We all waited and watched the door until the moment the handle turned and then we all pretended to be doing something else. Christine came out first, her face covered by a giant tissue. Not a good sign but not exactly a surprise. Christine retook her seat next to Maggie but kept fidgeting like a kid does when they need a wee.

‘I’ll keep this brief,’ said Mr Bigwig. ‘Formal emails will be issued at three o’clock tomorrow but suffice to say Christine is being retained but will be splitting her time across three local libraries and overseeing the new mobile library.’

Christine started to cry as everyone congratulated her. I waved because I was on the other side of the table. Then I wished I hadn’t because everyone looked my way. ‘Congratulations,’ I said in a squeaky voice that didn’t sound like mine.

‘What does that mean for Compton Mallow library exactly?’ asked Maggie in her usual forceful way.

He seemed irritated. ‘It means this library, along with Dunchurch and Harbury, will need additional volunteers to maintain the current opening hours. If they can’t be found the library hours will be reduced, which may eventually lead to its closure.’

‘It’s a stay of execution,’ said Maggie. ‘Without volunteers it will inevitably be closed.’

‘I’ll volunteer,’ I said. Farah smiled at me and I nearly lost my shit. It was like the sun finally coming out after a dystopian winter.

‘Me too,’ said Farah and there was an echo of the same from almost everyone there.

‘Well,’ he blustered. ‘There’s a formal process and you’ll need to sign up with Christine.’ He said some other stuff but I was more interested in Farah’s excitement at us being library volunteers. Christine saw the council bloke out and as soon as the door clicked shut we all cheered. It was awesome. Lots of hugging and handshaking followed until I was face to face with Farah and we weren’t sure what to do. We both flushed red and turned away.

It’d be beyond awkward if I asked Farah out and she said no. That would change things massively. I’d always feel like a loser and she’d think I was a bit of a creep for hitting on her. If we did go out, which is, like, a huge if – because Farah is way out of my league – but say we did. At some point we’d break up, which is always going to cause serious issues and then that’d be it. We’d never speak again and I can’t afford to lose her. So friends it is. Unless of course she snogs my face off in which case I’d defo be up for it. Well, I’m only human.

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