As the limousine glides smoothly onto the highway, Evette pulls out her phone and quickly types a message to her parents:
"Hey, I've reached! Heading to campus now."
Almost instantly, the three little dots appear, signaling her mom is typing. A second later, the reply comes through:
"Can't wait to ask you all about it! Call me at 10 PM."
Evette sighs and responds:
"Ok, I will! thx :)"
Evan glances over at Evette, noticing her focused expression as she types on her phone. "What are you doing?" he asks, tilting his head slightly.
"Texting my mom," she replies without looking up. "Telling her I've landed and I'm on my way to campus."
For the rest of the ride, Evette finds herself glancing at Evan every now and then. He looks relaxed, scrolling through his phone, completely unfazed. She exhales and shifts her gaze to the window, watching as the city fades into long, winding roads surrounded by trees. The ride is smooth, the soft hum of the limo making her thoughts drift.
At exactly 7:25, the driver clears his throat and announces, "We've arrived."
Evette sits up straighter, her heart picking up speed as she looks out at the massive campus. It's even bigger than she imagined.
The limo door swings open, and as she and Evan step out, they're immediately met by a tall, thin woman with gray hair pulled into a severe bun. Her narrowed blue eyes sweep over them with a sharp, assessing gaze. Her pale skin is lined with deep wrinkles, making her look both wise and intimidating.
"Evette Steele? Evan Johnson?" Her voice is crisp and formal. "The only students in your batch with scholarships." She gives a tight-lipped smile. "Well, congratulations. I am Ms. Giulia. Follow me."
Without waiting for a response, she turns on her heel and strides toward the entrance. Evette and Evan exchange a look before quickly following.
The hallways are pristine, the floors polished to perfection. Ms. Giulia leads them down a long corridor before stopping. "Evette Steele, your dorm is here," she says, gesturing toward a dark wooden door. "Mr. Johnson, yours is six doors down."
Evette glances in the direction of Evan's room. Not too far.
Ms. Giulia folds her hands in front of her. "Classes will commence in ten days, on September first. Use your time wisely." With that, she turns sharply and walks away.
Evette exhales. She turns to Evan, adjusting the strap of her bag. "Meet me in my dorm in an hour?"
Evan nods. "Yeah, sure." Then, with a lazy grin, he disappears into his dorm, leaving Evette standing alone in the hallway.