Code Red

Orientation

Chapter 2

Early the next morning the family of two make their way to McCastle University and over to Dr. Reed Elmore Hall for the Freshman Orientation. Jackie is accompanying Clarissa because she is only 16 years old and needs a chaperon during registration. It is early and some students are bustling about, eager to get started in their new classes while others stand by and watch this year's 'fresh meat'. Clarissa is wearing dress slacks and loafers to the initial freshmen seminar made mandatory by University President Dr. Roy Patterson. Jackie came dressed in a pair of jeans and a tank top with sandals. As they ascend the stairs leading up to the main double doors they are greeted by a young man assigned the duty of checking the freshmen in. Jackie elbows Clarissa as they approach and points out the cute boy. Clarissa ignores her mother's ploy and reaches out to shake the young man's hand.

"Name," He asks.

"Excuse me?" Clarissa asks the young man.

"What's your name," he responds seemingly uninterested in warm welcomes.

"Uh...." Clarissa mumbles as she finally catches a glimpse of the young man's face features-his chiseled chin and squared jaw.

His eyes, pools of crystal clear blue water.

"Hello? Hello?" the perturbed young man calls out,"Are you going to give your name freshman or are you going to sit out of the orientation?"

"I think someone forgot to eat breakfast," Jackie says teasingly while she glared at the boy.

"Mom!" Clarissa yells as her face blushes deep red as an apple.

Looking back at the attendance monitor she speaks up, "My name is Clarissa Morgan." The sophomore thumbs down the list to 'M' and finds Clarissa's name.

"Oh, I've heard a few things about you Miss Morgan and all good I might say," he says comforting her.

"Have a good orientation. You may enter," He tells Clarissa.

Clarissa and Jackie start marching toward the hall's double doors leading inside but Jackie is stopped by the hall monitor, "Only Miss Clarissa Morgan."

"I'm sorry for not introducing myself, but I'm Jackie Morgan, Clarissa's mother. I'll be chaperoning her though the orientation.,"

"I'm Sorry Mrs. Morgan, but,"

"That's Ms. Morgan," She interrupts

"Ms. Morgan, only those attending McCastle's freshman class of 2045 may enter. There is limited seating and staff wants to limit question and answer sessions to only those attending," He tells Jackie as he points at another door located on the other side of the building, "You can however wait for her in the conference room located down the ramp."

"You don't understand, Clarissa is to be,"

"I'm sorry, you can wait in the conference room or I don't know, but only registered freshman can."

"Can enter the auditorium, I get it. I get it." she says in frustration, "And so it begins. I'll be in jail on the other side of the building. Text me if you need me," she says as Clarissa smiles and enters the hall. She gets eye to eye level with the young man.

"Humph. All those good looks wasted," She says as she turns around and went to the conference room.

Inside the auditorium Clarissa walks down the aisle. She sat down a couple rows from the front. She starts looking around the large room looking for potential friends and enemies. She saw that everyone is sitting next to someone they know or want to know. Towards the back of the auditorium Clarissa sees a group of guys who look like they've been friends for years. As if they were in some type of gang they're all dressed in black and are wearing black shades.