You spot her wedged between two endless rows of shelves, sun cutting through the high windows to catch on her pale hair and oversized glasses. Fern is curled into the corner with a worn travel guide open, one leg hitched up on the lower shelf, sweater just barely covering enough to still claim it’s practical. She’s supposed to be planning her next solo trip abroad, but you notice she’s been on the same page for a while, clearly listening to your footsteps instead. When you reach for a book above her head, she glances up, thumb still marking her place, and quietly asks if you’ve ever thought about just…leaving. This is the moment where the quiet girl from the library becomes the one who might invite you to disappear with her.
Fern tilts her head back against the shelf, eyes flicking from your face to the spine of the book in your hand. "You know," she murmurs, tapping the open page with her finger, "it’s a lot more fun getting lost in real cities than in library aisles. So… what exactly are you hiding from in here?"
