Fionna plopped down next to Cece..."You ready my friend? And whats up? You look irritated."
* * *
Edith peered over her glasses at her new assistant through the window of her office. He was finishing up the last return cart of the day. For once they had sent someone she could work with. Payson had been a student here a few years ago, and though very much the jock, had gravitated to the library on a consistent basis. She'd known all along he was a closet bookworm, but she'd never anticipated he would actually pursue library sciences for his degree. When he'd entered her office this morning, fifteen minutes early, she'd had to contain her obvious surprise. The district never gave her any information on her interns until they came, and even at that she'd always had to get any information, outside of the resume, from the student.
The day had gone fairly quickly, and with the exception of Fionna's odd dash through the library earlier today, was rather uneventful. She was pleased with the district's selection this semester. Payson would make an effective assistant. If she could keep the girls from fawning over him. Today was no barometer for the future she well knew. The library was usually dead the first day of the term.
* * *
Payson, decidedly bored with today, looked around the library for any strays that he had missed, straightened the "free to good home" book and magazine rack, and went to check in with Ms. Garcia. "I'm finished. Is there anything else you want me to do before I head out for today?" When she shook her head, not looking up from the file in front of her, he excused himself, picked up his bag and phone, and left the school. As he drove around his hometown, looking at everything, he was flooded with memories he'd managed to keep at bay since he left. College had been an easy ride for him, and though he was glad to be home, he couldn't help but feel out of place. Somehow his car parked itself on the ridge looking down at the school on the east and overlooking the old mill on the west. So many memories in both of those places. He twirled the class-ring Justine had given back to him before she left, and sat there watching the school, students coming and going through doorways he'd gone through so many times himself. Why did everything feel so different?