Welcome to Westbridge

Westbridge University looked nothing like the pictures.

Sienna stared out of the taxi window as they drove through the campus gates.

The pictures online had shown neat buildings, green lawns, students laughing beneath trees.

The real Westbridge looked like someone had taken all those things and thrown them into one crowded place.

Students were everywhere.

Some were rushing to class. Some were sitting on the grass with laptops open. A group of guys were arguing over something near a food truck, while two girls walked past wearing basketball jerseys with the same name printed across the back.

CALLAHAN.

Sienna frowned.

She had seen that name about twenty times since entering the town.

“Is he the mayor?” she asked.

The taxi driver glanced at her through the mirror.

“Who?”

“Callahan.”

The man laughed.

“No. Basketball player.”

“Oh.”

That explained nothing.

The taxi stopped near the main entrance.

“We're here.”

Sienna looked at the fare.

Then at the driver.

Then back at the fare.

“That can't be right.”

“It is.”

“You're charging me that much just to bring me from the gate?”

“You've been in the car for twenty minutes.”

“Exactly. Twenty minutes. Not twenty years.”

The driver laughed.

Sienna sighed and handed him the money.

“Fine. But if I become broke on my first day, I'm blaming you.”

“Good luck, kid.”

She opened the door.

“I'm not a kid.”

“You'll survive.”

The taxi pulled away.

Sienna looked at her two suitcases.

One was missing a wheel.

The other was making a strange clicking sound.

She looked up at the university.

“Don't embarrass me.”

The suitcase tipped over.

She stared at it.

“I'm talking to you.”

A student passing by laughed.

Sienna pointed at the suitcase.

“It started it.”

The student laughed harder.

Great.

Ten minutes in Westbridge and she'd already become entertainment.

She grabbed the suitcase and started walking.

Then she realized she had no idea where she was going.

She pulled out her phone.

No signal.

“Of course.”

She looked around.

A huge brick building stood ahead of her.

She checked the campus map she'd downloaded earlier.

“Main Hall... library... student center... Maple Hall.”

She looked up.

Nothing matched.

“Who designed this place?”

“Someone who hated students.”

Sienna jumped.

A girl standing beside her was holding a coffee.

“You scared me.”

“Sorry.”

“You just appeared.”

“I've been standing here for a minute.”

“Oh.”

Sienna looked at her map.

“Do you know where Maple Hall is?”

The girl pointed behind her.

“Across the fountain, past the library.”

“Which library?”

“The library.”

“There are three.”

The girl paused.

“You're new.”

“Very.”

“First day?”

“Unfortunately.”

The girl laughed.

“I'm Maya.”

“Sienna.”

Maya looked at the broken suitcase.

“Do you need help?”

Sienna looked at it.

“I need a new life.”

Maya laughed.

“Come on. I'll show you.”

They started walking together.

“So, what are you studying?” Maya asked.

“Business.”

“Nice. You look like a business major.”

Sienna looked down at her oversized hoodie and sneakers.

“Really?”

“No.”

Sienna laughed.

“I was going to say.”

They reached the fountain.

A crowd had gathered near the basketball court.

Maya stopped.

“Wait.”

“What?”

“Practice.”

Sienna followed her gaze.

A group of basketball players were running drills.

One player stood out immediately.

Tall.

Confident.

Annoyingly handsome.

He caught the ball, took a shot, and scored without breaking stride.

The crowd around the court cheered.

Maya smiled.

“That's Jace.”

Sienna looked at her.

“Who?”

Maya stared.

“You're joking.”

“No.”

“Jace Callahan.”

Sienna shrugged.

“Okay.”

“That's the guy I was talking about.”

“The mayor?”

Maya burst out laughing.

“No! The basketball player.”

“Oh.”

Sienna looked back at the court.

Jace had just scored again.

A girl beside Maya sighed.

“He's so hot.”

Sienna nodded thoughtfully.

“His shooting technique is nice.”

Maya turned to her.

“His face is what you're supposed to be looking at.”

“I have eyes.”

“Apparently not.”

Before Sienna could answer, a basketball came flying over the fence.

It hit her suitcase.

The suitcase tipped over.

Sienna slowly looked down.

Then toward the court.

A guy jogged toward her.

He stopped when he saw the suitcase.

“Sorry.”

Sienna pointed at it.

“You killed it.”

He laughed.

“It was already broken.”

“It had dreams.”

He looked at her for a second.

Then smiled.

“Are you always like this?”

“Like what?”

“Dramatic.”

“I prefer passionate.”

He laughed.

Sienna recognized him from the court.

Not Jace.

Another player.

He picked up the ball.

“I'm Tyler.”

“Sienna.”

“You're new.”

“Is everyone here going to keep saying that?”

“Pretty much.”

He nodded toward the building behind her.

“Maple Hall is that way.”

Sienna narrowed her eyes.

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah.”

“Because someone already sent me in the wrong direction.”

“Who?”

“A girl with coffee.”

Tyler laughed.

“Maya?”

Sienna turned.

Maya was already walking away.

“Maya!”

Maya waved.

“See you later!”

Sienna stared after her.

“Traitor.”

Tyler laughed again.

“You'll get used to her.”

“I don't think I want to.”

She grabbed her suitcase.

Tyler took it from her.

“I'll carry it.”

“I can do it.”

“I know.”

He started walking.

Sienna followed.

“Where are you going?”

“To show you the way.”

“I thought you had practice.”

“I do.”

“Then why are you helping me?”

Tyler shrugged.

“You looked lost.”

“I wasn't lost.”

“You were arguing with a suitcase.”

“It knows what it did.”

He shook his head.

“You're definitely going to fit in here.”

Sienna smiled.

Maybe Westbridge wouldn't be so bad.

That evening, after she'd unpacked half her clothes and argued with Maya about which side of the room belonged to whom, Sienna finally lay down.

Her phone buzzed.

Unknown number.

She stared at the screen.

You made it.

Her smile disappeared.

Another message came.

Don't trust anyone.

Sienna sat up slowly.

Maya was in the shower.

She looked at the message again.

Then typed:

Who is this?

Three dots appeared.

Disappeared.

Then appeared again.

Finally, another message came through.

You'll know soon enough.

Sienna's stomach tightened.

She deleted the messages.

Then she looked toward the bathroom door.

The shower was still running.

She put her phone face down.

For several seconds, she sat completely still.

Then she smiled.

Not the silly smile she'd worn all day.

A different one.

Calm.

Controlled.

Almost amused.

“Okay,” she whispered.

“Let's play.”