A True Young Adult

"You should seriously read this."

I look up from lighting a cigarette. It was my third. Recently I've picked up the habit of chain smoking. I have a new place with a balcony. It's my perch. From it I can watch people coming and going in the apartment parking lot. I see and am understanding quite a bit more from this new perspective. Such as which resident drives which car. With this new place came a new room mate; Charlotte. Charlotte of the big brown eyes and freckled nose who is currently starring at me with a no nonsense expression. She holds a book for me to see. It has a hardcover and is richly colored in dark blues and vibrant purples. A young woman stares vacantly from its depths. Tiny fangs hang from her mouth and her eyes are a glowing orange. Another figure is behind her, his hand seductively curled around her neck. The words, "Enthralled, Book One" is written in a mysterious cursive toward the bottom. I glance away from the book and back to Charlotte.

"It...is...AMAZING! Oh my gosh you have to read it so we can talk about it. I am on book three and can't wait for the fourth to come out next month. I seriously think you would love this book, Mags." Charlotte shoots a knowing smile my way. It's as if she has some divine secret that I have yet to hear. Charlotte has an adorable way of speaking. She speaks with such enthusiasm it's hard not to get sucked in to her excitement. However, she tends to repeat words and this can get confusing and irritating. At least to me.

"It's about vampires! I love vampires. They're so sensual and sexy. Anyway, the series is about a girl in high school whose boyfriend supposedly died a year ago in a car accident. She is all depressed and stuff. Her best friend, Chris, has been supporting her but has told her he is in love with her and wants to be together. But! She is still in love with her dead boyfriend Jason. Who, I won't tell you ALL the details, is a vampire! Jason has been wanting to tell her he's been alive all along but has been afraid of how she would react." Charlotte takes a deep breath and I take another drag on the cigarette. "It is a great story. The plot is crazy! The story and characters have so much depth. I really want you to read it." She hands the book over to me as she finishes speaking. I absently thumb through the pages while asking vague questions. I am not being honest. I am faking interest in this book. I don't wan't to read this book but I don't want to hurt Charlotte's feelings. We have a recent, whirlwind friendship. We met almost six months ago at work. We share a bathroom. It's important we stay friends. I don't want to lie as I lie all the time. I don't want to lie to Charlotte but I am. I'm not going to read this book.

I'm not going to read this book because, at twenty-one years of age, I am an adult and not a teenager. I do not understand why women my age read this stuff. Books about high school teenagers are for high school teenagers. Don't get me wrong, I understand there is a place for these books and I respect that place. I just wish there were more books relevant to me as a true young adult. I glance back up at Charlotte who is giving me an expectant look. Her brown eyes are a deep chocolate that I envy. A car alarms sets off from below. I give a slight jerk in surprise.

"Will you read it?" She asks.

"Yeah, I'll read it." Lie. I am not going to read this book.