IMMOLATION: Chapter 19

A bell dinged at the front of the shop and Joan stopped a moment in her sorting, trying to guess which path would take her in that direction. She still wasn't sure, though this was still her first week working in the bookshop. As it was, she sat in one of the back corners, sifting through boxes of books, pricing them, and then stacking them in piles to be shelved later.

“Is Joan in today?” A familiar voice asked not far from where Joan sat.

Tom.

The small patch on Joan's back, between her shoulder blades, caught fire. Before Joan could react, the flame burned through her shirt leaving a fist sized hole.

“She's in the back,” Joan heard Mike tell Tom.

The fire on her back wouldn't go out. She stopped it from spreading at least and gained enough control over it to prevent it from burning her shirt any more.

Footsteps were getting closer. Joan looked herself over and the fire on her back intensified. After her first day, with all the dust and then her burning, she'd decided to wear clothes that she cared less about. Now she regretted that decision. Joan pulled her hair out of its ponytail to cover up as much of the flame as she could, not to mention the hole in her shirt. She smoothed out the lumps in her sweatpants but had no time to adjust her shirt. A shadow came around the corner, followed moments later by its owner.

“Looking good,” Melanie smirked. “I told Mike to buy you some time so you can relax a bit.”

Joan fixed her shirt as best she could while Melanie stood lookout.

“So, what do you think?” Melanie asked, picking up a book and turning it over.

“About Tom?” Joan asked, keeping her fire in check as she regretted more and more her clothing choices that morning.

Melanie's eyes lit up. “Well, no that's not what I was asking about, but we can talk about that too” She said with a devious look, “I was actually asking how you were liking the job.”

“It's fine, so far,” Joan said, standing up and turning for Melanie to appraise her, “I like books.”

“Mmmm,” Melanie said as she had Joan turn around once more, “You're hair's all lumpy. I'd put it in a ponytail or something.”

“It was in a ponytail,” Joan said, “But I was trying to hide this.”

Joan pulled her hair back up and wrapped the band around it, revealing the hole in her shirt and the fire on her back.

“I could still see the fire through your hair anyway,” Melanie said. “Besides, I think it's better this way. Use your fire to your advantage. Make a fashion statement, you know?”

Joan grimaced. “Burned clothes and random patches of fire on my body, just what every man wants in a woman.”

“I didn't say anything about Tom,” Melanie said innocently.

“Well that's a relief,” Tom said, stepping out from behind the two young women. “I hate being talked about behind my back.”

Joan blushed and reached up instinctively to pull out her hair band again.

“Please don't,” Tom said before Joan could let her hair back down, “You look good with it up,” Tom reached out, his hand growing closer to Joan's face, only to turn off to the side at the last minute to grab a book. “Does this come in paperback?”

Before responding, Joan checked her fire: it was hot but not spreading. The book in Tom's hand was a paperback. She thought back, making sure she'd heard Tom correctly, then chuckled sarcastically.

“Ha, ha,” She said and snatched the book away from him and placed it back on the shelf. Joan picked out the hardcover copy of the same book and put it in Tom's still-open hand. “Why yes,” Joan said, pulling the paperback copy back off the shelf, “Yes we do have that book in paperback.”

Joan held out the book for Tom, who laughed.

“You learn quick,” He said.

“It's not that hard when you only have one trick,” Joan replied offhandedly.

Joan turned her back to Tom, showing him the flame on her back, as she bent down to pick up the box of books she'd been sorting.

“Come on Melanie,” Joan said casually, “I think the rest of these need to go someplace else.”

They left a slack jawed Tom behind as they made their way to another part of the bookstore. Once they were out of earshot, they both broke out into stifled giggles.

“Did you see his face?” Joan asked

Melanie nodded, holding back her laughter. “He's been needing someone to cut him down to size,” She said. “He's always in here, playing his tricks, flirting like he's back in high school or something.”

“I know, right?” Joan smiled to herself for getting the upper hand on Tom.

Mike came around the corner, a confused look on his face. “Tom just left,” He said, “Are we all set for this Saturday?”

“Saturday?” Melanie asked, “What are you talking about?”

“So Tom didn't find you two?” He asked.

“Oh he found us,” Joan said, “And we put him in his place.”

“What?” Mike asked.

“We saw through his act, trying to play me for a fool,” Joan explained, “So we turned his tricks back on him.”

“Joan, do you know what you've done?” Mike asked.

“No,” Joan said uncertainly.

“He was going to ask you out,” Mike explained, “Mel and I were going to double with you so it wouldn't be awkward.”

“But,” Melanie began, “He's never asked anyone out, ever.”

“That's the point,” Mike said in frustration, “Do you know how long I've been working on him? Trying to build up his confidence enough so that he'd stop playing around and actually go on a date.”

“Tom?” Joan asked, “Lack confidence? Right.”

“You don't understand,” Mike said, “Tom and I were friends growing up and he didn't hit his growth spurt until our Junior year of high school. The first time he asked a girl on a date, he was a good foot shorter than she was. She didn't say anything, just laughed at him and walked away. He's been terrified of asking anyone out ever since.”

“Really?” Joan said.

Mike nodded. “I told him you were really nice and that he didn't have anything to worry about.”

The fire on Joan's back flared a bit.

“Please don't stand so close to the books,” Mike said, holding back his anxiety as best he could with Melanie present. Joan knew if it weren't for Melanie, Mike would have never hired her. “Look, watch the store,” He said, looking at Melanie. “I've got to go catch Tom and bring him back. And you,” Mike turned a hard look on Joan, “Please say yes if he asks you out.”

With that, Mike turned and left. Joan's fire went out and Melanie went to find the front desk, leaving Joan with the box of books that still needed sorting.