Attack of the Dashing, Young, and Bold. (Cat)

[Len Baker]

Len Baker was a boy of simple interests. Music, books, cars, etc... And it never took him long to find a new interest. "The world," he said once to his mother, "Is a bigger more wonderful place when you love who you are." She never bothered to care much about that theory. In fact everything about Len bothered her. Why? because Len wasn't Helen. And at the same time, he was. And that made his mother very uncomfortable. Of course Mr. Baker always, very simply, wanted his child, boy or girl, to be happy. And if that meant that Helen was sometimes Len, he was okay with that.

Obviously Len was okay with that as well. But he never quite knew how others would take to him being a girl by birth, so he usually thought better than to bring it up in conversation. Never the less, it didn't matter much because he rarely talked to anyone he didn't think was going to be friendly about him or any other person in general. And it was on that day, a Wednesday if you had to be technical, that Len set out on a journey to the library to return a book he'd checked out last week.

The book was very nearly over due and if he waited until tomorrow morning he knew that doom and shame would soon settle in. Hurrying down the hall, Len worked his way through the maze of halls to the library. Taking it to the counter he checked it in and grinned at the woman. "I'll put it on the shelf myself. I'm going to look at other books that way anyhow."

Smiling again to the woman, he turned and made his way to the shelf. He opened the copy of The Scarlett Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, he gazed over the other names that had checked it out. He wasn't sure why he always did this, but he did. He had been doing it since he was a little girl.

As he was reading over the names, he was unaware of his surroundings. Because of this, he was very blissfully unaware of the petite girl in blue with a little stack of books in her arms. Before he could do anything about it he was toppling over her. With a loud crash, they both hit the ground and Len groaned. That was embarrassing! Poor girl was a victim of Len's perpetual naivety. "Holy cow, I'm really really sorry!!"

Scrambling to sit up right, he dove to her aid and helped her up. "Please tell me your not hurt!" He looked her over with his usual immediate concern for the well being of strangers he had just trampled. Smoothing out his sweater he felt the heat rise in his pale cheeks as he stared at him sheepishly.

[Catherine Novella]

Cat really had few interests. Books are the main interest point for her anyway. She does have other interests but reading is her main one. Cat could find anything out from her reading. In her mind there was no reason for her to have to leave her comfort zone. Especially if everything she ever wanted could be found within it. Cat was pretty set in her ways growing up, her grandmother being the free spirit she was just sort of enforced it.

It was a Wednesday that day that when Cat had the resolve to wander into the library. She had grabbed a few books from the box and was about to start shelving them. Cat knew that the books she was shelving were bringing joy to the people who had read them. This main reason was why Cat liked to do this work. She got to see what everyone was reading and imagine what they were thinking when they had read these books. Cat really did love books. They were always there when people failed you. Books allowed people to escape to a reality that had neither the hindrances of reality or the various problems it would present. The fact that the books allowed the escape was something that Cat was always aware of.

While Cat was shelving the books in a particular area of the library she was trying her hardest to see above the pile she had picked out. It was hard because Cat was short and the books were hindering her viewpoint. All in All Cat really could not see where she was going. Most people knew to avoid the small girl that was always carrying books. She was pretty well known by the regulars and was almost always able to avoid being stepped on or tripped over. People just naturally moved out of her way.

So when Cat was shelving a book, not really paying attention, and a guy tripped over her and her books, she was a bit surprised. With a loud noise both parties involved in the collision feel to the floor, books being scattered around. Cat just sort of sat there dazed as the person who had run into her picked himself up and was trying his best to help her.

Finally processing what the male was saying to her she realized he was profusely apologizing to her. Cat just nodded and smiled up at him. “It is quite alright. I am just happy someone was too caught up in a book to notice me. That is one of the perks of the library I suppose.” Cat looked up at the person again. He seemed to be freaking out over such a small thing. “ You can rest easy, as I am not hurt.” Cat said as the boy helped her up, “I am Catherine Novella, Glad to see your enjoying the library.” Cat soothed her skirt and pushed her glasses back up on her nose. “Did you need anything?”