The Witness He Loved

Westbridge University

CHAPTER 3

WESTBRIDGE UNIVERSITY

Maria’s Pov

I slowly opened my eyes. My head was heavy and banging with pain.

I sat up slowly. “Ah…, I groaned my hand hurt.

“Easy,” a voice said.”

I lifted my heard and saw a nurse walking towards my side. “You are awake, that’s good. Didn’t expect you to sleep so long, how are you feeling,” she said immediately she got to me.

I just stared at her, then looked around me.

“Oh, you were brought in yesterday after you passed out.”

“Ok,” my hand doesn’t hurt too much, but my head is heavy and hurting.

“Alright pain killers should do.”

My backpack, I suddenly remembered.

I searched around with my eyes.

“What are you looking for?”

“My backpack.”

“Oh here is it, she said bending down to pick something up.

Immediately she gave me, I unzipped it to check if everything was complete. I saw my phone, my visa, passport, credit card, admission letter and all my necessary files. Everything was still there.

I let out a long breath, thank God I didn’t give the bag up, and I didn’t die.

“How… how long have I been here?” I asked.

The nurse checked my file.

“You’ve been unconscious for a day.”

My eyes widened.

“A whole day, I screamed. “No…”

I have probably missed a lot right now, not only orientation, but a whole day, so it’s two days now, I thought.

“So am I good to go now.”

She nodded.

Your injury isn’t serious, you can meet the doctor to sign your discharge papers, then once you’re done with payment downstairs, you need to talk to the police. They are waiting downstairs.”

“Ok, but please can I get a place to charge my phone?”

“Yes,” she said and took my phone.

The police came in, got my statement asked some questions before leaving.

After settling the hospital bill, and changing into fresh clothes from the hospital gift shop, I collected my phone and headed straight to the bus stop.

This time, I wasn’t taking any chances, no taxis.

When the bus arrived, I checked the route twice before boarding.

Throughout the journey, I kept opening my map every second. Whenever the bus turned, my heart skipped.

I couldn’t stop thinking about my first day. But thankfully , after 10 minutes, the driver finally announced.

“Westbridge University!”

Immediately I got down, I looked up, WESTBRIDGE UNIVERSITY was boldly written there.

I entered. The campus was more beautiful than the pictures I had seen online. I was overjoyed, this place looked nothing like the orphanage I grew up in.

I had received an email about everything including my residence.

It was Maple residence hall.

I approached a security by the entrance. He looked young and had fair skin.

“Excuse me, I am a new student, I missed orientation, and am looking for maple residence hall. He smiled, and I quickly noticed his gap tooth. He is cute, I thought.

He pointed toward a wide walkway.

“Go straight, turn left at the fountain, then you’ll see it.”

“Ok thank you.”

After walking for a while, I arrived in front of a large modern building.

At the top of it, there was MAPLE RESIDENCE HALL, boldly written there.

A group of girls were coming out, so I stepped aside to let them pass.

Just as I resumed walking, someone bumped into my shoulder.

“Ah!”

I lost my balance and stumbled forward.

My backpack slipped from my shoulder and landed on the floor with a thud.

The girls stopped.

One glanced down at me before rolling her eyes.

“Watch where you’re going, freshmen should learn not to stand in the middle of the hallway.”

I frowned and looked around.

The hallway was wide enough for even five people to walk side by side.

“Pretty sure I wasn’t in the middle.”

She gave a careless shrug.

“Whatever.”

The girls laughed among themselves before walking away.

I stared after them for a second.

“Nice people,” I muttered under my breath, then I picked up my backpack,dusted it off and went inside.

I approached the reception desk and a young woman was sitting there.

I handed her my admission letter.

She typed for a few moments before nodding.

“Everything looks good.” Then she handed me a key card.

“You’ll need to collect your student ID from Student Services tomorrow. Your room is 214. You can complete your check in online.”

“Thank you.”

“Welcome to WESTBRIDGE . You can take the elevator, your room is on the fourth floor.”

“Ok.”

“Here, you might need this,” she said handing me a map.

I took the elevator upstairs. The hallway was quiet.

Most students were probably in class already, I thought.

I found Room 214 and tapped the key card against the lock, and the door opened immediately.

I looked around, there were two beds.

One side of the room was almost empty.

The other looked completely lived in.

Five colourful suitcases were neatly arranged beside the bed. Clothes hung inside an open wardrobe, and a collection of shoes lined the floor beneath it. A pink blanket covered the bed, matching the pink throw pillows piled against the headboard.

A small teddy bear sat in the corner beside a framed family photograph.

I smiled.

“My roommate must really like shopping.”

I dropped my backpack on my bed. My stomach growled loudly, and I knew it was hunger.

I quickly grabbed the campus map the receptionist had given me before heading back outside. Finding the cafeteria shouldn’t be too difficult, I thought.

Then I headed out, after walking for a while, I still couldn’t find it.

“Student Cafeteria…” I muttered. “Where the heck are you?”

The map looked simple, but it was as if all buildings were designed to confuse new students.

I turned another corner.

The hallway was unusually quiet.

At the end of it, I spotted a door standing half open.

Maybe someone inside could help, I thought.

I pushed the door open.

Immediately, dozens of heads turned toward me.

A middle-aged man stopped writing on the whiteboard., and everywhere became silent

Heat rushed to my face, and I began to feel dizzy.

“I’m… sorry,” I stammered.

The professor adjusted his glasses.

“Can I help you?”

“I was looking for the cafeteria.”

A few students laughed, and the professor sighed before pointing toward the door.

“I believe you’re looking for the Student Center, not the Engineering Building.”

“Oh…ok”

I turned back toward the door so quickly that I almost tripped over the step at the entrance.

More laughter followed me as I hurried out.

Outside, I leaned against the wall and covered my burning face.

“Great, Maria,” I muttered. “Day one and you’ve already become campus entertainment.”

I looked at the map again.

“Who designed this place? A maze expert?”

I couldn’t find the cafeteria, I knew I was lost.

Too tired to keep walking, I slipped into an empty classroom and sat behind the last desk.

Then I heard voices.

“Everything went according to plan.”

“He deserved it. Watching him start that project from scratch gives me joy.”

A laugh followed.

“Its payback,”

I stood up to peak at their faces.

My leg hit a soda can, I quickly hid back. Everywhere became silent. I could hear my heartbeat loud.

A chair dragged across the floor.

“Did you hear that?”

My eyes searched for somewhere to hide, but I was already trapped behind the desk.

Footsteps stopped right in front of me.

“Come out,” a cold voice said.