/lit/ - Literature

>at uni
>in group of largely STEM
>drinking
>one english grad student
>we don't know each other, friend of a friend
>after the topic of his field comes up, conversation turns to books
>I'm at the edge of the table, actually had just put my book on the floor
one friend says to another how she LOOOOVED that john green book she was lent a month ago
>mfw it takes a month to work through a YA novel
>talk about Fault in Our Stars, JK Rowling, etc
>Grad student is physically in pain
>thesis is something to do with versification
>smiles and nods along
>it seems socially acceptable enough to pop out of the conversation and continue reading my copy of Thomas Mann's The Magic Mountain
>still talking about bestseller filler
>sees the spine of the my book
>lock eyes
>share a knowing look, entirely understand each other's situation
>goes back to conversation

it was like a secret message of one another's power level