The Outsider (Outsider #1) ✔️

Chapter 3 : Friends & Not Friends

The classes in the University generally started at 10 am. The university had a wide variety of courses and the schedules of students varied, depending on what courses they had chosen. However, the area in front of Gate 3 was generally busy at 9 am.

Right in front of the gate was 'Student Square', a massive open-air plaza with the famous 'Uni-Viva Fountain', walkways, manicured shrubs and trees, two small parks, and many small shops and restaurants forming 3 concentric semi-circles around the fountain. At the other end of the plaza was the huge Viva City Mall and a massive public parking area for those who were not allowed to drive into the university.

Students who came into the university from the city passed through the plaza at this hour to reach the classes. Some who were early, spend time in the plaza unless it was raining. Those wanting breakfast but not wanting to eat in the Dorm Eateries would come to the numerous stalls and restaurants in the plaza and in the Mall. The jocks from the various sports teams who were called to practice and those who wanted to exercise in the numerous sports arenas around the campus also finished around this time and came to the plaza for a quick snack before rushing to change and get to class.

Uni-Viva was one of the largest universities in Bravadia. It was also the most expensive. It had the best teachers, large resources to leverage on. Children from every Noble Family in the country as well as those from some of the neighbouring countries came to this university. The rich sent their children here and those of the upper middle classes struggled to ensure their children also studied there. The prospect of meeting and networking with the rich and powerful families were often worth the struggle. It would give them access to large business and industrial conglomerates by way of jobs, supply linkages, technologies and other resources for their future. Many of the new corporate success stories started within the campus of this university.

Because of the background of the students, most of them dressed well. Best of the clothes, branded and designer dresses, high-end foot ware, top-of-the-line communicators and computers, good cars were the norm, giving the place the look more like a high-end neighbourhood. There were of course a mix of all types, as was with any university. While the jocks were in their sportswear, both shorts and track pants, other boys and girls in their latest fashions. Another set of students, mostly from Business Studies, were in formal wear, crisp shirts, pants ironed to sharp crease, Suite Jackets with the school logos in their hands or casually slung across their shoulders.

And lastly, in uniform and serious faces were those from Military Education, the most elite students from the police and defence forces, being trained in latest technology, management, supply chain, cyber warfare, even things not associated with the Military normally - Artificial Intelligence, Data Analytics, Virtual Reality. Hidden among this group were the security guards embedded in the university to protect the students of the Nobility and the ultra-rich, without being obvious about it.

And ... into this crowd, walked in Dusk ....

In contrast to the students dressed in expensive impeccable clothes, she looked ragged. Her clothes were evidently made of common cheap material, basic style and utilitarian. She was sweaty and haggard from walking close to 7.5 km, smeared in mud at the waist and knees where she had fallen after being tagged by the laser. She was dragging two wheeled travel bags and a handbag.

The students turned and stared at her. She was definitely in the wrong place. Technically the plaza was public place, but people not connected with the university or business located in the plaza and mall rarely came there. Some of those who had seen her poked their friends and made them turn to look at her. Some laughed, others looked irritated to see a beggar in their midst.

One of the students from the track team stopped her.

"Where do you think you are going?"

Dusk was already upset with her day so far. Seeing the attitude of the people around, how they dressed and behaved, she began to wonder how she would ever fit in. It was as if she had landed in the middle of a high-end country club (based on what she had seen in Holovision Drama, never having actually been near a country club). She felt like an outsider and she feared she will always remain one.