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 Posted: Mon Apr 26, 2010 5:23 pm
The librarian considered her for a long moment, then sighed. It was the least he could do, allowing her out one of the emergency doors even if it wasn't an emergency. He smiled and nodded, indicating behind the desk to a panel of buttons. The lights on the row were all red at the moment. "I'll turn off the alarm and show you out the back way."
He glanced at the front door, realizing why she wouldn't want to go out that way. Cops, reporters, nosy on lookers: not really the crowd the victim would want to walk through. She would be harassed and poked at for interviews or statements, as it wasn't every day part of a library fell on someone. Though, they seemed to be a bit more interested than he would imagine.
Maybe they thought it had been some kind of monster, or another 'strange happening'.
Her second question caught him off guard, and he glanced at her. The idea of coffee was a good one, and he nodded before really thinking about it. He wanted to keep an eye on her, anyway, and when she said she wanted to sleep he decided he needed to make sure she didn't.
"I'll get Carol down here to watch the desk, and then we'll sneak out." He went to do just that, going to first call Carol down from her desk, then go to the panel and switch one of the lights from red to green. He had his keys with him, so he could lock it back up once they were out.
"There we are. Shall we?" he asked, beginning to lead the way to the back door.
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Posted: Mon Apr 26, 2010 11:29 pm
She smiled graciously at the librarian for taking the effort to turn off the alarms. Part of her mothers socialite training had covered media in emergency situations, and she'd always said to try and avoid it if possible. Adira was talking the suggestion to heart; there were several shallow motives as well. They included not wanting to be in the paper bruised and dusty, and the fact that she was tired. Now that the adrenaline rush was over, Adira was feeling more of the accident. She was tired, achy and felt the bruises every time she moved. Had the paramedic not specifically told her to stay up for a few hours, the girl would be hightailing it back to her apartment to snuggle up on her bed. Sighing, she figured it wasn't good to dwell on it. Adira was more than relieved to learn that she had a coffee buddy. "Thank you." She meant it. The girl followed the older gentleman to one of the side doors of the library, doing her best to keep it together. Adira was determined to make him think she was fine, and it only halfway worked. Outside the library, people were starting to disperse. No one really paused to stop them, though she did get some strange looks. Adira ignored them, keeping pace beside Anthony. The coffee shop was quaint and trendy, asymmetrical furniture and funky lights. The smell inside was enough to wake her up, but not as much as her drink would. "Drinks can be on me, considering I suggested it." She smiled up at the man next to her, looking out of place in the coffee shop. She was getting weird stares from the teen boy behind the counter, but Adira ignored them.
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Posted: Tue Apr 27, 2010 10:04 am
Tony wasn't convinced that she was doing very well. The look on her face, though she was trying to put on a brave one, was clearly tired and pained. Not that he was surprised, after what had happened, but he felt bad for her. She would have to keep herself from napping for a few hours yet, and that was just mean.
Tony had been to the coffee place before, of course, because he worked so close and the coffee maker at the work room always made everything taste vaguely of peanut butter. He waved at the folks at the counter, letting Adira order her coffee before getting his usual. When they were ready, Tony's had two lids on his for some reason.
He laughed, shaking his head, and took the cup, handing Adira hers, before leading them to a place to sit. He hadn't let her pay, instead sniping the total before she could get to it. He offered he a cheesy grin as an explanation, too, which probably didn't help him.
Sitting now, he sighed and sipped at his coffee carefully. The last time he was here he had dropped the whole thing on himself while trying to put a lid on it, which was why the workers now took it upon themselves to put two lids on for him. Just in case.
"So," he said, looking at her apologetically, still feeling bad for the Reference section attacking her, "how are you feeling? You look a bit tired, I hope you don't feel too bad off? Maybe you should have gone with the paramedics for a check up at the hospital...?" Anthony Darrow, always the worrier.
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Posted: Tue Apr 27, 2010 11:48 am
Adira shook her head and smiled when the older gentleman picked up the coffee tab. Either way, she was glad to have her Large Mocha with extra chocolate and two extra shots in it. They'd even put on just the right amount of foam. It was absolutely the most delicious thing in the world. This may have been because of everything that had happened, but the girl would be frequenting this coffee shop nonetheless. "Well, it feels a lot like I got the book thrown at me." She smiled, pretty sure the librarian would get the law book pun that she had just so badly made. "In all seriousness though I would just love to curl up and go to sleep for the next two days." She shook her head at the mention of hospital. "I really am fine. Just a bit bruised, no reason for a hospital visit." Adira didn't particularly like hospitals. The peculiar smell of air conditioning and sterilizer that hung around hospitals made her gag.
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Posted: Tue Apr 27, 2010 9:05 pm
Tony was glad that she was at least enjoying her coffee. He even laughed at her bad pun, and not just because he was trying to make her feel better. He enjoyed book jokes, no matter how nerdy they were, so referencing the law adage made him honestly chuckle. He smiled at her, trying to hide how funny he had found that, because he imagined it would make him look like a goon.
Nodding slowly, he shifted his shoulder absently. He didn't like hospitals much, either, though he chalked that that up to recently being in one. It hadn't been much of a trip, a lot of sitting and waiting, and paper work, but he still hadn't found it particularly endearing. He had noticed the smell, as many people who went were wont to do, particularly when he was getting his stitches and things were being actively sterilized.
Plus, stitches were just never fun.
"Well, hopefully the bruises will fade soon enough, and you'll feel a bit better. No naps too soon, of course, but the coffee should help." He smiled at her, sipping at his coffee again. He was taking extra care not to drop it, because he didn't want to have a reputation in this joint as the man who couldn't hold his cups.
"Do you plan on going home after this, then? Is there someone there to help keep you awake?" he didn't mean to ask a personal question, actually thinking about the possible concussion and not any other connotation to the question.
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Posted: Tue Apr 27, 2010 10:06 pm
Adira took another long sip of her mocha. The wonderful effects of caffeine were starting to kick in, calming down her jitters and waking her up. Anthony's laughter was a bit infectious, causing her to giggle along with him. His next set of questions made her blush though. It hit her cheeks as her silver blue eyes looked down at the table. "Um, yes. I was planning on going home." She forced herself to look up at him, still blushing a little. At this point, her brain was so rattled it couldn't tell if he was trying to start some terrible pick up line or if he was just asking. Anthony was very nice looking, but she hoped he was just asking. "And no...I don't have anyone to keep me up." It sounded fairly idiotic, at least to her. "I guess I'll just pop in a movie or something." She shrugged, bending her head to take another sip of her delicious beverage.
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Posted: Wed Apr 28, 2010 6:33 pm
The librarian looked at her, noting her hesitance when she answered and glancing up to see what was wrong. Spotting her blush, the thought back on his words and then realized what he had said. He blushed in turn, shaking his head as he put his coffee down on the table.
"Ah, I mean, perhaps you should call a friend over? Maybe from school. Uh. I didn't mean... anything else... I just worry you might fall to sleep, and, uhm, if you had a concussion that would be... bad."
Flustered, he looked down, chewing his bottom lip thoughtfully. He really needed to pay more attention to how he spoke to people, because letting whatever thought was in his head fall out of his mouth wasn't the best way to go about a conversation. Now he worried that she thought he was a sleaze, since he had the 'evil twin' goatee according to that Ray who had pointed it out to him to boot, and he quickly pondered an escape tactic.
Escape from that particular conversation, at least.
"Or if not, I suppose the coffee should help..." he sighed, sipping at his once more, "now I feel terrible for what's happened. If there's anything you feel the library can do for you, please, let me know and I'll make it happen. I'll give you some of the books you were looking at, if you like, since I have to reshelve them anyway..."
He really could just mark them as damaged from the fall and give her as many as she could hope for. It didn't make up for nearly dying, of course, but he was trying to offer something in apology.
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Posted: Wed Apr 28, 2010 9:30 pm
Noticing his blush, her mood lightened. So he had just said it without thinking then! It certainly made her more at ease, knowing that he wasn't hitting on her. She laughed a bit at his flustered speech, letting him know that it was okay. "Its okay, really. I understand. Thank you for being concerned." It was nice, really. Adira decided right then and there that she liked Mr. Anthony Darrow. The girl would be frequenting the library more, and particularly this coffee shop. She took another long drink of her mocha, now that it was finally cool enough to do so. "It really wasn't your fault Mr. Darrow." She was touched that he was so concerned and apologetic. Adira could understand why, considering the circumstances. "Though, I guess I wouldn't mind a few law books, provided you really don't mind. As a memento, I guess." Adira laughed a bit, gesturing to the bruises on her body. "Though I really do think its a shame about the bookshelves and damage. Is the library going to be able to cover the damages?" If not, there would be a check later that week arriving at the Library. If she was going to be using the resource section for the next few years, Adira could contribute to turning it into a nice, heavily bolted down section.
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Posted: Fri Apr 30, 2010 8:10 am
Tony laughed, turning his cup around in his hand. She kept saying it wasn't his fault, and he knew, at least, that he didn't actually push the shelves over. But he should have been paying more attention to those shifty looking boys. Or he should have put in for new shelves back there a long time ago. There was no reason to have something so dangerous in a modern library.
"Oh, I don't mind at all!" he said eagerly, looking very pleased that he could do something, at least, to make it up to her. "I'll send you the law books once we get started on reshelving." He smiled. He could look up her address in the library records and mail them to her, if she didn't want to come in and pick them up.
In his head, she wouldn't be coming around the place too much now. Not after that had happened. And he couldn't blame her: who knew what else would attack her? The elevator? That evil vending machine? Tony was convinced, after all, that it was sentient or possessed. Maybe both.
He nodded a few too many times, "of course, we'll be able to pay for it. No need to worry there." It might require some cut backs, or maybe some out of pocket efforts, but he'd make sure the library didn't skimp on the restoration process.
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Posted: Mon May 03, 2010 9:24 am
Adira was probably going to shock Tony by showing up to the library. She'd planned on coming on a fairly regular basis, especially now that she knew the coffee shop across the street was good. The girl took a few more sips of her drink, finishing it in rather short fashion. She wasn't quite sure she believed the librarian. He nodded his head a few too many times and seemed a little too eager about his reply. That's all it took to make up Adira's mind about sending a check. She would probably mail it off as soon as she got home, for the lack of something better to do other than sleep. The coffee was taking its effect, thankfully, but she still felt drained. "Perhaps I should give you my number, Mr. Darrow? So you can let me know when the books are in, that is. Thank you again, for that." Adira didn't have her cellphone on her, having left it at home in the hopes of a quiet research hour. Regardless, she could leave her number with him and then she would know for sure. The generosity of the librarian made him trustworthy to her, and if it ended up being a bad decision she could always block the number.
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Posted: Mon May 03, 2010 12:55 pm
Of course, Tony was thinking along the same lines. Not about money for the library, but sending off the books as soon as he got back. He didn't want her to have to wait for them, and since he had a lot to do in that section anyway, picking out some 'ruined' books wouldn't be too difficult. Before everything got picked up and stored until the new shelves could be put in, at least.
"Oh, no, that's okay. Without it sounding as creepy as it probably does, I can look your records up on the system. It will have your number. I can call you from the desk phone when the books are ready." He offered her his business smile, which was still genuine if not over eager. It faded to something more personable, though, as he sighed and sipped at his coffee.
Catching sight of his watch, he looked at the time and frowned a bit.
"I think I should probably be heading back to the library soon. I'm loathe to leave you, though, if you're head is still hurting. If you're not sure you're okay I could always stick around..." He looked hesitant to go, still worried about the bump to her head, and if she had a concussion.
Work could wait, if she felt like she might go home and go to sleep. That wouldn't be good for any one.
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Posted: Fri May 07, 2010 12:22 am
She nodded at his explanation. It made sense. "Its not like you're being a creeper just to be a creeper though. You're creeping for the library." She smiled, almost letting out a little laugh. Anthony Darrow, your friendly neighborhood library creeper. She stood a little slowly at the table, muscles protesting from having being rested for so long. "Its really okay, I don't want to keep you. I'm sure its quite the mess in the library still." She brushed her hair back out of her face before offering him another reassuring smile. "I'm sure I'll be fine- I'll just go home and keep myself awake for a few more hours, it shouldn't be that difficult. I'll watch a horror movie or blast some music or something." Adira would probably do neither of these things, but they sounded reassuring nonetheless. "I promise I'll be fine." Adira Perses could handle it. The block home would seem like forever though. She'd never wanted to call a cab for 5 blocks so badly before. But she would walk it, because it would keep her awake, and the fresh air would do her good. "Are you going to be alright, Mr. Darrow?"
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Posted: Fri May 07, 2010 8:54 am
At her comment the librarian laughed, looking at her skeptically. He didn't think being a creeper for the library was any real justification for being a creeper at all. He tipped his cup toward her though, in a mock toast to the new title he had somehow managed to gain.
He stood as she did, since it was polite, moving over quickly to get her chair for her. He took a few steps back, listening to her plan for the day. It didn't sound too great, but if she was telling him that she would keep herself awake he had no reason not to believe her.
Smiling, he nodded.
"Of course. Why wouldn't I be?" Besides the giant mess he would have to sort through once he was back at the library. But he could survive that. He returned to the table to retrieve his cup, then offered to walk her outside. He wouldn't be able to see her home, since the library was calling, but he didn't want to just abandon her. He held the door for her as they were leaving, looking thoughtful.
"Well, I'll send you those books then. And if you ever need any others we'll... come up with a safer way of looking at them," he grinned at that, not thinking something like this would happen again. That's what bolting shelves to the floor was for.
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Posted: Fri May 07, 2010 11:23 am
She nodded at him. "I was just checking to be sure. Your arm is in a sling, after all." Adira followed him out of the coffee shop, thankfully that he held the door for her. She was still a little slow moving, but it was nothing terrible. "It sounds like a plan. Thank you for everything Mr. Darrow." She touched his arm in appreciation before moving down the side walk towards her loft. The girl turned back to him and wished him luck with the books before resuming her way home. Man, these next two hours of avoiding her bed was going to be so difficult. She hoped at least the librarian would have a better time with his books, but she doubted it.
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