Campus Missed Connections Novels & Stories

The textbook in his hands creaks in protest as his grip tightens further. "I specifically requested Beta roommates," Lyric says, her voice trembling slightly as she tears her gaze away from Sebastian. The effort it takes is almost physical, like pulling apart magnets. "This has to be another mistake." Riley snorts, sliding off her bed and crossing to the mini-fridge wedged between two desks. "Honey, half the campus is dealing with housing mix-ups. Some freshman water nymphs flooded the entire east wing of Blackwood Hall yesterday during orientation. They're cramming everyone wherever they can fit." She pulls out three bottles of water, tossing one to Lyric who catches it reflexively. "Beside

Becca couldn’t help herself but ask. Reena arched an eyebrow in confusion. “Even though that is none of your business, I went to meet my parents last night because I was missing them. I just returned to campus.” “Why weren’t you answering your calls then? The college thought you were missing,” she said while Alexander stood there quietly, listening to the conversation fully. “What?” Reena chuckled. “This college is crazy. I forgot to charge my phone so the battery had died.” She pushed a few strands of her blond hair behind her ear.

I woke up to seventeen missed calls. My phone had been on silent all night, but when I picked it up Sunday morning, the notifications made my stomach drop. Three numbers I didn’t recognize. Two from the financial aid office. Twelve from a blocked number. And one voicemail. I pressed play with shaking hands. “Ms. Hale, this is Director Calista from Financial Aid. We need to discuss your scholarship status. Please get in touch with our office first thing Monday morning. This is urgent.”

I swallow and turn back around. "It is noon! Do you have any idea how many hours I have now been unreachable? I will be lucky if the two or three people who gives a shit about me on campus haven't sent out a missing person alert. I am not deflecting, I am freaking out." I say as I jump into my jeans. I can't find my damn underwear. I can already imagine the dramatics Maggie would put on when she sees me. The last time we talked, she knew I was coming to see Zane. I am also in charge of the class I have now missed, there is no assistant to an assistant, so the class must have just gotten by without my direction however.

Protecting the other two came naturally to him. Even so, the endless snow drew a frown from Kenneth. "Everything's buried. How do we know where the person you're rescuing is?" Cyrus pulled out his phone and tried calling Barbara. There was no connection. Cyrus said flatly, "Signal's bad. No choice. We search. The campus is huge. Something tall has to be sticking out. The map shows the layout. Once we find one building, we can narrow it down." Thorgan pulled a long face. "These rich schools are massive. I heard they even have golf courses."

I was being unreasonable and I knew it. I sighed heavily, and Marcus smiled, telling me that we could go and find her. He tried to mindlink Seren but there was no reply. Which was not unusual when out of pack, and not knowing how far away she was. I was unsure of the exact size of the campus so there was a vast area Seren could be within. "Should I message her?" I suggested, and Marcus nodded. So I did just that. Letting her know we were here to surprise her. And for her to call when she got my message. I just hoped it would be soon...

She clicked on the answering icon placing the phone above her ear. “Hey Missy, I called you through the night, and same with other nights since you bailed on Brandon’s party. Everything okay with you? I saw right now you’re active on Ping, so I decided to call you.” Ping was the social app created in the name of their school, it has all the students in as a user to communicate online. Something was off in his voice, how he sounded, Missy could detect it, he sounded as if he was forced into talking or something. He groaned all of a sudden, as if shutting down a moan.

She sat on Nora’s bed, clutching her phone like a lifeline, eyes red and swollen. “This isn’t normal,” she told the resident advisor through broken breaths. “She wouldn’t just disappear. She wouldn’t.” Campus security was notified. A missing student report was discussed but delayed protocols, waiting periods, paperwork. The seventh day arrived heavy and gray. Classes buzzed with low tension. Something felt off, like the air itself was holding its breath. Trisha sat in the student center, exhausted, eyes hollow. She hadn’t slept. Had barely eaten. She kept refreshing her messages, hoping begging for even a single notification.

Max sighed. “And endure more meetings.” Caspian glanced toward the phone again. “Campus reaction will escalate quickly.” Max smirked. “Oh it already has.” He lifted his phone again. Notifications were pouring in. Student messages. Group chats. Social media tags. Max laughed. “The campus internet is on fire.” Sarah checked her tablet. “They’re already debating it.” Oliver walked toward the window. Students were gathered outside in small clusters. Talking. Phones out. Reading the article. Max joined him at the window.

Unable to stop myself, I pulled out my phone and sent her a text. :Where are you, Cass? I waited but got no response. I called… once, twice… still no reply. What’s going on? I wondered again. In our years of being best friends and roommates, we had one rule: always answer each other’s calls on the first ring. If we couldn’t, we’d send a text and call back when we could. But this time, I got nothing. Cassandra had been one of the first students to receive her diploma, yet now that it was my turn, she’d disappeared.