The Bookish Love Affair #2 (Free Short Story)

On Tuesdays she had English Culture class at the Faculty of Arts and Humanities. Daniela liked the subject, but the teacher spoke in such a monotone voice that the classes ended up being boring and painful. She was sitting in her usual seat, reading her book, when the train stopped at Agualva station. The memory of the previous day made her lift her eyes from her book and look at the other line. The other train was on the opposite line again. It was crammed with passengers, as usual. Daniela started to go through the carriages, until she reached the carriage opposite hers. To her amazement, she discovered that the young man from the previous day was sitting in the same seat and holding the same book in his hands. Daniela frowned, surprised at the sight. Was it a coincidence? Or did he sit in the same place every day?

He seemed to sense that he was being watched and raised his eyes from the book. Daniela held her breath, as if any noise or movement on her part might alert him. He kept looking straight ahead and Daniela took a deep breath. It was as if her breath drew him in and she saw him slowly turn his head toward the window. Daniela held her breath again. Seeing her, he smiled. Daniela blushed and looked away.

What was she doing? Exchanging glances with a stranger on the train seemed like something out of one of those romantic comedies that aired on Sunday afternoons. Besides, the end of her relationship with Rafael had left her a mess. The last thing she needed at that moment was another man in her life. Daniela started counting the seconds in her head, wishing that the train would start moving again as soon as possible. She didn’t have the courage to raise her eyes and face him, but she was peeking out of the corner of her eye, and at one point it seemed to her that he was writing something. Was he writing in the book? Daniela was upset. She couldn’t understand why some people would ruin books with their BIC pens or their No. 2 pencils. It was this indignation that made her take heart and raise her eyes the moment the train whistled. He wasn’t writing in the book.

As the train was leaving the station, Daniela could see that he put a white sheet of paper against the glass, on which he had written something. Around her several people had become aware of the situation and were looking either at her or at him. She liked to go unnoticed and this situation was making her very uncomfortable. At that moment she felt like covering her head with the hood of her sweater and hiding from the world, but curiosity was stronger than embarrassment and she looked back. On the sheet he had written, “we shall meet in the place where there is no darkness.” In the place where there is no darkness? Daniela had no idea what that meant, but at least he hadn’t written his phone number or some silly message, she thought with relief.

Daniela ran her hand through the long red hair and lowered her gaze to the book, trying to resume reading. She wanted to become invisible again and avoid the prying eyes of the other passengers. She had barely read a paragraph when someone sat down in the seat in front of her.

“I think he wants you to guess the title of the book he’s reading,” said a high-pitched woman’s voice.

Daniela raised her head, realizing that the person was talking to her. In front of her was the lady in the floral blouses who read Nicholas Sparks.

“Excuse me?”

“The young man on the other train,” the lady began, pointing to the track where the train had disappeared, “I think he wrote a quote from the book he’s reading for you to guess the title,” she concluded with pride, as if she had just discovered the killer of the Orient Express.

Daniela was at a loss for words. She was not one to talk much, especially to strangers. That young man, a perfect stranger, was disrupting her routine. Daniela sketched a yellow smile and lowered her eyes back to the book, hoping that this would discourage the woman.

“Did you hear what I said?”

Daniela took another look at the woman sitting in front of her. She must have been in her fifties, but the hair caught in a bun on top of her head made her look older. In her hands, without rings but with long red fingernails, she held the latest Nicholas Sparks novel.

“I think the lady is right,” said a male voice from across the corridor.

Daniela looked over and recognized the bald man. That was the last thing she needed, she thought. She felt like telling him that he would do better to continue reading Crime and Punishment, instead of bothering her.

“If you don’t know which book the quote is from, I can help you,” he added.

Daniela looked at the balding gentleman and then at the lady in the floral blouses and took a deep breath. They both seemed determined not to let the subject drop. What have I gotten myself into? She now had two complete strangers in her train who were determined to force their way into her life.

“I also know which book the quote is from!”, added the lady in the floral blouses, laughing.

It was then that Daniela realized everything. They were right. Of course, it was a quote from a book! Daniela smiled. She knew exactly which book it was from.

“Thank you, but I know which book it is from”, she said, in a voice so low, that the bald gentleman had to stretch his neck to hear what she said.

Daniela lowered her eyes back to her book and didn’t raise her head again until she reached her destination. She had talked enough to strangers that day.

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This is the second chapter of my short story “The Bookish Love Affair” that I’m publishing here on the blog. It’s a sweet romantic comedy about two strangers on two different trains who share a passion for books.