Campus Missed Connections Novels & Stories

The faint moonlight illuminated the desolation—bloodstains on the ground, abandoned belongings scattered across the street, and the eerie emptiness of the once-bustling campus. As he crept through the darkness, a thought struck him: his phone. His stomach twisted in frustration as he realized he’d left it behind in the chaos of the outbreak. The phone was his lifeline, his connection to the world he’d been cut off from. He couldn’t afford to lose it.

The autumn sun slants through Ashwood Hall's grimy windows as Lyric Ames arrives, three hours late and utterly flustered. The administrative office had somehow managed to lose her paperwork twice, leaving her to navigate the sprawling campus with nothing but a hastily scribbled room number and the weight of her overpacked duffel bag cutting into her shoulder.

I ended up going to the campus the next day. Again, I forgot to ask my uncle. However, that dream couldn’t leave my mind. I wanted to make sure that Sally was Frederick’s mate. I didn’t want to be wrong about something. I mean, she could be his girlfriend before he found his mate. ‘Stop thinking.’ The campus was flooded with people. I learnt by asking around that not only I missed the announcements for the exam, I missed the entire deal. Now, I was thrown into some kind of a group and I didn’t know about them.

I got up and walked over to my nightstand to grab my cell phone. As I unlocked my phone, I saw two missed calls from Connor. He sent me a couple texts, saying he couldn't reach me. I texted him back telling him it was okay. I then went through my notifications. There weren't many new messages, only three from Evan, and another couple from Conner. One was from Evan telling me that he couldn't wait to see me on Friday. I replied, asking him if I could bring friends along with me. As I sent the text, I saw that Connor also replied. We then exchanged numbers. Once I saved his number into my contacts, I fell asleep for a bit.

Becca couldn’t help herself but ask. Reena arched an eyebrow in confusion. “Even though that is none of your business, I went to meet my parents last night because I was missing them. I just returned to campus.” “Why weren’t you answering your calls then? The college thought you were missing,” she said while Alexander stood there quietly, listening to the conversation fully. “What?” Reena chuckled. “This college is crazy. I forgot to charge my phone so the battery had died.” She pushed a few strands of her blond hair behind her ear.

I woke up to seventeen missed calls. My phone had been on silent all night, but when I picked it up Sunday morning, the notifications made my stomach drop. Three numbers I didn’t recognize. Two from the financial aid office. Twelve from a blocked number. And one voicemail. I pressed play with shaking hands. “Ms. Hale, this is Director Calista from Financial Aid. We need to discuss your scholarship status. Please get in touch with our office first thing Monday morning. This is urgent.”

I swallow and turn back around. "It is noon! Do you have any idea how many hours I have now been unreachable? I will be lucky if the two or three people who gives a shit about me on campus haven't sent out a missing person alert. I am not deflecting, I am freaking out." I say as I jump into my jeans. I can't find my damn underwear. I can already imagine the dramatics Maggie would put on when she sees me. The last time we talked, she knew I was coming to see Zane. I am also in charge of the class I have now missed, there is no assistant to an assistant, so the class must have just gotten by without my direction however.

She sat on Nora’s bed, clutching her phone like a lifeline, eyes red and swollen. “This isn’t normal,” she told the resident advisor through broken breaths. “She wouldn’t just disappear. She wouldn’t.” Campus security was notified. A missing student report was discussed but delayed protocols, waiting periods, paperwork. The seventh day arrived heavy and gray. Classes buzzed with low tension. Something felt off, like the air itself was holding its breath. Trisha sat in the student center, exhausted, eyes hollow. She hadn’t slept. Had barely eaten. She kept refreshing her messages, hoping begging for even a single notification.

Max sighed. “And endure more meetings.” Caspian glanced toward the phone again. “Campus reaction will escalate quickly.” Max smirked. “Oh it already has.” He lifted his phone again. Notifications were pouring in. Student messages. Group chats. Social media tags. Max laughed. “The campus internet is on fire.” Sarah checked her tablet. “They’re already debating it.” Oliver walked toward the window. Students were gathered outside in small clusters. Talking. Phones out. Reading the article. Max joined him at the window.

Unable to stop myself, I pulled out my phone and sent her a text. :Where are you, Cass? I waited but got no response. I called… once, twice… still no reply. What’s going on? I wondered again. In our years of being best friends and roommates, we had one rule: always answer each other’s calls on the first ring. If we couldn’t, we’d send a text and call back when we could. But this time, I got nothing. Cassandra had been one of the first students to receive her diploma, yet now that it was my turn, she’d disappeared.