My campus life

chapter 3 Gossip's

Monday morning at Westbridge University was unusually loud. The corridors buzzed with conversations, laughter, and the constant clicking of heels on polished floors. Olivia could feel it before even stepping into her lecture hall — whispers floated through the hallways like invisible currents, glances lingered a little too long, and every passing student seemed to study her just a moment longer than necessary. Something was up.

Her stomach twisted with nervous anticipation as she walked toward her first lecture. The chatter of students sounded sharper, more pointed. When she reached her desk, her three roommates — Tasha, Mia, and Nia — leaned over her shoulder, eyes wide with barely contained excitement.

“Liv… have you checked the campus forum this morning?” Mia whispered, her voice tinged with urgency.

Olivia frowned, shaking her head. “No, why?”

Mia bit her lip nervously. “There’s a post… about you. And Ethan.”

Her heart skipped. “What do you mean, about me?”

Tasha turned her phone around so Olivia could see the screen. The image froze Olivia in place. It was a photo from Friday night’s rooftop party — Olivia and Ethan standing close together, his hand casually resting near her waist, just behind her back. The caption scrolled beneath the image in bold, playful letters:

“The Dean’s Son has found a new favorite. Freshman alert 🚨🔥 #WestbridgeSecrets”

Olivia’s stomach dropped, and her chest felt tight. She barely knew the guy — they had exchanged a few words, maybe a fleeting smile — yet the entire campus seemed to have collectively decided that they were a couple. Panic prickled along her spine like tiny needles.

By the time she reached lunch, her phone had exploded with notifications. Messages poured in from classmates she didn’t even recognize:

“So you’re dating Ethan Gray already?”

“Wow, you move fast!”

“Is this a new power couple?”

Olivia groaned, dropping her head onto her hands. “How did one stupid photo cause this much chaos?” she muttered, feeling her face heat up.

Professor Harrison, a stern man with a habit of peering over the tops of his glasses, noticed her distraction during class. With a sly grin, he called out, “Miss Parker, are you trying to pay attention to the actual lessons or just keeping up with campus gossip?”

Olivia forced a laugh, her cheeks burning crimson. She wished she could melt through the floor and disappear.

By lunchtime, her roommates gathered around her, trying to calm her down. “It’s just rumors,” Nia said soothingly, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “They’ll die down.”

But as Olivia walked through the crowded cafeteria, she realized rumors spread faster than the lines at the pizza station. Conversations stuttered and stopped as she passed. Students whispered, pointed, and smirked. Even the smell of fries and hot chocolate couldn’t distract her from the feeling that everyone was watching.

Then, as if on cue, Ethan Gray entered the cafeteria. Tall, confident, and impossibly composed, he walked through the chaos as though it didn’t exist. His presence cut through the noise; people seemed to part around him without realizing it. He spotted Olivia across the room, hesitated for a brief second, then strode directly toward her table.

“Hey,” he said, his voice low but steady. “Ignore them. They’ll get tired soon.”

Olivia blinked, unsure how to respond. “Did… did you start this rumor?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

His jaw tightened slightly. “No. But I can find out who did it.”

For the first time, Olivia saw a seriousness beneath his effortless charm. Maybe he wasn’t the careless troublemaker everyone said he was. Or maybe… he was just better at hiding it.

Before she could respond, a girl stormed up to the table, slamming a cup of coffee down with a sharp clink. “Careful, Freshie,” she sneered, her eyes flashing. “Ethan doesn’t do repeats.”

Olivia froze, unsure if she should apologize, flee, or just stare. The girl spun on her heel and disappeared into the crowd. Ethan sighed, a small shake of his head.

“That’s my ex,” he muttered, leaning slightly closer so only Olivia could hear. “Welcome to Westbridge gossip.”

Olivia blinked, speechless. Her mind spun with questions. Was it really that simple? Did everyone here play by this twisted set of unspoken rules?

As she watched him walk away, Olivia realized something crucial: life at Westbridge University wasn’t just about attending classes or surviving dorm drama. It was a complex game of rumors, secrets, and alliances. And whether she liked it or not, she was already a player.

Her campus life, she thought with a mix of dread and excitement, was about to get a whole lot more complicated.