Chapter 2 - Tyler

Even though Theo told Fai that he doesn’t want meetings late, it doesn’t mean that Theo doesn’t end up working late.  He is happy that Fai has been able to stop the meetings at 5pm, but he wishes that there is a way for him to get through the work faster.  He still can’t figure out how the previous Dean was able to have all those silly meetings and still have time to do his own work.  Theo has a hunch that the previous Dean had other people doing the work for him though.  There is no way that he could be doing stuff, like Theo does, and have all those meetings. 

Theo’s stomach suddenly growls. 

Well, he guesses that is his cue to go get something to eat and go home.  He still hasn’t really cooked anything at home yet.  He doesn’t have the time.  Similar to the fact that Theo doesn’t have enough time to do all this work.  Ugh….

Before his stomach growls again, Theo pulls his phone out and looks at the next restaurant down the street from his apartment.  He has gotten used to ordering food before he leaves the university.  By the time, he gets to the restaurant, the food is usually ready, and he takes it home. 

 After that first night when he had just moved into his apartment, Theo had decided that he wouldn’t eat alone in a restaurant again.  He got plenty of stares, but he also had a few women come up to him and ask for his number.  It didn’t sit well with Theo.  Plus, he still loves his mate, even though she is gone. 

So, from then on, Theo orders his food to go and eats at home.  It just makes everything easier. 

Theo quickly places his order and then gathers his things.  Unfortunately, he will, once again, have to take work home with him.  With an arm full of paperwork, he leaves his office and heads to his car.  It is going to be another long night of work.

***

“Hey, Tyler, have you heard about the new Dean of the college?”

I glance up from my textbooks and shake my head.  What is Noah even talking about?  Well, I have heard that there is going to be a new Dean.  Shoot, I think everyone knows about that.  The university even threw a big retirement party for the previous Dean.  However, I have had my nose buried in my books to a point that I haven’t paid attention to any of the news around campus. 

A smile instantly pops out on Noah’s face as his eyes light up.  He leans over the table towards me and chimes, “Rumor has it that he is extremely handsome but ice-cold.  Do you think that something happened to him to make him be so cold?”

What the heck? 

I slightly shake my head and glance around the canteen.  Hopefully, no one else heard Noah.  People may think that I have some inside connection.  The last thing that I need is for people wanting to be friends with me because they think I can help them get close to the Dean.

Irritated, I huff, “Like I would know.  You always know more about what is going on in this university than me.”

As Noah continues to stare at me, a smirk slowly begins to form across his face. 

Oh, no.  What is he thinking now?

Noah playfully replies, “Well, I do know that you enjoy handsome things.  I just figured that you wouldn’t be able to resist going to see the new Dean when you find out how handsome he is.  Everyone is talking about him and there are so many pictures of him on our university board. 

Shoot.  I keep seeing girls trying to find reasons to have to go to his office.”

Noah chuckles and shakes his head as he sits up straight again.  “I think that there would be more girls trying to get to him if it isn’t for the Dean’s secretary.  She immediately shoots down all the girls that try.  It is almost like she has some kind of sixth sense, and she knows that the girls are there only to see and get close to the Dean.”

Well, that is news. 

I raise an eyebrow and ask, “Is he really that good looking or what?  I haven’t heard anyone going to that extreme to get close to a professor or a Dean before.”

Noah quickly pulls his phone out of his pocket.  “Well, I have to say that in the pictures, he does look extremely handsome, but I don’t know if he is that good looking in person or not.  I haven’t met him yet.”

I shake my head and turn my attention back to the textbook laying open on the table in front of me.  “I’m not going to look.  I don’t even have enough time to work on my thesis, and my doctorate degree depends on it.  I’m not going to get sidetracked right now on anything else.  I don’t care what or who it is.  Nothing is stopping me from getting my doctorate degree.”

Noah leans over the table again and tries to shove his phone in front of my face.  “But you have to at least look at his picture once.  It won’t hurt just to look at it once.”

Oh, no.  I know how this goes.  I’ve been friends with Noah for too long. 

He gets me to look at the picture, and the next thing I know, we are talking for hours about the person and even looking through more photos.  It won’t stop there.  Noah is too excited about this new Dean.  That only means that at some point, Noah will be dragging me along to ‘hunt’ for that person to verify that the pictures are accurate or not. 

I have played this game too many times in the past to not know how this will end.  However, I’m not in the mood to play along with him this time.  I have more important things on my mind. 

It is the last month before my thesis is due.  I only have one month to finish it and to make it perfect before I turn it in, which will determine whether I graduate or not.  That is my top priority right now.

With my eyes on my textbook, I swat away his phone as I huff, “I’m not looking at it.  Once this month is over and my thesis is turned in, I will look at all the pictures that you want to show me.  However, until that happens, you need to keep your rumors to yourself and let me finish my work.”

Noah instantly plops on his seat and whines, “No.  I don’t want to wait.  Plus, after a month, our classes will be over with and we will have no reason for us to go to the Dean’s office.”

I knew it.  He wants to ‘hunt’ the Dean.

Still with my eyes buried in my textbook, I chime, “I’m not going to risk not graduating for your silly little quest to verify if the new Dean is handsome or not.  Like I said, I will help after this month is over, but not before then.”

Noah snorts but doesn’t say anything.  However, I don’t have to look right now to know that he is pouting. 

With a few more snorts and huffs, Noah pulls a textbook out of his bag and slams it on the table.  Oh, man.  Are we in college or kindergarten?

I softly chuckle to myself and shake my head as I continue to study my textbook.

***

“Please…….  Pretty please……”

I glance up from my textbook and laptop.  Noah is so persistent.  I keep telling him no, but he keeps asking. 

Before I can answer, a middle-aged woman with a scowl on her face, better known as the librarian, walks up to our table and softly but firmly barks, “If you can’t be quiet, I’m going to have to ask you to leave.”

No.  I still have a couple of hours of studying before the library closes.  I can’t be kicked out now. 

I turn towards her and softly reply, “Please don’t kick me out.  I’ll make sure that he is quiet.”

She turns her glare towards me and huffs, “If you don’t, then I’ll kick him out.  This is the library, and it is supposed to be quiet.”

I quickly nod my head before turning back towards Noah and shoot daggers at him with my eyes while I make a zipping motion with my fingers over my mouth. 

She softens her expression as she looks at me.  She is used to me being here, and I normally don’t cause any problems.  Well, even now, I’m not causing problems, but Noah is. 

She nods and goes to leave.  However, she whirls back towards Noah and huffs, “I’ll be watching you.”

Ugh…  If we weren’t in the middle of the library, I would have slapped the side of Noah’s head.  What is he thinking?  You don’t come into the one place on campus where you are required to be quiet and start making noise. 

Dang….  Sometimes, I wonder how I ever became friends with someone like him.

Noah silently nods his head as he slides lower in his chair.  I don’t know what he is trying to do.  If the librarian wants to do something to him, a table isn’t going to stop her. 

After a few moments of the librarian glaring daggers at Noah, she finally huffs and turns around and walks away. 

I watch as she strides away.  When she finally disappears around a bookshelf, I finally turn back towards Noah. 

Even with me scowling at him, he doesn’t really seem to comprehend the situation as he clamps his hands together and softly begs, “Please…  Pretty please….”

Still scowling, I hope that he can get the hint, but after a few minutes with Noah silently begging, I realize that he doesn’t care about what I want to do.  He is solely focused on what he wants to do. 

I sigh and let my shoulders droop.  I don’t even know why I’m arguing with him.  I never win when it is just the two of us. 

While ignoring my scowls, Noah continues to anxiously look at me with both pleading eyes and a spark of eagerness.  However, I really don’t understand what he would be eager about, but knowing him, there is something that he is not telling me.

Realizing that I can’t win this battle, I finally cave and mumble, “Okay.  Let’s go eat.”

Noah instantly jumps from his chair and does a silent happy dance next to the table. 

I shake my head and gather my things up.  While I put my stuff in my bag, I can’t help but to smile at Noah’s silly behavior.  However, in the back of my mind, I have this sinking feeling that I’m soon going to regret agreeing to go with him. 

I throw my bag over my shoulder and grab my books off the table.  As I begin to walk towards the exit, Noah softly giggles while bouncing next to me.  If I didn’t know better, I would think that some high school girl is walking next to me. 

When we finally exit the library, I ask, “So, where are we going to eat?  I wasn’t planning on eating right now, but I do have to admit that I’m a little hungry.”

With a devilish smile on his face, Noah bounces alongside me while he chirps, “It is a surprise, but I’m sure that you will enjoy it.”

Oh, no.  I’m really not liking the feeling that I’m getting.  I think I just made a big mistake, but I can’t back out now.  Ugh…