The price of silence (For Rhovan)

[DeliciousMaiden]

A closed thread for Rhovan and myself … please feel free to comment in PMs.
We hope you enjoy …

Short Bio:

At the age of 21, Nicola could be considered, unambitious.
She had certainly always played it safe.
Having gone to school in one of the little towns just beyond the city limits, she had left home to complete her education at the small city college, living on campus until she qualified.
It had been a natural progression to begin work at the Municipal Library where she had spent so much of her time during the two years study.
When others were out partying or dating, Nicola had been sat with a head in a book, content to be away from the student crowd.
And now after 18 months of working in the library that served many of the smaller colleges around town, Nicola was still almost as much of a loner.

She was content to be described as “methodical and efficient”.
She had little time for anyone else’s opinions and judgments.
She bothered nobody and nobody else bothered her.
Having a quiet job where she did not draw attention to herself or have to deal with too many queries suited her perfectly.

It wasn’t that she was unattractive, indeed her quiet grace and unassuming ways had turned heads over the years, but Nicola kept her distance.
She was a determinedly private person.
In all things, what she did was nobody else’s business but her own.
She leased a small flat on the campus of her old college.
Financiallly and emotionally, she depended on no one.

Or so she claimed ...

Despite how things appeared, there was actually someone in Nicola's life … but … the relationship was managed so discretely that few were aware of it ... and that of course was the way it had to be.

To all intents and purposes, it could be said that Nicola was happy...

 

[Rhovan]

Real post below.

 

[Rhovan]

The unassuming Gentleman (or the exact opposite)

Bio:
Joe was 24. Joe, in a nut shell would be called, Presumptious,
Stubborn and with a healthy dose of arrogance tossed in. The city had the calling for Joe, and while he had grown up in Hicksville, USA; he dremt of New York, or Chicago. Unfortunatly Joe had been delayed. Cities cost money, and Joe was lacking in that aspect. So he got a job around town. Not his home town, because that was little more than fifty houses around a fire station, a mom and pop store and a school house.

No, Joe moved to the local metrapolis. It had a couple thousand people in it, which was massive to most of them. Joe spent most of his time at the parties that were thrown, but Joe wasn't a drinker, so most parties wern't all that fun for Joe. As such, Joe barely pulled a C average through school...he was smart, but he never applied himself to anything.

Joe had an opinion on everything, and he wanted each and every person to know it. Joe had a metaphorical soap box with him, wherever he went. He didn't always bug people about stuff, but when something got into his nose, he would go hog wild over making the point to everyone else. He would drive the point home until there was no doubt in anyones mind about the point he was driving.

He wasn't what you would call your attractive man, but he wasn't ugly. Joe was remarkably average. In fact, his uniqueness came from the fact that he was average height, average build, average weight, average skin and hair tone. Joe just wasn't an impressive figure in either the 'drop dead gorgeous,' or the 'gargoyle like hideousness,' kind of ways. He wore a beard because he thought it would be easier to maintain, (he was wrong) and he wore the same clothes he had had for years. Color cordinated so he couldn't help but match, comfortable, and functional.

Joe was a sucker for a cute face and a kind voice, and Joe was lonely. He was looking for the love of his life, but more often than not found a slap to the face or a door to his toe. Joe was what one could describe as, normal.

He lived in the center of town, in a small two bedroom apartment with a large dog. An Irish wolf hound named Snappy. The rent was easily affordable, and Joe made a decent amount of cash at his job. So he lived his lonely, little, normal life in the center of a tiny, little, normal town.

 

[DeliciousMaiden]

Nicola Peterson

Nicola sat her eyes glued to the screen as her fingers moved the cursor through the details that scrolled continually before her eyes.

Stocktaking in the reference section was a time-consuming job, one that many of her colleagues avoided, but for Nicola who had an eye for detail and unending patience, it was one that was welcomingly mind numbing.

Nicola’s hand hovered suddenly, her eyes peering more closely as a soft sigh escaped her.

”Now … why wasn’t that data in the system?”
She wondered.

Taking up her notebook, Nicola scribbled the reference numbers and set off in search of the errant information.

 

[Rhovan]

Joe

Joe was lost. Well, he knew where he was, he just didn't know where he wanted to be. For some reason, all he could see was encyclopedias and dictionaries. "How can a library have nothing but research stuff?" Joe muttered to himself as he went from the first isle to the second.

Joe looked to his left, up the isle to the help desk -- just in time to watch the woman seated there get up and walk off. "Shoot...I need help and the help desk is empty...what luck!" he muttered sarcastically to himself. He walked briskly to the end of the isle and looked around in the open area near the help desk.
"Damnit...she's gone," he thought.

Walking the ends of the isle, he looked for the woman that had just left the desk, eventually finding her in the middle of the refrence section. "What the hell is it about this section?" he thought to himself as he approached the back of the woman, who was busy looking through the shelf. He reached out and touched her shoulder and spoke at the same time.

"'Scuse me Ms...but I need some information."

 

[DeliciousMaiden]

Nicola

So focused was she on her task that Nicola visibly jumped as the man touched her shoulder. She swung round alarm in her eyes in time to hear his,

"'Scuse me Ms...but I need some information."

Blushing at her stupidity, Nicola blinked towards the empty help desk.
She could not be any ruder to this man, she bit back a sigh and answered politely.

”Of course, Sir … how can I help you?”

Her face breaking into a belated smile as she saw his confusion as he looked around at the shelves.

He wasn’t the usual “type” she found browsing this section of the library.
Nicola found herself wondering just what he was doing there.
With more eagerness this time, she continued.

”Just give me an idea of what it is you’re looking for … and I’m sure I can steer you in the right direction…”

Her eyes held his as she smiled warmly awaiting his answer.

 

[Rhovan]

Joe

Joe pulled his hand back as if it were red hot, he hadn't ment to scare the woman and now he felt very dumb. His hand hung in the air over his right hand shoulder, and it just stayed there. He had intended to put it down, but she turned around and he lost his ability to think when he saw her face. He said, "Damn.." in a voice filled with awe, then he thought to himself, "I've not seen you around here before." However, the only thing that came out of his mouth on the second try was, "Damn..." His hand continued to hang in the air as he tried to focus on what she was saying, his eyes locked on her lips and her white teeth.

”Of course, Sir … how can I help you?”

"I ahh...lost...I am." He stammered out, he couldn't understand it. Usually he was all suave with women, but this time, he couldn't think of anything to say. His mouth opened and closed a couple times like a fish.

”Just give me an idea of what it is you’re looking for … and I’m sure I can steer you in the right direction…”

His eyes made their way up her face to her eyes, and he said the only thing he could think of. "Books..."

His hand finally moved from where it hung, but it moved to smack himself in the forehead, as he thinks and speaks at the same time one word. "Idiot!"

 

[DeliciousMaiden]

Nicola

It happened so rarely that the sound of her soft giggle took even Nicola by surprise.
She had watched amazed at his "comic" actions:
Her eyes widening as she saw the young man slap his forehead and declare himself an idiot.

”Well … umm… “

She managed to quell her mirth, but a smile still continued to tug at the corners of her mouth.

”You’ve come to the right place for books … any particular subject…?”

Again she stood and waited wondering what had caused this man’s disquiet.
Perhaps he had a deadline to meet.
Perhaps he was being pressured.
Perhaps …

But he didn’t look the type… though what Nicola knew about types and men could be written on a pin!
The thought sobering her, she looked at him, her face set in polite enquiry.

"Perhaps we should start again ...?"

She prompted gently.

 

[Rhovan]

Joe

Joe seemed to have lost his mind. He was pretty sure it was back with the dictionaries though. So he figured, if he could just get back to his mind, he could make his mouth work.

”You’ve come to the right place for books … any particular subject…?”

"Yes...I needed...I..." he shut his mouth again and shut his eyes as well, he took a couple calming breaths.

"Perhaps we should start again ...?"

His eyes snapped open and his face lit up. "Great idea!" he said, then he turned and trotted out of the aisle of books. "Now I can find my mind," he thought to himself. He waited thirty seconds before coming back down the aisle towards the woman, having now calmed his nerves.

"Excuse me Ms, but I can't find the normal book section? All these books aren't exactly...a light read," he picked up a dictionary with at least 1000 pages, then set it down again. "I'm looking for something...comical...fantasy perhaps?"

He raised an eyebrow, feeling a little better now that he wasn't acting like an utter fool.

 

[DeliciousMaiden]

Nicola

Nicola smiled as the man responded eagerly.

"Great idea!"

But then he turned and marched back up the aisle taking her by surprise by his sudden exit.
Almost about to turn away in incomprehension, Nicola’s face broke into a grin once more as she saw him moving briskly towards her.

"Excuse me Ms, but I can't find the normal book section?
All these books aren't exactly...a light read,"

She watched him flick through a handy dictionary and though still amused, she was surprised how disappointed she felt.

"I'm looking for something...comical...fantasy perhaps?"

Nicola nodded and explained smoothly.

”I’m afraid you’ve taken a wrong turn … general lending is downstairs … this is the reference section and as such more specialised… few are actually available for loan … “

She explained indicating the tables that were dotted around in secluded alcoves.

”If you’ll follow me … I’ll show you where you should go … “

She offered, preparing to accompany him to the foot of the stairs and point out the correct entrance.

 

[Rhovan]

Joe

”I’m afraid you’ve taken a wrong turn … general lending is downstairs … this is the reference section and as such more specialised… few are actually available for loan … “

"Don't get me wrong ma'am, I pour of my thesauris nightly, it's just...I was hoping for a little levity, and these books don't strike that feeling in me."

”If you’ll follow me … I’ll show you where you should go … “

"Aha...a wrong turn! See...sometimes men can stop and ask for directions...just only once we are lost is all." He followed along behind her, still taken aback by how attractive she was. He was thinking about talking to her on a less than professional basis when his brain finally caught up as he passed the dictionaries.

He had only opened his mouth to breath, but some words pried open his teeth and lept to their freedom. "Hey...I've never seen you around here before...I just mention it because I'm sure I'd remember you..."

He cringed and blushed, his brain laughing at his body because it had won the battle, but the war still raged.

 

[DeliciousMaiden]

Nicola

"Aha...a wrong turn! See...sometimes men can stop and ask for directions...just only once we are lost is all."

She heard him quip as he followed her to the staircase that linked the two floors.

"Hey...I've never seen you around here before...I just mention it because I'm sure I'd remember you..."

Nicola turned back to him and responded politely.

”I’ve been around here.”

Then descending she moved slowly to allow him to follow her.

”Just along there and the entrance is on your right … “

She instructed softly.

”Good day … “

With a final smile she turned and walked briskly back up the stairs knowing that she had spent precious time with the lost man.
With a sigh, Nicola pulled out her note pad and made her way back to the section she’d been checking earlier.

 

[Rhovan]

Joe

”I’ve been around here.”

He waved his hand about, "Like here the city, or like here, this spot?"

”Just along there and the entrance is on your right … Good day … “

Joe stood there for a second, thinking about her smile but then he shook his head and was alone. "What the hell.." he muttered, "I was doing so well...humm...let me try this again," and with that he retraced his steps until he found her busy at work again.

"Damn...girl is dedicated to her job," he thought to himself as he cleared his throat.

"Hey...I know your busy, so how about we...get some dinner or coffee or something once your done here at work...so I don't waste your time and all," he blushed, he wasn't a foreward guy, it's just his mind had control of his body again, and his body could do nothing about it.

 

[DeliciousMaiden]

Nicola

Nicola stared at the shelves and tried to trace the missing tomes.
She had managed to evade most of the more … personal … questions the man had tried to pursue and now she had to catch up on her work.
As she heard yet another customer coughing as he approached, Nicola silently cursed.

”Would she ever be left in peace to get on with this?!?”

She wondered and turned to find the same man staring back at her once more.

"Hey...I know your busy, so how about we...get some dinner or coffee or something once your done here at work...so I don't waste your time and all,"

Nicola couldn’t believe what she was hearing.
He'd come back and was asking her out!?!
… dinner … coffee … ?
He had to be kidding!

”Look Mr … “

She faltered realising she did not even know his name before continuing in a rush.

”Giving directions is all part of the service … “

She assured him smoothly.

”..coffee … dinner … they’re not … “

She spoke pointedly as she turned back to her books.

 

[Rhovan]

Joe

She turned and looked a little fed up, but when he asked her out, she nearly knocked him over with the icey cold she was blowing in his direction.

”Look Mr … Giving directions is all part of the service … ..coffee … dinner … they’re not … “

Then she turned her back on him. He felt confused, and angry and embarassed.

"What? Now wait a minute...I'm not asking for you to service me...I just wanted to talk to you, but you seemed so busy with these tomes of knowledge that I didn't want to interfer with your work. You don't need to get all mad...it's not like I'm soliciting you or anything."

He spread his feet about shoulder width apart and planted his hands on his hips, arms akembo. He was prepaired to verbally duke it out with this nameless woman, and if all things worked out as he had planned, they would indeed be getting coffee together.

 

[DeliciousMaiden]

"What? Now wait a minute...I'm not asking for you to service me..."

Nicola turned back to the man, her face pale with shock at his words.

"I just wanted to talk to you, but you seemed so busy with these tomes of knowledge that I didn't want to interfer with your work. "

She heard him speak, but the coarse comment he'd used hit a nerve.

"You don't need to get all mad...it's not like I'm soliciting you or anything."

Panicked she glanced round seeing the library still deserted, she was forced to face him once more, tears springing to her eyes.

"I ... I can't... "

She whispered.

She was on full retreat now.
Talking further to him would only cause trouble ... big trouble for her ... besides ... he had shocked her ...

"Please ... I have work ... "

She murmured still frozen to the spot, her eyes silently entreating him to let her go.

 

[Rhovan]

Joe

He saw her blanch at his words, but he forged on, as he felt he had something to prove. She seemed to be very angry, but all at once she glanced about, to see if anyone was around. Of course they wern't, it was the refrence section of a small town library. Only students came out here, but none had show up so far today.

He watched tears leap to her eyes and he lost all desire to prove a point.

"I ... I can't... Please ... I have work ... " He could barely hear her words, but he wasn't sure if it was because she was whispering, or the roar of blood in his ears from embarassment. It felt like he had been struck in the chest with a hammer, making her cry all of a sudden like that. His sails were totally deflated and he didn't know what to do.

"I...I'm sorry...I didn't mean to hurt your feelings...I just wanted a cup of coffee...it's not a life or death thing ya know...we don't even know each others names."

His mind was racing, and it was telling him to make her laugh, so she wouldn't cry. But his gut told him laughing was not going to help this situation, so he stood frozen too, looking back at her tear filled eyes and he wasn't sure what to say anymore. His words had packed up, and moved to Missouri.

 

[DeliciousMaiden]

Nicola

"I...I'm sorry...I didn't mean to hurt your feelings...I just wanted a cup of coffee...it's not a life or death thing ya know.."

Nicola nodded wordlessly as she watched the man stammer an apology.
She watched in fascination as his face reddened with embarrassment.
He was such a contradiction ... brash ... and yet ...

"...we don't even know each others names."

Coffee was harmless enough ... under normal circumstances ... but as things were ...

"Nicola ... "

Her name slipped from her lips before she could stop it.
Her eyes widened suddenly realising that she was encouraging him.
Guilt and fear swept through her.

What on earth was she doing?
If she wanted to have coffee or talk with someone, her instinct told her that this man was the last person she should be considering .

 

[Rhovan]

Joe

He saw her nodding, but he couldn't be sure if she was actually acknowledging his words, or if she was just doing that to keep him calm. So they stood for a couple of seconds, just staring at one another. "Why did she cry?" he thought as she looked at him, his ears continuing to turn a darker and more angry red as she looked at him.

"...we don't even know each others names."

"Nicola ... "

He saw her eyes widen as if she has just told him his christmas present on accident. He didn't know what to think, so he fell back on an oldy but a goody.

He offered up his right hand, to shake her hand and at the same time. "Well Nicola, I am Joe, and the pleasure of meeting is all mine I assure you." It felt rehearsed, it sounded rehearsed, in fact it was rehearsed -- but in one of those, "insert her name here," styles.

"At least we aren't just staring dumbly at one another," he thought as he waited for either her to shake his hand, or him to look even more foolish when he put it down un-shook.

 

[DeliciousMaiden]

Nicola

"Well Nicola, I am Joe, and the pleasure of meeting is all mine I assure you ..."

Nicola stared at the hand he held in her direction only belatedly realising that he was introducing himself formally.
She stared up at his face, questions running through her brain
She shakily extended her own hand and placed it timidly in his.

"Nice to meet you, Joe ... "

She responded automatically.

It hadn't been nice at all.
It had been strange ... frightening even ...
And yet ...
He was the first man who had drawn her curiosity for a long long time.

But then as the saying goes.

She realised her hand had remained in his too long.
She eased it away, her own delicate fingers dwarfed by his and yet he allowed her to retract her hand.
She hoped he did not see the blush as she raised her eyes shyly to his.

... curiosity killed the cat ...

The phrase jumped unbidden into her mind, but it was a timely one.

"Well ... I ... "

She glanced at the clock.
It was approaching lunch time already and she had done so little!

 

[Rhovan]

Joe

Joe was out of sorts. He didn't know what was happening anymore. They both looked at his hand for a long moment, then they looked to each other. He watched her hand slowly, carefully move from her side and place itself in his hand. He could feel her arm trembling in his light grip.

He mind told him to pump her arm twice, and then release it. His neck said the same thing, his shoulder said something about flying to korea and his hand did something else entirely. Joe's thumb ran across the back of Nicola's fingers.

"Nice to meet you, Joe ... "

Joe grinned, because the first thing he thought was, "Liar," but he kept it to himself. Joe hadn't released her hand as he thought he was going to. Someone had changed his plans and he assumed it was that devious wrist. That bastard got mixed up in everything. Then she was pulling her hand out of his, they locked eyes again for a moment and his blush was fierce enough to blind him to hers.

"Well ... I ... "

When she trailed off, Joe started up for her. "Coffee...lunch...dinner and a movie? What ever your up for, I can swing."

He saw her look at the clock, and he looked at it too. It was a normal clock, reading the proper time. He raised an eyebrow at her.

 

[DeliciousMaiden]

Nicola

"Coffee...lunch...dinner and a movie?
What ever your up for, I can swing."

For the second time Nicola laughed taken aback by his persistence.
Her amusement seemed to clear the tension between them.
This time she smiled as she shook her head.

”You don’t give up … do you ?”

She asked, in amazement as her eyes ran over him assessingly.
She caught the raised eyebrow and looked pointedly at the clock once more.
Time was moving quickly it seemed.
She couldn’t allow herself to continue to be … distracted by him …
How was she going to deal with this?

”Ok… a quick coffee … ?“

She conceded hesitantly.

”That seems the only way I’m going to be able to get some work done around here … “

She commented, her voice soft rather than accusing.

 

[Rhovan]

Joe

She laughed, and his mind butted in. "Told ya you should make her laugh!" And his mind had a good point. The whole area seemed to calm down with her laughter, now that she didn't seem likely to burst back into tears again.

”You don’t give up … do you ?”

"Ahh...nope. Can't. There is just something about you..." he coughed trying to cover up what he just said, "I mean, there is something about me that wont let me give up. Yes. Nope."

He looked once more at the clock with her, and whispered in a conspiratorial tone, "Why do we keep looking at the clock?" Then he looked around quickly to make sure the nobody in the area hadn't heard him.

”Ok… a quick coffee … ? That seems the only way I’m going to be able to get some work done around here … “

The words when written would sound rude, but her tone took the edge off of them.

"If by that you mean getting me to leave you alone, then yes, you are correct. Coffee...some chit chat...and then you can get back to work...and I can finally find a book to borrow from this library." He paused, as he had pronounced it Li-Barry. He said it again, this time pronouncing it correctly. "Library." He shook his head at his error. "I sound like a hick," he thought to himself.

 

[DeliciousMaiden]

Nicola

Nicola had the grace to blush as he responded.

"If by that you mean getting me to leave you alone, then yes, you are correct.”

He had no idea of the situation he was putting her in and Nicola could not have explained it, even if she’d wanted to.

”Coffee...some chit chat...and then you can get back to work...and I can finally find a book to borrow from this library."

Nicola nodded and tried not to look ill at ease about his desire to “chit chat”. Casual conversation was not something she did well. There was too much to think about … about what to say .. and what could not be said.

She smiled as he repeated his pronunciation of “library” then turned to see someone finally set themselves at the helpdesk.
Tania was back from her early lunch.

”Joe … why don’t you go down to lending … I-I’ll meet you down there … we can find somewhere to go then … I won’t be long.”

She tried to keep the anxiety out of her voice.
She did not want gossip.
She did not want anyone to know that she was meeting him for coffee.
She looked up and met his eyes seeing him ready to protest, or comment and entreated him softly;

”Please, Joe…?”

Her eyes reached into his and begged his understanding even as she tried not to let the fear show.
She saw his confusion and reassured him;

”I’ll be right down … I promise … “

 

[Rhovan]

Joe

Joe continued on, oblivious to her un-ease except for the clock watching and the sudden tears of before. She nodded, but then she made a face like she had swallowed a bitter pill, just after chewing it.

”Joe … why don’t you go down to lending … I-I’ll meet you down there … we can find somewhere to go then … I won’t be long.”

He opened his mouth, his shoulders squaring themselves up with hers.

”Please, Joe…? I’ll be right down … I promise … “

He closed his mouth. "No need to press the issue," he thought as he smiled and winked at her. Then he turned and walked straight into the shelf. Shaking his head again, but this time with a hand to his head, he waved at her with his free hand and wandered down the aisle towards lending, a bright smile/grimace on his face as he clutched at the portion of his head that slammed the rack.

"Stupid asshole!" he screamed in his mind at himself.