After waiting for a few moments, the student worker, who Ella learned was named Adam, emerged from a side room, with a surprisingly young-looking lady in tow.

"You must be Ella," she said, smiling kindly. "I'm Stephanie, the head librarian here at the Northview."

Ella gazed up at the woman in front of her. Her long, sun-kissed blonde hair was neatly swept back into a stylish bun that showcased her bright blue eyes and fair complexion. She had a youthful aura about her, and her attire, a black pencil skirt, and white button-up shirt added to her professional yet approachable charm.

"Hi," she said, smiling shyly. "Um, Dr. Halle recommended I come here regarding the open position for the overnight shift.

Stephanie's smile widened. It seemed like a lot of people here loved to smile. "Yes, I just got off the phone with Bryan. He couldn't stress enough that you were the perfect candidate for this job.

Ella fought back the urge to roll her eyes. Of course, he would. He probably felt guilty about her funding.

"Okay," she said, standing up from the chair. "When do I start?"

The librarian laughed, tocking a few stray pieces of blonde hair behind her ear. "Well, I'd love to hire you right away, but by university policy, I am required to do an interview."

Oh.." Ella said, fidgeting nervously. It wasn't her first interview or job for that matter. But she wasn't really prepared for any probing interview questions at the moment. She'd only gotten like four hours of sleep since arriving at the university.

"Don't worry, Ella, it's not going to be a stressful interview," Stephanie reassured her. "It's mostly a formality, and I just want to get to know you a bit. Come with me, we'll keep it casual.

She sighed in relief.

They settled into a cozy corner of the library where soft armchairs and low tables invited students to study or chat. Stephanie gestured for Ella to sit, and she took a seat across from her, both of them sinking comfortably into the chairs.

"So, Ella," Stephanie began with a friendly smile, "tell me a bit about yourself. What brings you to Northview University?"

Ella leaned back, trying to relax. "Well, I transferred here to continue my research in communication studies. I'm passionate about media representation, especially when it comes to cryptids like Bigfoot and Mothman. I've always been fascinated by how these legends impact society's beliefs."

Stephanie's eyes lit up with interest. "That sounds fascinating! So you'll be investigating cryptids like Bigfoot and Werewolves."

Ella felt herself blush at the compliment. "Thank you. I'm actually more interested in studying local folklore, so I guess I'll be doing some digging on the research on and around town."

The librarian hummed thoughtfully. "Then I guess I'll be seeing you in the library archives now and then. We've got some pretty interesting records and accounts on local folklore."

"Oh, wow," Ella said, feeling excitement bubbling within her. "I'd absolutely love to check those out sometime." She hesitated. "If you'll allow it.

Stephanie leaned forward and smiled, "Ella, I think you're going to be a wonderful addition to our library team. The overnight shift can be quiet, but it's also a time for students to focus on their work without distractions. You'll be a guardian of knowledge, so to speak."

"Wait," Ella said, dumbfounded. "That's it, you're not going to ask any more questions?"

The woman in front of her raised a perfectly plucked brow. "Do you want me to?"

"No," she said swiftly. "Thank you so much, Ms.Stephanie. I'm really looking forward to it."

The head librarian stood, and Ella followed suit. "Great! Let's get you started with the paperwork, and we'll have you on board in no time."

As they walked back towards the front desk, she noticed Connor standing by a table where a few girls sat, with their laptops open. They were laughing at something he said. As if sensing her gaze, he looked up, sending her a quick nod.

She looked away quickly. What was he doing inside the library? He did say he was going to show her the way to the building, but she didn't think he'd actually stay and wait for her interview to be finished.

"Okay, so," Stephanie began, reaching for a stack of papers behind a large pile of textbooks. "Just fill this out, and we can get you started here in no time. What days do you prefer to work?"

"I can work Thursday-Monday if those days work for you."

The librarian hummed thoughtfully, thumbing through what appeared to be the student work schedule. "Okay, that's perfect, I'll have Shannon work the Tuesday and Wednesday overnight shift. I'll email you your schedule as soon as we get in the system."

Ella nodded, and Adam reached over the desk to hand her a pen. She filled out the paperwork quickly, occasionally checking her notes app on her phone when it asked for pertinent information such as her bank account number. Once she was finished, she handed it back to Stephanie, who accepted it graciously.

"We look forward to having you on our team, Ella."

After a few promises from the librarian about sending her a follow-up email, Ella began making her way to the door.

A hand on her shoulder stopped her in her tracks.

"Ouch, Tucker," Connor said when she turned to face him. "Were you just gonna leave me here by my lonesome?"

Ella's lips curled into a small smile. "I thought you were surrounded by your fan club over there. Didn't want to intrude."

Connor chuckled, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "They'll survive without me for a few minutes. So, what was that all about?"

"Oh," Ella sighed. "I was applying for a job as an overnight library assistant."

"And?"

"And what," she said, distracted by an incoming text on her phone. It was her mom, asking how she'd settled in.

"And did you get the job?"

"Yeah," she said, locking her phone. "I did."

He was smiling at her, a feature she now believed was perfectly etched into her brain from how much he did it. "That's great, Holmes. When do you start?"

She shrugged. "I'm not sure, probably soon though, Ms. Stephanie said she'd send me a follow-up email shortly. I already have my schedule set up."

"What's your schedule?"

She eyed him suspiciously. "Why, so you can come sit at one of the tables and watch me stack books for hours."

"Maybe," He said, his smile not dropping by an inch. "Where are you headed now?"

"Back to the dorm, I need to figure out what textbooks, if any, I need for my classes."

His eyes lit up. "Let me walk you back, I need to head back that way to grab my gear anyway."

Ella hesitated and jerked her head over to the table where the girls Connor was talking to were seated. "What about them?"

Connor turned to face the table. "What about them?"

"Won't they be upset if you just up and leave suddenly?"

"Oh," he said, before striding over the table. He said something to one of the girls closest to the edge of the table, a curly red-headed who glanced over at her curiously before nodding her head at Connor.

He strolled back over. "We're all good."

She rolled her eyes and pushed open the double doors, the tall man trailing behind her.

Ella couldn't help but feel a bit self-conscious as she walked back to her dorm with Connor by her side. She wasn't used to this level of attention, and it seemed like he was quite popular on campus.

"So, where are you from originally, Ella?" Connor asked as they walked.

"I'm from Miami," she replied, pulling out her to send a quick text back to her mom. She was fine, and the move-in went as well as it could have.

"Damn," he said, something akin to awe in his voice. "That's pretty far from here, you take a plane?"

"No, car."

"Oh shit," He laughed. "No wonder you looked like that when I first met you."

She sent him a sour look. "Like what?"

"You know," He waved his hands in front of his face. "Like someone who's been awake for twenty-four hours and had like three cups of coffee and two Red Bulls to not pass out."

She sighed. "You do what you have to do to stay awake on the road."

He laughed like it was the most hilarious thing in the world.

They turned a corner and passed by Andrews hall, which Ella had learned from the brochure she read last night was one of the newer freshman dorms on campus. A few students were littered outside in the courtyard of the building, stretched out on picnic blankets or sitting on one of the many benches the campus seemed the have placed every ten feet. Some were studying while others were animately talking about their weekend plans. She watched as a pretty blonde girl peered over her friend's shoulder to get a better look at something on her phone, before promptly giggling and swatting her shoulder. Ella looked away.

She missed her friends.

"...Katie?"

Ella blinked. "What?" she said, turning her attention back to the man next to her.

"Have you met Katie yet?" Connor said, not one bit perturbed by her zoning out.

She racked her brain for a familiar face to put to the name. "Who's Katie?

He raised a brow. "Your roommate?"

"Oh," Ella said, realizing 'Katie' was probably her roommate, Katelyn's nickname. "No, I haven't. She didn't come back to the dorm last night."

Connor exhaled in mock exasperation. "Of course, you probably won't ever see her. If you do it will be for like a split second then she'll be off."

"Why's that?" she said, kicking a rock that materialized in front of her. She glanced around and noticed a familiar withered oak tree. They were almost back to the dorm.

"Most athletes are like that," he said. "We usually only have time for class, practice, and games."

"And partying?"

He shot her a sly grin. "I like to call it socializing."

Ella held back a scoff. "Call it whatever, you want." the familiar archways of Dockman Hall appeared and Ella unconsciously sped up her pace.

"Tired of me already, Tucker?" Ella heard Connor say from behind her.

"Not you in particular," she mused, reaching for the student ID in her pocket to swipe her card. Connor stepped past her to swipe his, opening the door for them both.

"Good, I'd like to see you around some more. "

She sent him a look. "I don't think I have a choice in the matter. You're practically my next-door neighbor."

He grinned. "I know. Now, let me be neighborly and walk you to your room."