Tethered

Chapter 4:

I looked at my watch, it was ten past six in the evening yet this Liam guy was nowhere in sight. I had been waiting for ten minutes now in the stupid, dusty, freakish library where only few nerds hanged around and Liam hadn't cared to grace me with his mighty presence.

Lizzy, you were just wasting your time here for someone who might not even remember about his request...

But still I decided to wait for a bit longer. Sighing out loud, I looked around again to see the decrease in the number of nerds present here and the librarian staring at a book before her as if there was a photo of Brad Pitt before her. Perhaps it might be because I didn't see a reason why anyone would stare at a book with so much admiration and many a times the stern looking oldies were quite naughty on the inside.

I felt the boredom start settling over me making me get up from my seat and look around at books. As long as I was here, might make myself useful or... just to kill my time.

'Songs and Hymns', 'Alexander the Great', 'My Experiments with Truth', 'Emma' were the names of some of the books I found.

Very original!

Really, this place was so disorganized... mind my words, I wasn't one of those types who had library as their second home but it wasn't as if I had never visited it before so I knew how the library should be exactly. I exhaled loudly stretching out my arms a bit and in the process pushed a book off the shelf making it fall with a light thud. Gasping at the accident, I looked around to make sure no one noticed it.

Thank goodness, the librarian was still busy with her book else she would have kicked me out of this place. Running around the shelf, I bent down and picked the book up. It had the most weird title I had ever seen, 'living dead around us'.

Great! Another spooky book!

I turned the book around to look at the opened pages and unfold the creased page only to find bats and some kind of creepy man's picture sucking at some lady's neck. The subscript read 'vampire'.

I scoffed at the creepy picture. Yeah right, some stupid myth.

I hated spooky books showing non-existent things. It was nothing but pure bullshit that people liked to believe. Why can't they reason out? That, maybe some crazy dude might have seen some guy making out with lady in the dark and assumed it to be something else and spread rumors about it... making it one of those nonsense myths! I did never believe in something as stupid as supernaturals. Well, who would? A dead living for blood? Haha, that would be just as hilarious to see as it sounds.

I pushed the book back in its place before making my way back to my seat. I looked around for one last time when the sound of someone's boots hitting against the floor echoed through the hall and soon Liam came into view.

"Hey, Elizabeth!" Liam exclaimed and was immediately hushed by an irritated librarian who looked annoyed enough to kill. I eyed my watch and saw that it was half past six now! Did he have a celebrity disorder by any chance, to arrive so late? He apologized to the librarian before continuing towards me.

"I'm so sorry that I'm late. I was stuck with my little bro," he shrugged smiling apologetically. I waved my hand dismissing the topic and took out my books while he mirrored my action.

"So, which lesson are you facing trouble with? I asked.

"I find co-ordination compounds very difficult," he smiled slyly.

"Why that's the easiest chapter!" I chuckled shaking my head.

"I had bunked those classes... so I guess that is why I'm struggling now," he shrugged averting his gaze as I observed his cheeks tinted slightly with pink. I smirked knowing his little game, for as I remember, he was hyperactive in those classes answering every single question that the teacher posed. And here he was lying to me, thinking that I would buy it. So, just to let him believe it, I pretended to buy it.

"okay, let's start," I broke the silence that had engulfed over us.

**********

"Do you have any other doubt?" I asked making him shake his head.

"no more doubts. By the way, you explain much better than Ms. Stanley."

"why thank you!" I felt my cheeks warm up a bit. Never had anyone complimented me in such a thing. Yeah, they did tell that I was smart, hot, gorgeous and all, but a good teacher? Nah ah, it was my first.

"so... may I have a pleasure of having a dinner with you?" he asked hesitantly making me playfully raise an eyebrow at him.

"Are you asking me out on a date, Liam?" I asked bluntly causing him to pale.

"n-no no no, I was suggesting more of a treat."

"a treat for what?" I asked picking up my bag.

"for... teaching me?" he mirrored my action.

"okay, I don't mind," I smiled as we walked out in comfortable silence. The sky was dark and the streetlights lighted the path. I looked up to find not a single star in the cloudy sky. I was sort of disappointed at it. It was quite windy out here and I thanked lord that I was wearing a jacket.

"so, where are you taking me for this treat?" I turned to look at hin as we walked around the corner.

"I was thinking of having some Chinese." he grinned making me smile widely. Chinese was my favorite, apart from Thai and he seemed to know me quite well.

"so?" I played innocent.

"so, there is this amazing restaurant down this way which serves amazing chowmen and manchurian! Best ever you've tasted."

I raised my eyebrow at him.

"you sure?"

"cent percent," he winked at me making me chuckle in the process. We stopped at the restaurant that Liam wanted me to try but before we got in we couldn't help but notice a slowly increasing crowd gathered at the mouth of the alley just adjacent to the restaurant. After carefully observing the scene, I spotted the cop cars parked at the other side of the road. The sirens rang through the air as the ambulance came to halt.

"what's going on over there?" I asked out loud.

"Wait here, I'll go find out," he stated but before he took a step another voice called out, "Elizabeth?"

A familiar voice reached my ears making me to turn and look at the owner. A lean Asian originated officer around thirties, made his way towards us. He wasn't as tall as Liam but tall enough to tower over me.

"Mike!" I squealed happily, quickly hugging him causing him to chuckle in the process.

"still the same little jolly girl, Marshalls?" he smiled. I pulled away from him remembering Liam who was watching us quite baffled.

"Mike, this is my friend Liam Donovan and Liam this is Officer Michael Lang," I introducing the duo who shook hands for formality.

"Mike is a close family friend, he is the elder brother I never had," I explained Liam to erase the curiosity from his features.

"what are you two doing here at this point of time?" Mike asked me.

"we were here at the library and decided to have dinner before going home. What happened here?" I frowned looking at the bigger crowd now. The nurses were dragging a stretcher out of the crowd with a body bag filled with corpse. Goosebumps rose all over my skin. Someone died there? I felt the bile rise in my throat. I didn't think I could have anything for the dinner at all tonight after this episode.

"A carefully planned murder or perhaps just a bizzare accident, occurred in that alley. A waiter went out to throw the thrash but found a girl's body lying there," Mike sighed.

"any idea how she died?" Liam inquired.

"nothing can be said before the post mortem. But they assume it to be animal attack. Perhaps a venomous snake bite due to the fang marks on the neck. The animal control is on the way and we are going to search down the area for any stray animal. You kids better get going. It's not safe here and I have to get back to my duty. And Marshalls, I will check on you later this week. Till then try not getting into any trouble and take care," Mike smiled nodding at me and I nodded back before giving him a half hug while Liam bid him goodbye. We departed our ways and walked back towards the library.

"are you okay?" Liam asked, his voice laced with worry.

"I am, I believe," I gave a small smile to him.

"do you want me to drop you till your home?" he offered making me chuckle and shake my head.

"there's no need for that. Thanks though."

"where's your car?"

"in the parking lot."

"at least let me drop you off till your car," he offered putting his hands into his pockets and making me smile as we walked towards the parking lot. He was such a sweetheart! No wonder, there were so many girls who fell head over heels in love with him. He was smart, dashing, kind, and all. We walked in comfortable silence till my car. He leaned over the other car beside mine while I unlocked it.

"I am so grateful that you came here, Lizzy," he stated as I put my bag on the passenger seat before turning to him.

"it was no big deal."

"and my treat was sabotaged even before we had it," he smiled apologetically.

"we can have it some other time."

"promise?" he asked hopefully.

"pinky promise," I replied laughing as I got into my car. He chuckled a bit at my childish way.

"take care," he smiled contently making me nod.

"you too," I added taking one last glance at him before driving away.

Liam was a nice guy, a very nice guy indeed.