Your father is an FBI agent, Miss Rider?" the man behind the counter asked after reading the form that she had submitted.
"Yes," Manda replied in a tired voice. After giving a furtive glance at the long queue behind her, she shot the man an impatient look.
The man was oblivious to her glare, and continued reading through the form slowly. She wished he would be quick. Her legs were killing her, and right now, she just wanted to find her dorm and sleep till the next morning. Glancing at her wristwatch, she grumbled her annoyance when she realized it had been five hours since she arrived at the registrar's office.
"And your next of kin is Connor Rider and Byron Salvatore?"
"Isn't that what it says?" She pointed to the form.
"Is Mr. Salvatore your family?"
She gritted her teeth. "No -- just a close family friend. And Connor Rider is my uncle. Anything else?"
The man didn't seem to hear her as he went through the details. "All in order," he finally spoke up. He stamped on the form, and the rest of the papers. "Welcome to Greenwood University, Miss Rider."
"Thank you," she replied in relief.
The sky was cloudless and the sun was shining upon new-fallen yellow-and-orange leaves as Manda headed for the parking lot. She passed a lot of people in daze, not really wanting to have a chat with any of them. Not only because she didn't know anybody, she often felt apprehensive when meeting new people. Her only worry was that coming to Greenwood University was a mistake after all.
--o--
The Doyle Hall was a modern five-story brick building, with balconies. It was also a co-ed dorm and it was the newest addition in the campus. Students of Greenwood University rushed in and out of the doorway. Most of them were carrying large bags and heavy luggage as if they were moving into the dormitory forever.
Forever? She hated high school, and she couldn't wait to get out of it. Still, four years at the university seemed like a long time for her. Carrying her light suitcase up the front steps of the dorm, her tracks faltered when her eyes caught sight of someone she hadn't expected to see since high school.
Manda felt like hiding but the girl, who was taking a deep blissful drag from her cigarette as she leaned against the entrance, caught sight of Manda. The girl's face scrunched up in distaste. Her teeth clenched, almost biting the cigarette into two.
"Pearl…" she could only trail off the name.
"Surprised?" Pearl sneered as she puffed out the cigarette smoke into Manda's face.
Manda braced herself, clenching her hands into fists. The fact that she didn't back away annoyed Pearl immensely.
"I d-didn't know you're interested in college," Manda said. "I thought you would have gone back to Paris right now… doing modeling."
"You think people with pretty faces only interested in modeling?" Pearl scoffed.
"No… That's not what I meant. You used to say you want to leave for Paris after graduating from high school, and work with your mother over there," Manda explained quickly.
"Well, it's none of your damn business, Manda Rider. Get out of my sight," Pearl snapped. She took another long drag from her cigarette. It was her way to hide the fact that the subject was too close to home.
But Manda didn't leave, wondering what was Pearl doing in a place like this. Unless it has something to do with her father.
"What are you waiting for?" Pearl glared angrily at her.
