Through Her Shattered Eyes ✔

Chapter 22

When I arrive at Marlsgate University, I stop by the main building to take a look at the campus directory. I'm not really sure where Reuben would be since I only found him by chance the last time I came here. As my eyes skim through the different halls, rooms, and wings where each office and center is, I spot the administrative office down below. It's located in Room E22. I wonder if maybe someone there can help me find Reuben.

Walking down a quiet hallway with a few doors lined up on the right side of the wall, I search for Room E22. It takes me about a minute before I finally find it. The door is wide open, revealing a big, organized room. I poke my head in to see. On each side are two wooden desks that are also quite large. The one desk on my right has four file cabinets pushed against the wall. The chair is empty, although it seems like whoever sits here hasn't been gone for long. An 'Addicted to Pot' mug sits neatly on the desk with coffee still in it, steam rising from the cup.

The other desk looks identical to the first one. The only difference is there aren't any file cabinets here, but rather a stack of plastic bins piled up in a corner. And the chair isn't personless; a slender woman sits at the desk, typing on her computer. Her blonde hair is pulled into a tight bun, not a single strand out of place, and she's wearing a set of oversized eyeglasses that come down her nose a little.

The lady appears to be engrossed by whatever it is she's typing because she doesn't notice my presence. I knock on the door frame lightly.

"Excuse me," I say timidly.

It takes her a few seconds before responding.

"Listen, Vincent, I am not going to accept that dinner invitation of yours. I don't even know why you keep asking. Last time I went, you tried getting me to sleep with you. It's not going to work this time, so buzz off," she said in a nasal voice.

Damn. Wasn't expecting that. "I'm sorry?"

The lady then tears her gaze away from her computer and looks at me, like she's annoyed at my being here. The tight line her lips form and her scrunched eyebrows nearly make me cringe.

"Oh, sorry. I thought you were someone else..." Clearly. "...uh, can I help you with something?"

"Yes, actually. I'm looking for a student who attends here but I wasn't sure where to go to ask."

"Oh, okay. Well, you've come to the right place. Who is it you're looking for?" The lady sighs as she fixes her eyes back on the computer screen and her fingers hover over the keyboard.

"Reuben," I say simply.

"There are quite a few men that go by Reuben here at Marlsgate, honey, so I'm gonna need more than a first name."

Crap, I hadn't thought about that. I forgot I can't just waltz into the administrative office and ask for Reuben without knowing his last name.

"I'm sorry, ma'am, I don't know his last name. We only met each other twice. I didn't bother to ask."

"Mm, then I'm afraid I can't help you."

Shoot. How else am I going to find Reuben? I don't know his last name or where he volunteers at. If only I'd talked to him a bit more...

Wait.

He volunteers as a guide for freshmen during Student Orientation and gives them a tour of the campus or something like that. That's right, now I remember. I also recall his last name beginning with a B. I heard him say it when Nathan and I came here to see Adrian. Except I wasn't paying too much attention to the name.