Whispers in the Hallway

Sophie Matthews stood in front of the grand iron gates of Eastwick University, her heart pounding in her chest. It was her first day, and the sheer size of the sprawling campus made her feel like a small fish in an ocean. She adjusted her oversized glasses, hoping they hid the nervous excitement on her face, and grabbed her suitcase handle tighter as if to ground herself.

"Okay, Sophie. You've got this," she whispered to herself, trying to muster some confidence.

Her parents had dropped her off hours ago, leaving her to navigate the maze of buildings alone. The campus, with its towering ivy-covered walls and vintage stone pathways, was nothing like her hometown's small community college. Here, at Eastwick, everyone seemed to know exactly what they were doing. Students hustled across the campus with purpose, their faces radiating confidence.

Sophie wasn't sure if she was ready for the new life she was stepping into, but she had little choice. She had dreamed of attending this prestigious university for years, ever since she picked up her first book about the history of Eastwick. A history steeped in old legends, some of which seemed more like gossip than fact.

As she walked toward her dorm, a voice suddenly called out from behind her.

"Hey! You new here?"

Sophie spun around to find a girl with a wide grin and wild, curly hair standing a few feet away. She had a friendly, almost too-eager expression on her face, and Sophie immediately felt a wave of relief-someone who looked as approachable as her high school friends.

"Uh, yeah. First day," Sophie answered, offering a tentative smile. "I'm Sophie."

"I'm Grace," the girl said, with a cheerful wink. "I'm your new roommate!"

Sophie blinked, taken aback. She hadn't expected to meet her roommate so quickly-let alone someone as bubbly and energetic as Grace.

"You're, uh, Grace Thompson?" Sophie asked, suddenly nervous. "I thought you were a senior."

Grace laughed. "I get that a lot. But no, I'm actually a freshman. Just happened to end up in a room with the old souls like you."

Sophie couldn't help but smile at the teasing. Grace immediately put her at ease as they walked together toward their dorm, chatting about trivial things-life at Eastwick, how strange the campus was, and how excited Grace was to show Sophie the "cool places" around campus.

But as they walked past one of the older buildings on campus, a figure in the distance caught Sophie's eye. He was leaning against a pillar near a small courtyard, his head slightly tilted toward the ground, looking deep in thought. Sophie couldn't explain it, but there was something magnetic about him. His posture was effortlessly cool, and his messy brown hair seemed deliberately disheveled.

Grace followed her gaze. "Oh, him," she said with a half-smile. "That's Ethan Carter. He's a sophomore-been here forever it feels like. Don't get too close though. He's... well, mysterious."

Sophie wasn't sure why, but the idea of Ethan's mysteriousness intrigued her even more. She felt an inexplicable urge to learn more, but before she could voice her thoughts, Grace dragged her back to the present.

"Anyway," Grace continued, "this is going to be amazing. Eastwick is full of adventures, you just have to know where to look."

They arrived at their dorm, and Grace flung the door open, revealing their new home for the next year. Sophie was hit by the familiar smell of fresh paint, mixed with the faint scent of old books from the library next door.

Inside, Grace had already settled in. Her side of the room was decorated with posters, fairy lights, and a heap of clothes on the floor. Sophie's side, however, was neat-she hadn't unpacked much yet, but everything was in place.

"I'll help you get comfortable," Grace said, dropping her bag on the floor. "But first, let's go grab some dinner. I heard the cafeteria is serving something interesting today."

Sophie agreed, even though she wasn't quite ready to dive into the social aspect of college life. But she wasn't about to say no to Grace, who seemed determined to make her feel at home.

Later that evening, after dinner and some awkward introductions to Grace's friends, Sophie found herself back in the dorm room, sitting cross-legged on her bed, flipping through a book about Eastwick's rich history. The ancient traditions, the secret societies, and the rumors about the university's mysterious origins-all of it was fascinating. Sophie had always been a lover of mystery and intrigue, and Eastwick's history seemed to be filled with both.

Her mind wandered to the conversation Grace had briefly mentioned earlier, about Ethan Carter and his aloof persona. Sophie wasn't sure what to think about him, but the image of him leaning against the courtyard pillar stuck with her. There was something... off about him. But in an interesting way. A way that made Sophie want to know more.

Just then, her thoughts were interrupted by a soft knock at the door.

"Come in!" Sophie called, expecting it to be Grace.

But when the door creaked open, it wasn't Grace who stepped in-it was Ethan.

Sophie's heart skipped a beat. What was he doing here?

"I hope I'm not disturbing anything," Ethan said casually, his voice carrying that cool, confident tone. "I was looking for Grace, but I think she's out with some friends. So I thought I'd stop by."

Sophie sat frozen on her bed, unsure of how to respond. Ethan's eyes scanned the room, landing on her with a quiet intensity. He seemed unbothered by her silence.

"I'll leave if you're busy," he added, a hint of a smirk playing on his lips.

Sophie's mind raced. What should she say? She didn't want to come off as rude but couldn't exactly muster the courage to start a conversation either.

"No, it's fine," Sophie replied, her voice wavering slightly. "Grace isn't here, but I don't mind... you staying."

Ethan nodded, his eyes briefly meeting hers before glancing toward the desk. "You into Eastwick's history?"

Sophie blinked. "Yeah, actually. I've been reading about it."

Ethan raised an eyebrow, impressed. "Not many people are. Most just care about the parties."

Sophie chuckled, "I'm a bit of a nerd when it comes to these things."

Ethan smiled, and Sophie's heart raced. For the briefest moment, she felt like she could see past the mysterious façade, a glimpse of something more. But before she could figure it out, Ethan's expression shifted, his eyes becoming distant.

"Be careful, Sophie," he said, his voice suddenly serious. "Some things about this place... should stay hidden."

Sophie stared at him, confused. What was he talking about? Was there something more to Eastwick's history than she realized?

Ethan turned and walked toward the door without another word, leaving Sophie to wonder if she had just witnessed a warning-or a riddle.

The first day of college had barely begun, but already, Sophie felt like she had stumbled upon something much bigger than she had ever imagined. A new life at Eastwick had just begun... and so had the mysteries waiting to unfold.