?"

I don't know whether to hit him or myself. Why am I not able to think before I open my mouth?

"Obviously- obviously not, you twat," I reply, hastily turning away from him. I put the book down on a nearby chair, flustered. "It was just a figure of speech."

"A figure of speech?" Levi repeats. His voice has dropped a decibel or two and I'm swallowing as I try to face him. Then he moves nearer, the small loss of space barely counting, yet it makes my heart stammer in my chest.