Libby the Librarian: A Rom Com Novella Read Free Page A

where they teach you makeup techniques. I was going to feel pretty silly if I could recite the complete works of Poe, but couldn’t learn to apply eyeliner.   
    By the next Sunday, I’d almost regained my composure and gotten used to my new hair. It wasn’t much different from my old hair, really , except that it was shinier and had streaks in it. I’d made a halfhearted attempt to practice putting it up the way Shasta had shown me, but I never managed to make it look as good as she had. I had also—per Shasta’s instructions—started weaning myself off my pair-of-kakis-and-button-down-a-day habit. It hadn’t been easy. All I had to do, Shasta insisted, was wear one item every day that I wouldn’t normally wear. Her theory was that it was less of a shock—to me and everybody who had to look at me—to transition a little at a time. It was sort of working. On Friday, I wore black trousers and a white blouse that had, up until now, lived a life of isolation and quiet despair in the darkest recesses of my closet. But I couldn’t bring myself to add the set of bangle bracelets my aunt had given me last Christmas. It was asking too much of myself to go around clinking all day.
    On Sunday, Adam arrived before Shasta. I was still eating breakfast. I let him in and shuffled back to the kitchen in my robe and slippers. I sat down to finish my coffee. Adam poured himself a cup and kicked Kipling—who hissed at him—out of my other chair.
    “How are you feeling?” Adam asked.
    “Fine. Why shouldn’t I be?”
    “Well, I know you. You don’t like change.”
    “I do like change. Just yesterday, I rearranged my living room.”
    “ The compulsion to constantly rearrange your furniture is not quite analogous to embracing drastic alterations to your lifestyle.”
    “I wouldn’t call a new haircut a drastic alteration to my lifestyle.”
    “It’s not just a new haircut.”
    “Isn’t it?”
    “Seriously—“ Adam did look serious. “I think you are going to discover that men are starting seeing you in a whole new light.”
    “I don’t think I’m too interested in the sort of men who are impressed by a little primping.”
    “You say that now, but I believe you are going to be severely disoriented by the attention that’s going to start coming your way.”
    “That was the general idea , wasn’t it? Doll Libby up. Slather her with makeup. Dress her up pretty. All so men won’t run away screaming.”
    I knew I was getting sarcastic, but I couldn’t help it. I get sarcastic when I get scared. I know it’s neither logical nor sensible to be scared, but that doesn’t change the way I feel.
    The doorbell was ringing, so I sent Adam to let Shasta in.   
    Shasta had been correct. Makeup was harder than it looked. I did alright with my base layer. You just have to rub that on and check for streaks. Contouring and blusher were more difficult. Then we got to the eyes, and I made a hopeless mess.
    The Sexy Librarian call s for something Shasta called Cat Eyes. Cat Eyes involve liquid eyeliner. Liquid eyeliner was created by the devil himself, probably formulated somewhere in the deepest recesses of hell. The sole purpose of liquid eyeliner is to make otherwise coordinated and capable people feel like they’ve sprouted flippers instead of hands.
    Adam thought it was hilarious. Shasta didn’t like him laughing at me, so she gave up , cleaned off my mess and redid my eyes herself. She’d demonstrated on herself first. She looked great. Of course.
    When she finished with me, she handed me the mirror. When I looked at myself, I no longer looked like me.
    “What do you think?”
    “This is very weird.”
    “I think you look beautiful.” Shasta said. I think she was just being kind, but still, it was nice to hear.
    Adam was staring at me like I’d been replaced by an extraterrestrial or transformed myself into a disembodied head.
    “Stop gaping at the poor girl like that and tell her how good she looks !”