We were strangers in the real world, but in this borrowed timeline, we're the only ones who remember how we died.
ABIGAIL'S POV
Hey buddies... let's meet at Faith's Bookstore Library—for real this time?
I typed the message slowly, my fingers hovering over the screen as I waited for their replies.
Yeah, cool. — Noah.
Me in. — Yami.
My heart fluttered just a little. Somehow, the weight on my chest felt lighter knowing they were in this with me.
So, tomorrow at 10 AM? Faith's Bookstore?
Will be there. — Noah.
Mee too. — Yami.
See you there, I typed with a small smile tugging at my lips before setting my phone aside.
I glanced up toward the front of the classroom, where the professor was droning on about some theory I couldn't care less about. His voice faded into the background, just white noise against the thoughts swirling in my head.
I couldn't stop fidgeting.
Was it excitement? Nervousness?
Maybe both.
The next morning arrived far too slowly.
I stood outside the cozy, ivy-covered corner building with a faded wooden sign that read "Faith's Bookstore", the smell of old pages already leaking through the door cracks.
I've arrived... I started typing into the group chat, my fingers hesitating before I pressed send.
Just then, two familiar figures appeared down the street.
A tall, lean boy with messy blond hair that caught the sunlight just right. His dimpled smile and piercing green eyes gave away his identity immediately—Noah.
And beside him was a girl with wild red hair, a sharp jawline, and eyes so dark they looked like midnight ink. Yami.
They waved, walking faster toward me.
"Abigail?" Yami asked.
I nodded with a small laugh. "Yup."
"Noah." He gave me a quick smirk.
"Yami," she chimed in, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.
"So... what's the plan?" I asked.
"Binge reading session," Yami said with a grin, "and something delicious to eat, hopefully."
"Well..." I scratched the back of my neck awkwardly. "I kinda made something at home. Not sure if you'll like it or not."
Their eyes lit up instantly.
"What?! What did you make?"
"Show us!" Noah nudged me playfully.
Blushing, I pulled out three boxes from my tote and handed them over—creamy pasta, gooey brownies, and fresh garlic bread.
Noah's eyes widened. "This is a treat."
"Thank you so much, Abi," Yami said softly, clutching the warm container like it was a rare gift.
"It's not a big deal," I mumbled, feeling shy as I rubbed my neck.
"It is," Yami replied, her voice suddenly quieter. "It's been so long since I had a proper homemade meal."
The air shifted—heavy for a moment.
Noah and I exchanged a glance but didn't say anything.
"Okay, okay! Don't go all sentimental on me now," Yami broke the silence with a laugh, grabbing both our hands. "Let's go inside. We came to read, didn't we?"
The three of us stood at the bookstore's entrance. The wooden door creaked as we pushed it open, and the scent of aged paper and cinnamon drifted out.
We paused.
The place was eerily quiet.
Too quiet.
Bookshelves towered like ancient pillars, casting long shadows across the dimly lit room.
"I know it said the library was quiet," Noah muttered beside me, "but I didn't expect it to feel... haunted."
I stepped toward the front desk where an old chair sat empty. A handwritten note lay taped to the counter. I read it aloud:
"Pay for the book you purchase. Don't try to be oversmart—I know which book you've taken. There will be consequences if you don't pay. I'm on lunch. Back in an hour or so."
We all blinked at each other.
"Geez, why does he sound like a horror movie narrator?" Yami said, wrinkling her nose.
"Yeah... it's not like we were going to steal your precious novels," Noah added under his breath.
I chuckled. "Let's just pick our books, pay, and have our reading session. Agreed?"
"Agreed," they both said in unison before scattering between the rows of dusty shelves.
A few minutes later, we regrouped at the counter, books in hand.
I looked at their choices... and then mine.
Each book had a cover depicting a towering emperor's throne, with a figure—either a man or a woman—kneeling at its base.
We burst into laughter.
"No way," I said. "Is this a series or a spin-off?"
"Let's find out," Noah replied, raising a brow.
"But first... we pay," Yami reminded.
We dropped our money in the small box beside the sign and carried our books to a cozy four-seater table tucked in the far corner of the library. The table was circular, carved from old oak, with a single glass lamp in the center casting a golden hue.
We sat down, food between us, books in hand, the silence between us comfortable now.
I smiled, opening the first page.
"Let's read."