They spent the night in the belly of the stone building, flashlights cutting through the dust of a century. They didn't find a secret society, but they found a stash of old theater programs. Under the glow of a single LED beam, Ally started reading the melodramatic stage directions aloud, her voice filled with mock tragedy.
Leo had been "studying" for three hours, which was really just a cover for watching Ally navigate the stacks. She didn’t just walk; she moved with a quiet, frantic energy, her fingers trailing over book spines as if she were searching for a secret door. She was a journalism major with a reputation for asking questions that made professors sweat and a laugh that sounded like wind chimes in a gale. He was hopelessly, quietly in love with her. In Love with Ally Barker
Leo knew he should say no. He had a midterm at eight. But Ally was already standing, her backpack slung over one shoulder, looking at him like he was the only person who could possibly keep up with her. They spent the night in the belly of
The air in the library always smelled like old paper and vanilla, but whenever Ally Barker walked in, it shifted to something sharper—like ozone before a storm. Leo had been "studying" for three hours, which
"You’re staring at the radiator," she countered, pulling out the chair across from him. "Which is fine, but I have a better story for you. The campus archives just opened the 1920s floor. Rumor is there are letters from a secret society hidden in the floorboards. Want to help me commit some light trespassing?"