“If they are anything like you, I am disappointed to miss out on them.Even though I sincerely doubt they are exactly like you, because you are special.”
There Leo goes again.Saying kind and perfect shit that makes me want to climb him like a thick tree.
He doesn’t mean it.He can’t.We’ve only known each other for a few days and he can’t possibly understand me, or know how different everyone is in my time.I know him well enough to know he’s not a complete rake, throwing empty compliments at me to get in my pants—or my pantaloons.But he is a bit of a romantic, and I think he’s a little caught up in me being from the future.Shiny and new but nothing special if he ever took a trip to my time.
“Let’s find this Andrew guy.”Back to business.
“I do not particularly want my time with you to end.But if it will make you happy, we will find him.”Leo raises his hand as if to touch my cheek but drops it before he makes contact when a student behind him drops some books, ruining the moment with the bang.
We enter the first door to our left and see more students in what looks like a lounge.With a bar.
Bless the English.
I still get intrigued looks when I walk into a room, but they barely register anymore with how many stares I’ve had directed at me since I’ve been here.I don’t have to deal with this for much longer, hopefully.
“Let’s talk to the most important person on the entire campus,” Leo whispers against my ear as his hand pushes against my lower back.
“The professors?”
“The barman.”
“Of course.What was I thinking, prioritizing theteachersin an institution oflearning?”
“Precisely.You understand.”Ah, so sarcasm hasn’t been invented yet.“Excuse me?Do you know the student Andrew Huxley?”
“Could do.”The man continues cleaning some glasses, less impressed than the gate guard was with Leo.Good, even if that does slow us down.
“Do you know where he is now?”Leo asks.
“Could do.”
“Right.”Leo slides some money across the lacquered wooden bar.“Where is he?”
The barman takes the money, more impressed with that than Leo’s status.“Should be in lectures now.I don’t know where, but he’ll probably head back to his room before lunch.”
“Which room is his?”
“Now why do you want to know that?”
“I want to surprise my friend,” Leo says, pushing more money across the bar.
The barman takes it.“Room forty-two.I’ve helped him back to it enough times.”
“How do we get there?”Leo asks.
“The rooms are all up the stairs.”He points at a set of stairs with the glass he was wiping down.
“Thank you,” Leo says, turning to the stairs.
With each step, my feet get heavier with the weight of what I want to find out on this trip.I use the time trying to think what I could do next to get home if this doesn’t work out.
I can’t Google time traveling and the people who are studying it.There’s no subreddit I can look up to see what people are saying about the subject.I’ll have to keep hounding different librarians, I guess.
We get to a plain white door with a neat42painted at eye level.
“Now we wait.”I lean against the wall next to the door.
After a few minutes of silence, Leo stirs.“Have you thought about what you will do if Mr.Huxley cannot give us the answers we are seeking?”
