A Memorable Day in the University Library

One of my holidays at university, I decided to visit the library to complete an unfinished reading task. There was a very rare kind of quiet at the campus. The library was almost empty, with hardly anyone around. It seemed like the perfect opportunity to really get some work done.

I pushed through the ornate doors of the library, and the smell of old books and wood polished to a shine reached out to greet me. I walked to my favorite spot—a small nook by large windows with a view onto the university garden. The sun streamed in, casting a warm light across the rows of shelves.

My friend Shafqat had agreed to join me, not for the reading but because he insisted that it had the best tea on. We met at our usual spot, and right off the bat, Shafqat, ever the joker, started off with his trademark quips.

"Ah, the library," Shafqat said, settling into the chair opposite me. "The place where dreams go to die, and caffeine reigns supreme."

I chuckled and shook my head. "You're here for the tea, not the books, aren't you?"

"Obviously," he grinned, "but I also like watching you pretend to read."

We ordered our tea and settled in, me with my book and Shafqat with his phone, scrolling through memes. It didn't take long before our conversation drifted from the task at hand to more amusing topics.

"So, what's this big reading task about?" Shafqat asked, tilting his head toward the huge book lying in front of me.

"It's a history assignment," I replied, "on the socio-economic impacts of the Industrial Revolution."

He raised an eyebrow. "Sounds enthralling. Any love stories in that?"

I chuckled. "Sadly not. It is all regarding factories and steam engines."

"Well, that's a pity," he said, reclining. "Speaking of love stories, did I ever tell you about my latest disastrous date?"

I put down my book; this is going to be one of Shafqat's legendary tales. "No, but I'm all ears."

He dove right into a funny story about his date with a girl who happened to be an avid bird-watcher. "I swear, she spent more time looking at pigeons than talking to me. By the date's end, I knew more about bird migration patterns than her favorite movie."

We both started to laugh, at which the librarian shot us a very bad look. We bit our lips to stifle the giggles, but the air was set. Our study session turned into light-hearted bickering about love affairs, university life, and what we dreamt for in the future.

"Do you think we will ever look back to these days and miss them?" I asked, as I sipped my tea.

"Definitely," nodded Shafqat. "These are the days we'll tell our kids about—the library adventures, the failed romances, and the endless cups of tea."

Afternoon began to lengthen, we managed to do some reading, but the real treat was in the company of a dear friend. How is it possible that somewhere amidst all those quiet corners and endless shelves of books, missing out on the library could ever be an option when its setting would so perfectly hold unforgettable moments?.

As we left, the setting sun blushed everything around with a golden touch. We walked out, Shafqat and I, planning another library adventure in our heads. Sometimes it is not the books which you read, but all the memories that you make in between.