The Outsider (Outsider #1) ✔️

Chapter 8 : Dorm-Mates

The Tech Buildings in the Academic cluster of Uni-Viva were a set of impressive steel and glass structures. Dusk sat in the garden in front of the building, admiring the evening rays of Sol, as it reflected off the glass façade.

It had been a long day...

She had met her professors. Some of them were nice, a couple of them seem unhappy that they would have to spend extra time on her, but of course could not refuse the Dean. She understood where she needed to meet them and what she had to do. During the next 2 weeks, she would not attend few of actual lectures as she would be with the various professors or their teaching assistants understanding what she had missed. Probably in the following week she would be able to sit in the actual lectures.

She did not meet any of her classmates, though.

Lunch was an amazing affair. She had not seen such luxuries and such food in her entire life. The club was meant for the faculty, so she was not likely to be there again. Susco was right when she explained how good the food would be. There was an actual chef, though he did not make the food, but he directed the robo-chefs, and made the food specific to what the diner wanted. Deviation from standard food is what make it most attractive. The food took time because things had to be made from the scratch after the order was placed.

Dusk found a good friend in Susco, as the counsellor was only a few years senior to her. She was still young enough to remember her own university life, positive, optimistic and helpful. Susco on the other hand, found that Dusk was humble and un-pretentious. She did not have airs and did not threaten people with her status. That day spent together was exceptional for both of them, but it formed a basis for a long-term friendship.

Suddenly, as she was looking around, she saw a man sitting alone, eating quietly while looking at some documents on a holo-screen. While most of the people at the club were in groups or pairs, he was along. He was Luke! What was he doing in the club? He was a student. And why was he alone?

She turned to Susco, "I thought the club was for faculty and senior staff only. How is Luke Jones there?"

"Who?" Susco turned and looked. She apparently did not know him. "Well, some students are more than just students. Ha Ha Ha. Few of the students are from important families or for children of ministers ... they are allowed to come here. The President gives special approval for such cases. But I don't think there will be much of them. I don't think more than 50 such people are there."

Dusk looked thoughtful. Luke had told her that his dad was just an officer or something. Not a minister, that was for sure. He also said he was not from the Noble family. So how did he get here? Was Susco mistaken or was she lied to? But why will he lie to her? He had no reason to hide the fact that his father was a minister or something. Most people would be proud.

Susco, checked some things on her communicator and then looked up with a twinkle in her eye. "You do have a habit of catching the most powerful people here huh? Luke Jones, right? Yeah, the pic is his too ... I checked in the student database. He is doing his third post-graduation here, this time in business administration. And he is an advisor to the Military. So yeah, he gets access to this place.

"But a word from the wise, as they say ... and from my own experiences ... Avoid him. He is way too powerful. He has strong backing. He is also 7 years older than you. It all looks attractive at this time, but even if he does like you, he will eventually dump you and walk off without a shred of regret. In the end, his family will decide who he should marry ...

"Find someone who is a little lower on the scale. May be some cute and handsome from one of the entrepreneur families. Their families will want you because you have an outstanding tech background, which many of them lack. There are lots of choices. They may or may not work, but why start with one that can just not work, and one so powerful that if you offend him by mistake, you can be out of the campus the next morning..." Susco pinched Dusk's cheeks and ended her preaching.