Eleanor Wright adjusted her bag strap nervously as she walked through the gates of Westbrook Public University. The sun glinted off the tall buildings, but she hardly noticed. Everything felt overwhelming: the sprawling campus, the endless crowds of students, the chatter, the laughter, the endless stairs and corridors.
New city. New school. New life.
Her notebook clutched tightly to her chest, Eleanor reminded herself: she wasn't here to make friends, just to survive her first semester. But somehow, the murmurs that followed her across the quad made her feel like she had just stepped onto a stage.
"Did you see the new English transfer?"
"She looks… intimidating."
Eleanor kept her head high. She would ignore the whispers. She always had.
The lecture hall was enormous, a cavern of buzzing conversation. Students unpacked laptops, debated literature, and tapped pens in rapid succession. Eleanor found a seat in the last row, trying to disappear among the masses.
And then he arrived.
Xander Blackwood didn't just walk in, he owned the room. Leather jacket, helmet tucked under one arm, football bag slung casually over his shoulder. Conversations faltered. Heads turned. Girls whispered, boys glanced nervously.
He scanned the room lazily, taking in the students like a predator sizing up territory. And then, impossibly, his eyes found Eleanor. The calm, composed transfer girl, notebook in hand, sitting quietly as if she owned nothing but her thoughts. He smirked briefly, just enough for her to notice, and then turned his attention elsewhere.
Eleanor's chest tightened, a reaction she immediately tried to dismiss. Not impressed. Not impressed. Focus.
After the lecture, Eleanor made her way to the cafeteria, hoping to find a quiet corner. The room was packed with students, some laughing loudly, others hunched over laptops, a few in heated debates over assignments. The smell of coffee and fried food hung heavy in the air.
She scanned the tables. Empty corners were scarce. As she finally spotted a space, a group of rich students blocked her path. Camden, a tall, sharp-eyed senior with the aura of someone used to attention, stepped forward.
"Well, well," he said, voice dripping with amusement. "You must be the new girl. I've heard rumors… I hope you're as smart as they say."
Eleanor lifted her chin and smiled politely. "I'll try not to disappoint."
A few chuckles erupted from the group, and Eleanor immediately sensed a small rivalry forming. Camden's expression, equal parts challenge and curiosity, suggested this wasn't the last she'd see of him.
And then she felt it, a presence she couldn't ignore. Xander Blackwood, leaning casually against a table nearby, helmet under his arm, smirk playing on his lips. He watched her with subtle amusement.
"You're handling them well," he murmured, loud enough for her to hear but quiet enough that the room didn't catch it. "Not many could."
Eleanor's cheeks warmed, though she kept her tone steady. "They're just… curious."
"Curious," he repeated, a note of challenge in his voice. "Interesting choice of words."
Their brief interaction set the tone, a silent battle of wit and observation, the kind only Xander could ignite.
Lunch continued with whispers circling around Eleanor. Students nudged each other, stole glances, and whispered:
"She's standing up to Camden? Brave—or foolish."
"Did you see Xander watching her? He's… distracted."
Even the football team passed by, smirking and nudging each other knowingly. Eleanor kept her head down, focusing on her notes, but she noticed how Xander's gaze lingered.
By late afternoon, Eleanor had navigated her first lecture, her first cafeteria chaos, and her first social confrontation. She thought the day might finally be over, but the campus had more in store.
As she walked to the dorms, students waved, whispered, or stared. Somewhere behind her, Xander's laughter carried softly across the quad. She hadn't interacted much, hadn't spoken more than a few sentences, but she could feel it: the slow burn of something that was just beginning.
This campus was alive, messy, and full of challenges.
And Xander Blackwood was only the beginning.