CHAPTER 1

"Your father is an FBI agent, Miss Rider?" the man behind the counter asked after reading the form that she had submitted.

"Yes," Manda replied in a tired voice. After giving a furtive glance at the long queue behind her, she shot the man an impatient look.

The man was oblivious to her glare, and continued reading through the form slowly. She wished he would be quick. Her legs were killing her, and right now, she just wanted to find her dorm and sleep till the next morning. Glancing at her wristwatch, she grumbled her annoyance when she realized it had been five hours since she arrived at the registrar's office.

"And your next of kin is Connor Rider and Byron Salvatore?"

"Isn't that what it says?" She pointed to the form.

"Is Mr. Salvatore your family?"

She gritted her teeth. "No - just a close family friend. And Connor Rider is my uncle. Anything else?"

The man didn't seem to hear her as he went through the details. "All in order," he finally spoke up. He stamped on the form, and the rest of the papers. "Welcome to Greenwood University, Miss Rider."

"Thank you," she replied in relief.

The sky was cloudless and the sun was shining upon new-fallen yellow-and-orange leaves as Manda headed for the parking lot. She passed a lot of people in daze, not really wanting to have a chat with any of them. Not only because she didn't know anybody, she often felt apprehensive when meeting new people. Her only worry was that coming to Greenwood University was a mistake after all.

-o-

The Doyle Hall was a modern five-story brick building, with balconies. It was also a co-ed dorm and it was the newest addition in the campus. Students of Greenwood University rushed in and out of the doorway. Most of them were carrying large bags and heavy luggage as if they were moving into the dormitory forever.

Forever? She hated high school, and she couldn't wait to get out of it. Still, four years at the university seemed like a long time for her. Carrying her light suitcase up the front steps of the dorm, her tracks faltered when her eyes caught sight of someone she hadn't expected to see since high school.

Manda felt like hiding but the girl, who was taking a deep blissful drag from her cigarette as she leaned against the entrance, caught sight of Manda. The girl's face scrunched up in distaste. Her teeth clenched, almost biting the cigarette into two.

"Pearl…" she could only trail off the name.

"Surprised?" Pearl sneered as she puffed out the cigarette smoke into Manda's face.

Manda braced herself, clenching her hands into fists. The fact that she didn't back away annoyed Pearl immensely.

"I d-didn't know you're interested in college," Manda said. "I thought you would have gone back to Paris right now… doing modeling."

"You think people with pretty faces only interested in modeling?" Pearl scoffed.

"No… That's not what I meant. You used to say you want to leave for Paris after graduating from high school, and work with your mother over there," Manda explained quickly.

"Well, it's none of your damn business, Manda Rider. Get out of my sight," Pearl snapped. She took another long drag from her cigarette. It was her way to hide the fact that the subject was too close to home.

But Manda didn't leave, wondering what was Pearl doing in a place like this. Unless it has something to do with her father.

"What are you waiting for?" Pearl glared angrily at her.

"I'm very sorry for what had happened," Manda said quietly. "Your father -"

"Don't you dare mention about my Daddy! If it wasn't for your heroic daddy, my Daddy would be alive. I wouldn't have to go through this stupid college, and I'd have the time in my life in Paris!" Words rushed out of Pearl's lips before she could stop herself. Her face was flushed red when she had done.

"I'm... sorry," Manda repeated quietly before she left Pearl standing at the doorway.

Letting out her breath, she crossed into the foyer, all the while she could feel Pearl's gaze sending daggers into her back. The floor was covered with marbles and surrounded by oak-paneled walls, and as she toted her suitcase to the lift, she couldn't help marveled at her new surrounding. She pushed the button to the third floor, where her room was located. Despite the sudden awkward encounter with Pearl Sullivan, she wasn't going to let it dampen her mood.

When she reached the third floor, the first thing she heard was a blast of rock music coming out from one of the dorms across the hallway. Somebody's really partying mad, Manda thought as she turned right and walked through the hallway. Room 303, she read the black numbering on the door. She noticed it wasn't occupied yet, when she entered her room. She was pleased to see the balcony. This was what that made the dorm different from others. And she loved her room immediately.

One part was turned into a small living room, which was filled with one long sofa and a coffee table. She noticed a new telephone was placed on the coffee table. There was a heater near the balcony door, and a couple of double-hung windows. A couple of desks, bookshelves, dressers, closets and single beds were neatly arranged heterochirally on both sides of the room. She chose the right side. After pulling her suitcase next to the desk, and sat down on the bed, taking everything in around her. She definitely was going to love staying here. She got up and placed her duffel bag on top of her chosen study desk.

The door swung open, almost startling her. A tall girl, who was about her age, eighteen, popped in.

"Oh, hi! I didn't know someone's already here. I'm Amy Johnson, your new roommate," she said cheerfully. Her brown eyes were twinkling excitedly. She pushed back a lock of her pixie-cut dark blond hair from her forehead as she glanced around her room. The new girl was tall, possibly an inch taller than her own five-foot-eight frame. She was wearing a pair of sweat pants, and black tank top, which often reminded Manda of an aerobic instructor. And when Manda glanced at Amy again, she decided the girl could be qualified as an aerobic instructor. Her tanned arms were nicely toned and muscled. There was something energetic about her. The girl's expression was so full of life and bright, as if she could take on the world any time.

"Nice to meet you," Manda replied, a little guardedly. "I'm Manda Rider."

Both of them shook hands.

"So, have you finished packing?" Amy asked her. She brought a large deep blue suitcase into the room.

"I just arrived. I just need to get my table lamp and my laptop. They are still in the car," Manda told her. "But I'll deal with that later."

"Okay, so you've already taken the right side, that leaves mine on the left side," Amy said, indicating toward the identical arrangement. A large duffel case, which looked like the shape of a tennis racquet, was slung on one shoulder.

"You like tennis?"

Then suddenly her face brightened. "Yeah. I've met a new friend on this floor who's totally into tennis like I do! Her name's Toby Fisher, that's short for October Fisher," she quickly explained, as if it was a big deal to Manda.

Manda couldn't help feeling amused and slightly ironic by her friendliness. She hardly got that during high school. Maybe this time she could make friends who accepted her as who she was. Real friends. "That's nice," Manda commented politely.

"Anyway, my best friend also lives here, too. In fact, she lives opposite of us," Amy went on. "Her name's Tamara Moore. We call her Tara for short."

"That's great. At least you already have someone familiar here," Manda commented, hoping to hide her own bitterness. She was still wondering why Amy was being so friendly.

"Would you like to meet her?" Amy suddenly asked her.

The question took her off-guard. Manda silently debated to herself whether she should mind her own business, or meeting a future friend.

"All right," she finally answered after a moment of hesitation.

"Great!"

As they went outside, Manda noticed another tall girl with long dark hair tied in a ponytail, approaching them. Amy greeted her. "Toby, meet my roommate, Manda Rider. Manda, this is Toby, the one I've been telling you about," Amy introduced them.

"Hi," Manda said politely to the girl. "Going somewhere?" she asked casually.

"I'm doing some touring!" Toby said and laughed. "Want to join me?" She turned to Amy.

"Sorry, later. I want to see how Tara is doing right now," Amy replied apologetically.

"All right. See you later!" With a wave, she went to the elevator.

"She seems nice," Manda commented as Toby was out of earshot.

"Yeah, she is." Amy nodded.

They headed to Tara's room. As Manda neared it, she could hear the ear-splitting music blaring out of the room. She peered inside Tara's dorm. She noticed a petite girl with short dark hair, and heavy mascara around her dark eyes, was plugging her computer equipments together. For some reason, she reminded Manda of a sorceress.

Manda knocked on the door. The girl didn't seem to hear her. At that moment, another petite girl with long auburn hair came out of her bedroom, frowning at the sorceress-girl. She brightened up when she saw Amy and Manda at the door. "Amy, come in!" the auburn-haired girl said in bubbly voice, and waved in. Her aqua eyes stood out in contrast against her hair.

"Manda, I'd like you to meet Tara Moore. Tara, this is Manda Rider. Manda is my roommate," Amy introduced them together.

Manda and Tara greeted one another. The redhead seemed to be sizing her up as they shook hands. She seemed to look distastefully at Manda's drab clothing. Manda didn't care what others thought of her choice of clothes. As long as she was comfortable in it, nothing else matters.

"I hope we're not interrupting you," Manda said to Tara instead.

"Not a bit," Tara replied quickly. She self-consciously smoothed down her perfectly blown-dry hair, as if any tiny hair that escaped the strand was a disaster. She was dressed in short denim skirt, complemented with black halter-top. Her feet were laced up in ankle-high leather boots. Her nails were polished, and painted dark pink.

Then Tara indicated toward her roommate, and rolled her eyes to the ceiling. "Talk about living in a nightmare," she countered. "That's Lea, my roommate."

"So, have you done packing yet?" Amy asked Tara.

Tara shrugged. "Well, some of it anyway. I can't find a place to stuff my other things. There's not much space," she complained.

Amy rolled her eyes to the ceiling. "That's because you brought too much things. We're not going to stay here forever, you know," she said teasingly.

"Four years is not forever?" Tara asked in mock surprise.

Manda just gave a small grin. "Come on. Let's go outside. I can't wait to see everything," she told them. She was starting to feel the jittery excitement by the prospect of exploring the campus.

Tara and Amy joined with her enthusiasm. "Yeah, I can't wait to meet all those gorgeous college men," Tara replied, her eyes brightening up.

Lea suddenly gave a snort. "You are weird, you know that?" she commented as she adjusted the monitor.

Tara glared at her roommate. "Thanks a lot, roommie. I guess that goes to you, too," she shot back.

Lea laughed humorlessly.

"Come on, let's go. Nice to meet you, Lea," Amy said before going out. But Lea didn't seem to hear her as she was still engrossed with her computer.

-o-

That night after a meeting with the rest of the residents on the third floor, Amy's friend, Tara, came over to Manda and Amy's room.

"Let's go to the party tonight! This is the time to meet college men, you guys," Tara said excitedly.

Manda fought an urge to roll her eyes to the ceiling.

"So, what do you say?" Tara asked impatiently, when Manda didn't answer right away.

Amy shrugged. "Fine with me," she replied.

"What about your roommate?" Manda asked Tara.

"Oh, she already went with Cecilia." She waved it off.

Manda wondered if she had met this Cecilia. I'm so bad at remembering so many names. At least I know Pearl Sullivan is also staying on the same floor. She and Amy quickly retrieved their jackets. Manda locked the door before leaving.

A group of guys and girls were talking animatedly with each other at the lobby. Manda couldn't help noticing how sophisticated they looked, which left her feeling out of place. The experience was a little too familiar for her comfort.

They began walking along the sidewalk, and Manda noticed they were approaching a frat house, Beta Kappa. The air was slightly cold after the drizzle an hour ago.

"This frat is mostly joined by jocks," Tara announced, sounding like a tour guide.

Amy looked at Tara in mock surprise. "Wow, you really did your homework," she said sarcastically.

"Cut it out," Tara retorted. "Want to see what this place is about?" she asked them.

"Jocks?" Manda raised her eyebrows. "That's all?"

"Yeah, for guys who had nothing to do but sports," Tara answered.

"Hey, I resent that!" Amy spoke up. "Just because they like sports doesn't mean they don't have any brains."

"Whatever." Tara shrugged. "Anyway, I'm thinking of joining that one," she changed the subject as she pointed to a large mansion that had a banner saying: THE SIGMA PHI HOUSE SORORITY PARTY.

"Are you going to join one of them?" Manda asked Amy curiously.

Amy shook her head.

"I'm planning to," Tara told her. "But I think it's fun to see the other freshmen trying out the pledge task."

"I don't know... I don't think sorority house suits me," Manda said uncertainly.

She could hear loud music coming out from the Beta Kappa entrance as they neared it, and she could see dancing bodies from outside the large French windows.

"This is wild!" Tara exclaimed when they entered the house. Manda could feel the pulsating beat seeping through the floor.

Heads turned when the girls entered the house, especially the guys who were obviously checking out the newcomers. Manda suddenly felt self-conscious. She didn't expect to be checked out. She suddenly felt like an Ugly Duckling among her new friends. For one, she was too pale as if she hadn't been under the sun in her life. Plain, that's what I am.

"Hey, look, there's Lea. She's dancing with some guy! I don't see Cecilia, do you?" Tara shouted above the full music volume.

Amy scanned and then shook her head. They decided to move to a quieter section. Then the girls noticed a couple of huge muscular guys heading toward them. Manda wondered if they were from a football team.

"Hey, ladies, I'm Jack Olson, the president of Beta Kappa, and this -" he pointed to his blond haired friend, "- is Ace Cooper."

"Want to dance with us?" Ace asked them. His words were a little slurred, as if he had been drinking.

"Uh, no thanks," Manda said carefully, backing away from them. "We're trying to find a friend."

"It's your loss," Jack said and turned to another group of girls.

"Whew, what a slob," Amy commented in disgust.

"Having fun girls?" A deep masculine voice suddenly said from behind them.

The girls turned around, and found themselves looking at a broad-shouldered young man, who looked a few years older than them.

But Manda instantly stiffened when she finally recognized him. And when his piercing blue eyes were on Manda, he looked surprise, before frowning at her.

He's tall - when he's not sitting down, or getting knocked down to the floor, Manda thought silently.

A lock of wavy dark hair fell over one eye as his gaze landed curiously on Manda's new friends.

"Hi, I'm Tara Moore," Tara said to him cheerfully, glancing sideways at Manda. Apparently, she noticed the tension between Manda and the guy.

Manda shrugged. She didn't say a word. So, Tara continued introducing him to the girls, and when it came to Manda, the guy cut off the introduction.

"Manda Rider," he supplied, not bothering to hide his sarcasm. There was a slight accent in his voice that Manda couldn't quite put her finger on.

"You two met before?" Tara asked skeptically, as if wondering how on earth someone like Manda could have known someone like him.

Manda could understand Tara's disbelief. Manda had always considered herself unappealing to guys. She never wore make-up like most girls do, and she never bothered to think much about her appearance. It was much, much better this way.

"Oh, we've met, all right," the guy said coolly. But he didn't elaborate further. Instead, he deliberately ignored Manda, and turned to the others with a charming smile that could have shaken every woman's knees. "I'm Michael Mackenzie. Call me Michael. I don't really like to be called Mike. Sounds like a surfer's name to me."

Somehow Manda felt the name Michael suited him perfectly. But she didn't say anything.

"What's wrong with a surfer?" Amy spoke up curiously.

Michael shrugged. "Nothing, I guess. I just didn't like to be called by that name," he replied vaguely. "So, what are you doing out here? Finding someone interesting?" he asked them teasingly, with a half-smile.

"If I'm lucky enough to have you," Tara flirted, giving him her brightest smile. She flipped her hair behind her shoulders dramatically. "Are you a freshman, too?" She looked as if she was about to swoon over Michael.

Manda stifled another urge to roll her eyes to the ceiling. Can anyone be that dumb? But for some unknown reason, her eyes couldn't help straying at the way his dark unruly hair curling at the collar of his blue polo shirt. Stop that! She scolded herself.

"No, I'm a junior," Michael replied with a deep laugh.

Studying in Science Department, and works part time as a lab assistant, Manda added silently. Not to mention a rude person. Don't trust him one bit. Her past experience had taught her not to give trust to anyone too easily. That way she wouldn't get hurt too easily if she was betrayed. No, it wouldn't happen again.

"I'm trying to find my friend. I guess he disappeared in here, in who-knows-where," he replied as he scanned around the packed room. "As for you, I don't think you need any luck in finding guys in here," he told Tara and Amy.

"Yeah, right. Most of them are not my kind," Amy said as she wrinkled her nose. "I think I need some fresh air."

"Good idea," Manda replied and they walked back to the entrance. She was irked when she saw that Michael was walking along with them, too. She wondered if he deliberately wanted to annoy her. Why is he suddenly being too friendly? What's his motive? Motive? Man, I sound like Dad. It's his fault I'm thinking this way.

"Hey, leaving so soon?" Ace suddenly asked as he put an arm around Amy before she could reach the door. "The party's just beginning!"

Amy looked disgusted as she pushed him away. "Forget it, buster!" she said and quickly ran out of the place.

"What was that all about?" Michael asked when Amy reached them at the doorway.

"Some creep trying to ruin the party," she replied simply.

"That Ace has a bad reputation around here," Michael commented thoughtfully.

"Don't worry, I can take care of myself," Amy told him.

"Why don't I take you to… well, the nicer ones?" Michael suggested.

"As long as there's no that-kind-of-creep over there," Amy replied dryly.

Manda still wondered why Michael was being too nice to them. She knew he acted as if she weren't here, and she could already feel isolated - something that she was very familiar with.

She and Amy were walking behind Tara and Michael as they descended the concrete steps.

"Your friend Michael is sure one handsome devil. Do you know him long?" Amy asked Manda, making a conversation. She raised an eyebrow toward her.

"He's not my friend," Manda insisted, trying to keep the annoyance out of her voice. "We've met briefly, before the semester starts. And I can assure you it was an ugly meet." She sighed. "Look, I'm sorry about that, but do you mind if you go along with them… without me?"

Amy looked surprised, and slightly deflated. "Oookay... Where are you going?"

"Back to my room. I'm a bit tired," Manda told her.

"Okay, good night, I think."

"Thanks. You, too." With that Manda left the group and walked back toward Doyle Hall.

As she walked back to her dorm, her mind drifted to the happenings on her first day in university. She finally got her chance to live on her own. But the thought of making new friends still terrified her. She already had two enemies on her first day here. I might as well introduce myself as an alien, and get over it.

Apparently, the sidewalk was bustling with students walking and laughing as they headed for the welcoming parties. Would this lane be quiet and empty at night during exam week? she wondered.

She ignored the sounds of laughter, and the chatter from other students, and continued walking past a couple of dormitories, the library, and the home of the university president before she finally reached Doyle Hall. There were still a few students at the lobby, talking and getting to know one another. Manda knew tomorrow was orientation. Classes wouldn't start until next week on Monday. Right now, she wasn't in any mood to mingle with anyone.

Instead of using the elevator, she used the stairs to go back to her room. A little exercise wouldn't hurt.

The hallway in her dorm was quiet when she stepped through the doorway of the emergency stairs. She had a feeling everyone was out partying and having a good time.

Good, she thought in relief. Sometimes silence was a soothing remedy for her troubled mood. She unlocked the door to her room.

As she stepped inside, she heard the sound of a phone ringing. Her cell-phone. She sighed. So much for quietness. She dashed to her bed and rummaged through her backpack to retrieve her phone.

"Hello?"

"Manda Rider?" A familiar male voice came over the line.

"Uncle Byron," she said when she recognized the voice. Uncle Byron Salvatore wasn't really her real uncle. The chief police of Apple Point PD was a close friend of her father, Blake Rider. Both of them had worked together on cases pretty well.

"Manda," she heard Uncle Byron took a deep breath. "I've got bad news for you," he said grimly.

"Bad news, good news… what else is new?" She couldn't help asking sarcastically.

"Are you all right?"

"Yeah… I'm fine. So, what are you going to tell me?"

"Your father. He's been arrested for the murder of my wife."