So, we finally made it to the library.
Mark, bless his heart, ended up paying for my drink—because apparently, Nena had left her wallet at home and managed to embarrass herself in front of everyone.
She was blushing so hard I thought she'd turn into a tomato.
The guys couldn't resist teasing her about it, calling her "Walletless Wonder" and "The Great Wallet Escape Artist." Yeah, they're charming like that.
Since we were in a library, and not some superhero hideout, they had absolutely no excuse to keep acting like bodyguards on steroids.
So, they settled on a table way off in the corner—far enough that I could pretend I wasn't being judged for my choice of reading material, and close enough that I could still hear them whispering about whether I'd ever find "true love" or if I was destined to be forever alone with my books.
Nena sat across from me, flipping through a book called "The Mane of the Mystical Unicorn"—which I swear sounded more like a fairy tale than reality—and I was busy devouring.
"The Flute of Lightning," a story packed with plot twists, secret identities, and the main lead's super mysterious red-eyed boy companion.
I was so into it, I barely noticed my own breath.
Suddenly, I leaned in closer to the book and muttered, "And then… the hero and the red-eyed boy… they—"
Nena cut me off with a grin. "Keep shut, Ayana… you're talking to yourself again."
I blinked, cheeks flushing. "Yeah, maybe I should stop."
I was just about to get lost in the story again when I decided I needed a quick stretch.
As I got up, I turned—and bam! I bumped into someone. For a second, I thought I'd hit a wall because, honestly, I'd never seen anyone this cute in a library.
He had short brown hair, a smile that could melt glaciers, big shiny brown eyes, and a Greek nose that made him look like he just stepped out of a movie scene.
He wore simple clothes but somehow still rocked the look like he was the star of a runway.
He scratched the back of his neck and said, "Hey, didn't see you there." His voice was smooth, like melted chocolate.
I barely managed to squeak out, "No, I'm sorry…"
He stretched out his hand, and I hesitantly took it, giving it a gentle shake. "I'm Nathan. Nice to meet you."
"I'm Ayana," I managed, cheeks burning so hot I was pretty sure I'd turn into a human torch.
He let go of my hand, and just as I was about to breathe again, Nena, who'd been watching from her seat like a secret agent, made a face that suggested she was either about to blow her cover or do something wildly embarrassing.
My cheeks turned even redder.
Before I could say anything, my big brother and his gang of R4 superheroes—because yes, that's what they called themselves—swooped in like a squad of overprotective hawks.
"Whoa! Who are you, and what are you doing here?" Liam asked, crossing his arms like he was about to interrogate a spy.
His face was serious, but I could see the mischievous glint in his eyes.
''Hi nice meeting you am Nathan..''
Ethan immediately jumped in, pointing at Nathan with suspicion.
"Nathan? From where? Who sent you? Are you working for the CIA? The FBI? The… the… secret society of library ninjas?"
Mark, ever the polite one, fixed his glasses, stepped forward, and shook Nathan's hand with a firm grip. "Nice to meet you, Nathan. How are you doing?"
Nathan looked utterly confused—probably because he was being interrogated like he was about to blow up the library.
He looked at Mark, then at Ethan, then back at me, trying to figure out what exactly was happening.
Nena, channeling her inner diplomat, stepped in and handed Nathan her hand for a handshake.
"I'm Nena," she said with a smile that probably meant she was trying not to laugh.
Nathan nodded, still looking a little overwhelmed.
"Sorry for all the hoopla," I said, trying to smooth things over. "It's… complicated." Yeah, like that's an understatement.
Nathan nodded politely. "It's okay. I'll see you later," he said, giving me a small smile, then turned and walked away.
Liam muttered under his breath, "Yeah, shoo," like he was shooing away a troublesome fly.
Mark, smirking, muttered, "She doesn't need to see you anymore… she's got her own hero now."
Jake sneered, "What a dude," rolling his eyes.
Ethan, ever the critic, tsked and muttered, "Such hypocrite."
I looked at them, annoyed, confused, and just plain exhausted. "You guys have to ruin everything," I grumbled. "I was this close to starting my love story."
Mark stepped forward with a smirk. "You don't need to start one—you're already in one," he said, eyes twinkling.
I blinked, not knowing whether to laugh or hit him.
Nena pushed him aside with her hand. "No, she's with me now, right?, Ayana?"
I sighed heavily. "Oh my God, I just want some peace in this house. Geesh."
"Peace? You want peace?" Liam asked, raising an eyebrow like I'd just asked him to give up pizza forever.
Before I could even answer, chaos erupted.
We started arguing in the library—loud enough that I'm pretty sure the librarian was about to call the librarian police.
Books were flying, voices were echoing, and somehow, we managed to get kicked out.
Not just kicked out—banned.
Yep, my fourth library ban.
I was starting to think I'd need a secret underground library just to read in peace.
As we stormed out, I was still annoyed, my blonde hair tied behind me in a messy ponytail, arms crossed like I was about to give a lecture on patience.
We had dropped Nena.
She wasn't living with us anymore she bought... I mean her dad bought a house for her.
"Will you guys ever leave me alone?" I sighed, voice full of frustration, one hand wrapped around my shoulders like It was trying to hold me together.
Liam, ever the optimist, grinned and pulled me closer.
"Not to worry… we will eventually," he said smugly, like he was announcing he was the hero of my story or something.
I sighed again, resting my head on his hand because honestly, I was already tired. The day had been a marathon of chaos, and it was getting late.
Mark, always the serious one, added with a gentle but firm tone, "We're doing this for your own good, Ayana…"
Before I could roll my eyes, he pulled me away from Liam's grip like I was some kind of shirt.
"We're here with you," he said softly, trying to sound supportive.
My brother, of course, had to ruin the moment.
He sneered and spat out, "Ew," like he'd just tasted something foul.
Ethan, quiet as always but with a hint of sarcasm, muttered, "Yeah, we want you to be safe."
Jake, not one to miss an opportunity to tease, grinned. "
Yeah, Goat. I don't want Mom scolding me if you get hurt," he said, crossing his arms like he was giving a serious warning.
I watched the sunset, feeling like I'd been through enough drama for one day.
The sky turned a fiery orange, and I just wanted to disappear into the horizon—or maybe into a hidden library where no one could find me.
"Great," I muttered under my breath. "Just what I needed—more drama and a sunset to remind me how much I hate everything."
But honestly? I couldn't help but laugh a little.
---------
A few days later, after surviving the library ban, the sunset, and the endless R4 chaos, I was minding my own business
—well, as much as I could—
wandering down the street, trying to forget about the library incident.
That's when I saw him again.
There he was, standing outside a small bakery with a sign that read "Nathan's Nice Bakes"—and judging by the smell wafting through the air, he was definitely the boss of this place.
I blinked.
Was this some kind of weird coincidence? Or was the universe just playing a really sweet (literally) game?
I hesitated, then approached cautiously.
"Um, hi again," I said, trying to sound casual but probably failing because I was still blushing from the last encounter.
Nathan looked up, surprised but smiling. "Ayana! Hey! Fancy seeing you here—and, uh, in the bakery section of life, I guess?"
I looked at the display case full of cupcakes, croissants, and what looked suspiciously like a giant cinnamon roll that could probably feed a small family. "So… you're a bakery owner?"
He grinned, shrugging like it was no big deal. "Yeah, I guess you could say I found my sweet spot. I decided baking was better than being a mysterious guy in library corridors."
I couldn't help but laugh. "Well, I have to admit, you're good at making things—especially bread. And apparently, hearts."
Nathan blushed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Hey, I just like to make people happy. Plus, baking's a lot less complicated than library drama."
Just then, a loud crash came from inside the bakery—a tray of cupcakes toppled over, and a tiny burst of flour puffed into the air like a mini snowstorm.
Nathan groaned and looked at me. "That's my apprentice. She's still learning the ropes. Or maybe just learning how not to destroy the place."
I giggled. "Honestly, I think you're better at baking than I am at avoiding library bans."
He chuckled. "Maybe you should come in for a free sample—on the house. I promise I won't interrogate you or start a war."
I grinned. "Deal. But only if I get to see the secret behind those magical cupcakes."
Nathan winked. "It's a secret recipe. And maybe… some secret bakery crushes, too."