She slid her hand over the multiple books lined up on the book shelf. One with gold embellishment sparked her interest.

"Oh, how pretty...", she whispered to herself. Looking over her shoulder, she caught a man about her age walking in her direction. 

"Can I help you with something?". 

The girl took the beautiful book in her arms and answered : "Yes, actually I would like to buy this novel, please." 

The librarian chuckled. "Who is it for?" 

"Me..?" 

Like he didn't believe her, the employee shrugged, which made the young 17 years old Maisie Underwood annoyed. She tapped his shoulder, he turned. 

"What?" 

"Why did you think it wasn't for me?" 

Her golden hair styled under a thin headband floated magically as there was no wind in the small bookstore.

The boy kinda knew Maisie from his high school. Well, he never talked to her. And unlike all the cliché stories, Clint found Maisie quite... irritating. She claimed to be shy, but she only said that to be alone with her best friend, Haddie. The two girls couldn't be any different. Haddie's parents were almost slaves...

"Nevermind that. Just buy the book and we will both be happy.", he platonically obligated. 

She followed him to the small wooden counter where she banged the book on purpose to create a loud noise. She ignored him, playing with the bottom of her dress as he, also ignoring her, did his job. 

"Here you go" 

The girl snatched the book from his hands. "Th-" 

She stopped, looking at her hands touching his. Even though the moment lasted a couple of seconds, both of the teens felt it for an eternity. A spark, a connection, something was created between the 2 strangers. Her delicate hand against his rough hand.

Clint worked at his parent's farm when he wasn't at the bookstore his aunt had. Maisie hesitated to say something about what she felt, instead, she ran away, leaving the golden book behind her. 

"Wait...", he yelled a little too late. 

From the window of the bookshop, he could see her running away. Too far for him to reach her anymore. Would there even be a connection between him and her tomorrow? Or had the moment passed forever?