Chapter 17: A Chance Meeting: Natalie Portman

Evan Bell took the note from his pocket and unfolded it. As expected, it was a phone number written in lipstick. Clearly prepared in advance, which showcased her confidence. Evan didn't throw the number away but folded it back and put it in his pocket. He thought to himself, "When there's a party, I'll give her a call. People like her can really liven up the atmosphere."

Despite the encounter, Evan remained focused on the task at hand. He found the catalog he needed, sat down on a nearby sofa, and began looking up which books he would need for the next semester and where to find them.

Engrossed in his work, time seemed to slip away. Suddenly, Evan noticed a shadow and saw someone had sat down on the sofa opposite him. Without looking up, he moved some of his things to the left to make more space.

After a while, the person on the other side coughed twice, signaling for his attention. Evan, disliking interruptions, looked up. It was a petite girl with dark brown hair casually draped over her shoulders, wearing a hat. Evan raised his eyebrows which silently indicated the question 'what do you need?' 

The girl seemed a bit embarrassed and didn't speak immediately. Evan noticed his desk was still cluttered, so he gave her an apologetic smile, organized his materials, moved some to the left, and indicated with his hand that she could use the space. Then, he returned to his work.

The silence lasted only a few minutes before the girl coughed again. Evan frowned slightly, annoyed by the interruption, and looked at her, his expression showing his displeasure.

The girl didn't seem to notice his irritation. She leaned in closer, her tone calm and not at all pleading. "Do you have the collection catalog for the Psychology Research Library?" she asked in a low voice.

But her eyes didn't ask for help at all, they were just very calm, hiding a little bit of disdain. That little bit of disdain was hidden under the brim of her hat, so subtle that Evan almost thought he had seen it wrong. Evan Bell looked at the gray-brown knitted sweater she was wearing and suddenly remembered that it should be the girl who just passed by him and Heidi Montgomery.

The girl looked at the boy's eyes and clearly saw a variety of emotions in them. But he didn't say anything, just buried his head in looking for what she needed, which made her very confused.

Unconsciously, the girl cast her eyes to the other half of the table. A half-eaten hamburger which means that the boy had not finished his lunch yet and was completely immersed in studying.

Natalie Portman became curious as to what were the contents of the messy materials spread out on the table. Although they were messy, she still managed to make out the titles. The collection catalog of the 'Francis Loeb Institute of Design Library', the collection catalog of the 'Eda Kuhn Loeb Music Library', The collection catalog of the 'Psychology Research Library', and the most abundant one was the collection catalog of the 'Social Sciences of the Widener Library'. These were the materials that the man in front of her was studying.

'How is he studying all these at the same time?.' Natalie Portman thought to herself as she carefully watched him. 

While she was surprised by the sheer amount of books on the table, Evan had already sorted out the collection catalog of the Psychology Research Library, he handed it over, and without saying anything, he started to get busy again.

The girl froze up as she was about to say thank you. But, in the end, she just said 'thank you' softly, though, I'm afraid Natalie, herself, couldn't clearly hear what she just said

After a while, she asked another question. "What books do you need for Professor Lance's class?" Her voice was louder this time, and she added, "Sorry to bother you. You're a psychology student, right?" Realizing she mixed up her words, the girl's cheeks flushed slightly and she silently cursed herself in her heart. 

Actually, Natalie had seen Evan across from her at the corner of the stairs when he was talking with Heidi. Natalie was aware that she had no right to interfere with what others wanted to do, but she felt that acting uneducated in a professional place like the library was inappropriate. It just so happened that she doesn't like uneducated people. So, when they met again just now, there was inevitably some disdain in her eyes.

But now, seeing him so focused, whether he was truly well-educated or just pretending, at least he wasn't completely uneducated. His seriousness was evident in his well-organized notebooks. This already made her feel a bit embarrassed. She hadn't expected to ask him for help again so soon, so she was a little flustered.

Evan, unfazed by her confusion, answered politely. "Is this your first time taking Professor Lance's class?" he asked, trying to help her out. "It's psychology, right? This is my book list from last semester. You can use it for reference."

The girl's embarrassment grew. She apologized for her earlier rudeness. "I'm sorry for my attitude just now. I was a bit too judgmental."

Evan, appreciating her honesty, smiled. "I accept your apology, Miss Portman." He then returned to his work.

The girl was surprised he knew her name and felt even more embarrassed. The girl sitting across from Evan was Natalie Portman, the actress famous for her role in Léon: The Professional and Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace. Although she was famous, she still decided to further her education at Harvard University. 

Natalie looked at the book list Evan had given her. His name was neatly written at the top: Evan Bell. The list was well-organized, detailing not just the books but also their core theories and must-read status for the class. She was impressed by his diligence and clarity.

She glanced at Evan again, noting his focused expression. His serious demeanor was a stark contrast to the relaxed attitude he had displayed earlier.

Time passed quickly as Natalie worked on her own tasks. When she finally looked up to stretch her stiff neck, she noticed Evan was gone. He had left quietly, not wanting to disturb her.