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She saw the same girl walk into the library at least four times a week. And everytime she stared at her until Keeri hit her with whatever she was holding, or, when she was alone, realised she probably looked like a creep and ducked, blushing back into her filing, or sorting, or totally-not-reading the latest books they had in.
It wasn't like it was Zazzalils fault that she was pathetically gay around pretty women, and this girl was beautiful. She had short, dark hair that curled perfectly around her face, and she had nice clothes, she wore stuff that Zazzalil would love to wear if she were tall, or had the confidence for them, the mystery woman each day in a different bright-coloured complementary outfit, though over a few weeks Zazzalil started to notice the same pair of dark purple corduroy trousers popping up with the woman's seemingly endless collection of block colour and graphic t-shirts and a very flatteringly oversized denim jacket.
Shit, Zazz was probably in over her head. She blushed, for no real reason except she had been distracted by a woman that wasn't even expected to come into the library that day. It was a good thing they were quiet, the heavy rain no doubt deterring any potential customers from leaving their homes. She sighed, she really needed to get a grip on her daydreams, an overactive imagination might be quite useful for the litter of half built inventions and short stories scattered in her front room, but it wasn't good at dissuading unattainable crushes.
She checked the time, Keeri wasn't coming in today, she had some sort of dance tournament and couldn't pick up any shifts for the next few days. Which, coincidentally meant that Zazzalil would potentially have to have her first real interaction with the current girl of her dreams (up until this point she had managed to avoid her by shouting something that wasn't quite words at Keeri and rushing off to do something else with great importance whenever the woman had entered the building) she wasn't looking forward to it, already sure she would not be able to form sentences and would definitely embarrass herself in front of whoever she was.
The clock had barely changed the next time she looked up, she tried to read a page of a new murder mystery thriller novel that was supposed to be really 'captivating' but found she couldn't really concentrate.
Ten minutes later she decided to pack up for the day.
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The next morning the rain had died off somewhat and Zazzalil broke her coffee machine. This had two outcomes, one was that she she didn't get any coffee, and the other that she forgot entirely what day it was and that keeri was unable to cover for her in any potentially embarrassing situations and was an oblivious, uncaffeinated grump when the door opened and she looked up to see the mystery girl enter and sit at her usual table by the window. She was gorgeous, obviously intelligent, if the large bag of economic science textbooks she chipped through on her visits to the library was anything to go by, and wearing glasses. Zazzalil could feel her body going into gay panic and she hadn't even said a word to this woman.
A man came up to the counter and Zazzalil attempted to compose herself, setting aside her book and checking him out for a copy of 'the time traveler's wife' 2 children's DVDs and a senior's bus pass. After he had left she refocused her energy on going through the returns and then on sorting through a new box of arrivals and books that had been pre-ordered, setting them on shelves or in the correct reserved piles. She hardly even noticed the person standing at the desk until she almost crashed into them face first.
Economy girl caught her easily, holding onto her arms with strong hands and laughing slightly at the deer in the headlights look Zazzalil sported for several seconds after she realised what had happened. Zazz coughed awkwardly and took a step back, sure she was bright red in the face and cursing every god she could remember from high school religious studies.
"Sorry, I ah-, sorry."
She blushed deeper, looking at the floor and noticed the small heap of paperbacks on the floor
"Shit-"
She crouched to pick them up, moving in sync to the vision in glasses that was set to ruin her life and take all of her dignity at the same time.
"Oh"
Zazzalil felt like an idiot, she scooped up the books glasses girl hadn't got to yet and stood up again, her hand tingling from where their fingers brushed around the pages of some boring political history biography.
"Sorry again, I wasn't paying attention"
Glasses girl set her books down on the counter and leaned on it, smiling at Zazz with only a hint of teasing.
"It's okay, I didn't see you 'till too late either" she held out her hand "I'm Jemilla, nice to meet you"
Jemilla wow, that's a pretty name. Jemilla laughed and pulled the history book out of Zazzalils limp hand, waiting for her brain to catch up and return the handshake.
Zazz blushed again, she had totally said that out loud
"Thank you, Zazzalil, do you work here all the time?" She gestured to the conveniently empty library.
Zazzalil blinked at her, trying desperately to regain cognitive awareness and not to focus on how soft Jemillas hand had been
"Yeah, it's mine actually" she coughed "not great money-wise but it's fun"
She smiled sheepishly up at Jemilla, just realising what a height difference there was between them, "are you at school now? I've noticed you in here before"
She mentally cursed herself, she 'noticed' Jemilla, way to sound like a weirdo Zazz, she barely refrained from rolling her eyes and blushed again, that was going to be a problem.
"Yeah, I'm doing social and economic sciences, it's really interesting" Jemillas smile was like sunshine, it was entirely disarming
"So Zazzalil, when do you close? Do you want to go for dinner?"
Zazzalil nearly choked on air and Jemilla laughed
"You are not the most subtle person Zazz, I've been wondering when you were going to talk to me actually" she smiled at Zazzalil encouragingly "well? Do you want to go out?"
Zazzalil nodded, probably too enthusiastically and Jemilla laughed again
"I close at 5 usually, but if noone comes in I can make it half 4?"
Jemilla nodded, a smug happy smile firmly etched on her lips
"Perfect, I've got a class until 4. I'll stop by when it's finished" she grabbed a pen from the desk and reclasped Zazzalils hand, brining it up towards her and writing something in smooth loopy writing "text me in a bit yeah?"
At Zazzalils nod she grinned, full blast and picked up the bag of textbooks Zazz hadn't even noticed had been on the floor beside her. Jemilla gave Zazzalil a once over as she stood up again, stooping forward with both arms on the shorter woman's shoulders and kissed her on the cheek. She pulled back and her lips quirked at the stunned expression on Zazz's face, she turned to leave.
"See you later Zazzalil"
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Zazzalil was running around frantically, she had lost it, Jemilla was going to kill her. She dropped to her knees and stuck her entire arm under the couch, swiping it back and forth until it hit a small box, that was close.
She shot up just as the door opened.
"Zazz? Why are you out of breath babe? And why is your arm dusty?" Jemilla looked down at her hands and then back at the sheepish expression on Zazz's face, she rolled her eyes, but couldn't stop the fond smile
"Don't tell me you nearly lost the rings?"
She strode towards Zazz as she spoke, stopping tow to toe with the other woman and smirking down at her, Zazzalil blushed and looked at the box.
" I found them though…"
Jemilla laughed, she ran a hand up Zazzalils non-dusty arm and tilted her chin up so they made eye contact.
"Okay, I'll let you off this time then, but only because I love you" they gazed at each other for a moment before Zazzalil remembered something,
"Why are you even here j'mills? I thouht this was bad luck or something" she threw the ring box backwards onto the couch and wrapped her arms around Jemillas waist, pressing even more into her space.
"We aren't dressed yet, so I don't think it counts, and anyway, what could be bad about seeing my adorable fiancée one last time before we tie the knot?"
She learnt down and kissed the tip of Zazzalils nose, smiling at the way she scrunched up her face in retaliation "I love you so much Zazz"
Zazzalil smiled back, pressing her lips to Jemillas for a few seconds
"I love you too J, always and forever. But get out of my room, Keeri will be here in 5 minutes and we both know she'll flip if she sees you here before the ceremony"
Jemilla laughed and disentangled herself from Zazzalil to walk to the door.
"See you later babe"