perfectly calculated accident. [fiel]

[kacie8]

Rowan pushed open the door to the bookstore. The small bell rung out, causing every one to lay their eyes on her, and causing her cheeks to blush. The warm redness spread over her cheeks as she put her head down and gently closed the door behind her. There weren't many people here, but still, the attention wasn't something that she welcomed. Walking with her head down, she went to the back of the store. Once in the protective aisles of the store, she picked her head up to scan the titles as she went past. Her eyes were wide with wonder as they were every time she was in a book store. It was like a whole new experience every time. There were always new things to discover, or so she had tried to explain to her sister weeks before. Standing on her tip toes, she reached for a book, and pulled it down gently.

She handled the paper back book as if it would crumble into dust at any moment. Like it's worth was more valuable than her own. After reading a few pages silently, she slid the book back into it's place and moved on to another aisle. She grimaced as she noted that the book was all the way at the top, like the interesting ones always were. Standing on her tip toes once again, she reached for the book. The tips of her fingers brushed against the dusty spine of the book, but she only pushed it back more instead of pulling it. Furrowing her eye brows out of annoyance, she tried again. This time, Rowan stepped on the bottom shelf and lifted herself up. She felt her fingers make contact with the small novel, but the dust caused her fingers to slip off, pushing the book of the other side of the aisle. She hopped down and swiftly moved over to the other side of the aisle. "Oh my god. That didn't hit you, did it? I'm so s-sorry!" Her stutter peaked through in her words as her nervousness built up. Quickly moving over to the book she had dropped, she picked it up from the floor and looked at the person in front of her. "I really am s-sorry.. you're not hurt, right?" Rowan questioned.

She really hoped that she hadn't injured this complete stranger, all to get a book. Looking down at the paper back in her hands, she sighed slightly. It wasn't even a good book. It was one she had read already, and was rather disappointed by it. It wasn't even a book, like she had anticipated. It was a book on calculations, which any other day would have excited her and peaked her interest. But if she remembered correctly, last time she read it, the information in here was completely childish. The formulas were for first graders. She knew all this stuff already, even if college level students didn't.

[crappypoopoo]

Clark sat in a small comfortable chair, a book in his hands. He was already half way through it, and it was pretty thick. That was Clark. He's a reading type of person, really. He's read over thousands of books in his life time, all of which he could recall perfectly. Right now, he was reading Where The Red Fern Grows for about the third time. He was just at the part where Blue, the blue tick coonhound, get loose and causes the little boy die by an axe. Clark was tempted to shed a tear. Instead, he closed the book and set it down on his lap. Upon setting the book down, he found a mustard stain on his black jeans. He scratched it away with a nail. He liked to be clean.

After the stain disappeared, Clark looked around. He was bored, but in a way he was okay with it. For a second or two he just sat there, watching people. Something he didn't usually do. Then he stood, taking the book with him to return it to the shelves. He should probably purchase a book for a change. The shopkeeper must be becoming angry with Clark constantly stopping by and reading everything in the inventory while at the store. With the book safely back on the shelf where he found it. He guessed the shopkeeper was okay with him reading instead of buying since he kept the books in good order for him sometimes.

Clark strolled down an empty aisle, browsing the romance novels. Just over in the aisle on the other side of him, he caught a glimpse of girl looking at books. He wondered why she was over there. You usually only find books on math there. Maybe she was a math wiz, or maybe she needed a little help? He shrugged it off and began scanning the titles. Just then a book came flying from the top shelf and knocked him on the head. "Ow! Fu-" He began to curse out loud, but stopped and remember it was a book store. He should keep quiet. The girl, who he had assumed knocked the book over on his head, was at his side as he doubled over, clutching his head. "Crap, that hurt." He cursed under his breath.

The girl apologized and he nodded, "Yeah, it's fine!" He whispered, standing up straight, the sharp pain ebbing away. He looked at the girl, who was already looking at the book that hit him. The chick harasses him with a book and checks to see if the book is okay. What a girl! "You know, knocking books on guys isn't a good pick-up line." He chuckled. Clark got a good look at the girl. She was cute, pretty cute. He smiled unknowingly. He got to figuring he should ask her for her name. "Hey, I'm Clark, you?"

[kacie8]

"You know, knocking books on guys isn't a good pick-up line."

Rowan laughed nervously, still feeling guilt abut hitting him in the head with the book, even though it was unintentional. For a second, she actually didn't feel too nervous. "Well, it got your attention, didn't it?" She joked, her eyes now holding a playful sparkle. Looking down at the calculus book in her hands, she dusted off the cover and gazed down at it. Yup, exactly as she remembered. So it wasn't even like it was a newer edition with more information, no, it was the same old boring book. Reaching up, she set the book down on an empty space on the shelf.

"Hey, I'm Clark, you?"

She smiled at him-- Clark-- and held out her hand, offering a handshake. "I'm Rowan." She said, admitting to herself that he was actually pretty cute. "It's nice to meet you." She added with a small nod. Something that never failed was that she used her manners all the time. She was raised in a family that, sure at times was a bit dysfunctional, but all the Ellis children were well brought up. "Or.. erm.. Nice to assault you with a big heavy calculus book." Row added, biting her lip and raising one eyebrow sheepishly.

Pushing some of her dark hair behind her shoulder, she turned her head and started looking at the book titles. She was curious to see what he was looking at. She couldn't help but be a bit surprised when she realized that they were all romance novels. "Romance novels?" She questioned, giving him a small smile. Now she was a little more intrigued than before. Not many men were caught in the romance novel aisle. "You like them?" Rowan added, pulling a small hard cover off the shelf and flipping through it quickly, before glancing back up at Clark, patiently awaiting a response.

[crappypoopoo]

Clark look at the calculus book in the girls hands, it was quite large and almost scared Clark out of feeling for a bump. The pain has already resided to a numb throb. Clark looked up at the girl when she spoke, "Well, now you have my attention." Clark said, sticking his hands in his jean pockets. Glancing back at the novels as the stranger slid the book onto a shelf. "You should really try to put that back where you found it. " He advised the girl. One of the only reasons the shop keeper was fine with Clark reading up his books instead of buying them was because he was always nice, polite, and he put the books where they belong. Math does not belong with romance novels.

Clark took his hand out of his pocket to shake Rowans hand as she extended it. She has manners, and she's cute. Oh, and she likes to read. Who knew you could pick up girls in a book store. Why were these thoughts even going through his head? Clark came her to get a few books, not a girl. "It's nice to meet you, too, Rowan." Clark smiled at her. He was mostly smiling at her name. The way it flow out of his lips like liquid sweet.

Clark watched as Rowans eyes maneuvered over to the books he was looking at. At first he didn't feel anything, but then he remembered he was looking at romance novels. Something a guy usually wouldn't be proud of. He was probably the first guy Rowan ever met that even read. He took a swift half step backward, putting a hand on the back of his neck, and looked down in embarrassment. "Yeah, romance and chick flicks are my thing actually." he mumbled. He recovered from the little embarrassment and pointed at the book Rowan pulled out the shelf. "That's a good book, the main character gets really sick and the guy travels like a 100 miles to get her medicine so she can live. In the end, she dies. " He said, a little too cheery about the sad ending.

[kacie8]

"You should really try to put that back where you found it."

Rowan glanced up at him, a confused look on her face. She didn't know what he was talking about for a second. "Huh?" She asked, tilting her head to the side before realizing that he meant the book. Obviously she was going to put it back. If she was the type of person to be looking at a freaking calculus book, then obviously she cared enough to put it back. And who did this kid think he was? Telling her what to do. "Oh. Uh. Yeah. I was g-going to. Figured I'd put it down for a sec to avoid any other mishaps." She said giving a small sideways smile as she brushed off the fact that he just corrected her, which annoyed her a bit.

Picking up the book she went back over to the other side and stood on her tiptoes once more. Reaching up, she slid the book into it's place, stopping as soon as the spine lined up with the edge of the shelf, not wanting to push it over onto Clark again. Stepping back down, she casually went over back to the other side. Crossing her arms over her chest, she leaned against the book shelf. "Better?" Rowan asked, arching an eyebrow at him. She remembered about the other book she had pulled off the shelf just moments before, and reached over to grab it.

Opening it, she quickly scanned the inside cover, giving the summary a once-over. "I don't really like books that don't have happy endings. Too much like real life.. I'd rather read about the ones where they all lived happily ever after." She said, grinning slightly. It was true. She loved a good romance novel, but as long as someone ended up happy in the end. She really got into her reading, so the emotions portrayed in the book always stuck with her. After reading a sad book, she couldn't help but feel rather depressed for the remainder of the day. So she tried to stick to the happy endings. "Like Romeo and Juliet, for example. I know it's a classic, and all.. but it's too depressing for my tastes."

Adding a small shrug, Rowan put the small book back on the shelf. "And you're the first guy I've met who admitted to liking chick flicks." She said tilting her head to the side and giving a small smile. "Looks like I know who I'm going to the movies with next time." Letting out a small laugh, she looked down, feeling a bit embarrassed. The way she had said that, to her it sounded like she just asked him on a date. She felt her cheeks get warm as she blushed at her unintended flirting.

[crappypoopoo]

Clark stuffed his hands back into his pockets, viciously scolding them mentally for find their way out again. He liked them inside his jeans pockets where they could not cause trouble, but it's not as if they would. Clark must of have confused Rowan for a moment because she titled her head and asked 'huh' when he told her that she put the calculus book back where she found it. Oops. There was a very good chance he could have annoyed her by assuming she wouldn't. Well, she did set it on the book shelf. She could have easily forgotten about it. Although, Clark shouldn't jump to conclusions about who this girl is and what she's like. For all he know she's could be just like him or the completely opposite. Clark felt a little bad for making her put it back and correcting her, as he watched her disappear around the corner of the book shelf then reappear moments later. "Uh, yeah, sorry. " He said, stammering slightly. A look on interest washed over his face as she went to the book she had previously.

Clark listened intently on what Rowan said, and her reasoning for liking happy ending. He guessed it was a girl thing. For guys it was different, even guys who liked romance novels. When Clark realized she had a good point about, he nodded in agreement. "Well, you see, if you read a book knowing the ending will be happy then you pretty much know how it will end." He said turning to the book shelf. His eyes scanned it for new books. "When the book doesn't have a happy ending, you can't be completely sure what will happen." He let out a soft 'Oh' when a shiney new spine caught his eye and grabbed it instantly. "Then again, when you get a book you can't reallt predict what will happen." Clark didn't bother reading the back for a summary, he just opened to a random page, read a little, then opened to another random page. He had a habit of holding the book close to his face, which almost hid it from Rowan.

"Romeo and Juliet actually .. The whole story is just becoming chiche. I like the story line, but it's too common for me to read. I'm a little hipster that way. But I agree with you, unhappy endings are depressing, but since I'm not a girl, I guess, they don't effect me like they do you..?" Clark slowly turned his statement into a retorical question as he lowered his book and looked at Rowan with a blank stare. He was confused on it himself and he didn't want to offend Rowan anymore than he may have already did. He was slowly warming up to her and a growing confidence was growing in him to ask her on a date. "I can't help but feel disappointed when the novel.. doesn't end. You know? Like when the book just ends.. No happy ending with the two together. Like the conflict isn't actually solved?" Clark began his thought at a mumbled, it grew to a more louder statement. "Like.. leaving you hanging?"

"What's wrong with liking chick flicks? Really?" Clark asked, to no one particular, just a response to Rowan's statement about him being the first to admit to liking chick flicks. Clark closed the book he had in his hands after deciding to purchase it. He smiled back at Rowan, a genuine smile, not the polite kind you give when you don't know what else to say. Then he chuckled a little, "Did you just ask me out on a date?" he asked, raising an eye brow. "Looks like you beat me to it." He said, a little jokingly since he wasn't sure if she did or not. Then he realized what he had just said. He mentally slapped himself as he furrowed his brows awaiting a response.