Home Runs and Heart Beats

Chapter Two

"Call that number," Dr. Halle said, turning back towards his computer. "Tell them I sent you and they'll hire you on the spot."

She nodded before moving to stand up, her fingers tightening around the strap of her backpack. She shuffled towards the door before turning around.

"Thank you for your help, Dr Halle."

He regarded her with a kind smile. "Of course, we expect great things from you Ella, and groundbreaking research of course." he laughed as if it was an inside joke the two of them were supposed to share, but Ella was far too tired to humor him with anything but a quirk of lips and wave of her hand.

Once she was out the door she hurried down the hallway, clutching the flyer in one of her hands and her phone in the other. She couldn't help but feel a pang of frustration as she contemplated the situation. It just didn't seem fair. She had worked hard to secure her research funding and had been promised financial support to focus on her studies. Now, the sudden withdrawal of her funding left her high and dry.

Dr. Halle's suggestion weighed on her. She knew the extra job at the library would be a significant commitment, especially the overnight shift. It would undoubtedly disrupt her research and academic schedule, and she couldn't shake the feeling that it was an undue burden. What a mess.

Ella emerged through the double doors of the communications building, walking down the steps leading towards the pathway. A few students ambled around the courtyard, basking in the fresh morning air.

The air was different here than it was back home. It wasn't muggy or dreadfully humid. Her hair didn't frizz the minute she walked through the door, and there wasn't a constant patch of sweating building on the back of her neck. It was different, but it wasn't necessarily a bad different.

She took a deep breath, before glancing down at the poster. She might as well give it a shot. There wouldn't be many students who'd willingly loiter around a library overnight anyway.

With this silver lining in mind, Ella decided to dial the number on the flyer. However, to her disappointment, it went straight to voicemail. She let out an exasperated sigh, realizing that she might need to visit the library in person.

She glanced around, searching for a community map. For such a big university, there didn't appear to be many maps directing students around campus. Maybe because everyone who went here, also grew up here. She frowned, unlocking her phone to locate the school map on their website.

"Do you always frown like that, Tucker?" A familiar, baritone voice said from beside her.

She startled slightly, causing her to lose grip on her phone. She fumbled with it for a few seconds, before catching a firm grasp on it. She turned her head to find Connor standing there, dressed in sweats and a muscle tank with a jersey adorning the college's name on top. He looked every bit the part of an athlete, but Ella couldn't help but wonder what sport he played.

With a sigh, Ella replied, "Well, it's been a long morning. I'm just trying to find my way around this place."

Connor raised an eyebrow. "Need some help? I know the campus like the back of my hand."

Ella hesitated for a moment, still not entirely sure about this friendly stranger who seemed to be popping up everywhere. However, the thought of wandering around lost didn't appeal to her, so she finally relented. "Sure, if you don't mind."

He grinned, falling into stride next to her. "Where are you trying to go?"

"The library," she replied, clutching the flyer harder in her hand.

"Oh, that's easy. Once I show you, you'll probably never forget where it's located."

As they started walking toward the library, Connor began to talk about the lore of the school. "You know, I heard Northview's Library is haunted. Legend has it that the old library, the one they tore down to build the new one, was demolished while the librarian was inside of it. She was against the demolition of the building, so she protested for two weeks straight by never leaving. Finally, the university got so fed up, they tore it down with her inside. People said she would rearrange books in the middle of the night and shush anyone who made noise. They used to call her the 'Silent Librarian.'"