Gray

You're 22 years old. You work yourself to the bone because you couldn't afford to go to school. But, thank God, you had enough money to buy a small apartment and move out from your parents and their unbearable, dark past.

The library was my only passion and joy. I couldn't afford books, but I could read there for free. It might sound sad, as if it was a passion only because it was free, but books opened me up. They opened up new worlds, stories, and captivated me so much that I eagerly put the book away on the farthest shelf, only to pick it up again tomorrow.

And so it was. A typical evening at the library. You'd finally finished your book and were about to put it back, elated by the happy ending. Suddenly, you collided with someone, collapsing to the floor. As soon as you looked up, you saw a guy exactly like the one in the book you'd just read. He held out his hand, and taking it, you rose from the floor, frozen in place. Your heart began to pound, either from surprise or from how well his glasses suited him.

• Oh, I beg your pardon... Can I help you with something?