Around eleven Sunday night, Jenny Curtis got off the bus and smiled as she walked up the steps to the lobby of Edgar Hall.

Thanksgiving break was over, and while she loathed the onset of finals and papers, she looked forward to seeing her friends—all relatively new friends, this being her first semester at Blackwood College. She wondered how Mindy, George, and Jackie were doing ... but she hoped she could avoid Chip, who also lived in Edgar Hall.

A fortnight before Thanksgiving, Jenny had found out about Chip's infidelities and, goaded by her sister and Jackie, decided to break up with him. Breaking free from an unhealthy relationship felt right, Jenny thought, and yet she still was troubled by a looming sense of doom. Her mind was tattooing disaster all over a heart she had listened to for eighteen years.

Jenny passed the front desk and greeted Charlie White. He always had a smile waiting for her. This evening, he and Abby Jones, a student worker, were handing out donuts.

"Welcome back, Jenny," Charlie said. He appreciated the purity of Jenny's appearance, simple yet refined. He thought she possessed an uncomplicated beauty that many college-age men found appealing. "Abby and I got a couple dozen donuts, knowing that all you students would be returning this evening," he told her. "There's still a bunch of different ones you can choose from."

"Thanks," Jenny said. She set her suitcase down and grabbed a glazed chocolate donut. She was always impressed with Charlie's kindness and good humor toward the students and staff at Blackwood. He stood about six feet tall and had short, thin brown hair that was beginning to gray at the temples. Though very skinny, Jenny thought Charlie was in good shape for someone she guessed must be around fifty years old.

Abby, Charlie's long-legged blonde graduate assistant who got a lot of attention from the guys on campus, also had a friendly disposition but somewhat of a selfish streak. She was at least as good a flirt as Sheila, another Edgar Hall resident.

"Most of the students got back a few hours ago," Abby said. "How was break? Get to spend some quality time with family?"

Jenny beamed. "Got to spend lots of time with my folks and older sister, and of course I did a little homework, but not as much as I should have. You know how that goes. Best of all was hanging out with all my dogs and cats. I really miss them down here and can't wait till I can have my own apartment next year and can bring them down. Just wait till you meet Chestnut—he's the cutest little cocker spaniel in the world."

Charlie and Abby remembered that Jenny was a preveterinary major and fond of animals.

Jenny continued, "And guess what? I got an internship approved with the Humane Society for next summer."

"That's great news, Jenny," Charlie said. He shook her hand to congratulate her. Jenny laughed at his trademark formality.

Abby gave her a big hug. "Awesome," she said. "I've been looking for an internship myself, but nothing's come up yet. Watch me get stuck with nothing but classes in the summer."

"You never know," Charlie said. "You have to hang in there and good things might happen, like for Jenny here."

Jenny leaned toward Abby and whispered, "You haven't seen you-know-who?"

Abby coughed. "Chip? He's here all right, got in around three p.m. to catch the football games on TV with the rest of the guys. I think he came in on the afternoon train from DC with Tyler, Chainsaw, and George."

"That's too bad."

Abby's curiosity was overflowing. "Have you guys talked things out yet?"

"Not a word," Jenny said.

"Not even an e-mail?"

"Nothing. It's the only black mark on an otherwise perfect semester. I don't want to even see him, but at the same time, I wouldn't mind if he came back begging, you know? Isn't that awful? Like I don't want him, but I want him to still want me."

Abby said, "You made the right choice. Don't wait for a man to change his ways. Change your ways and watch him weep. That's what I say."

"You girls are rough," Charlie said. "In my day, women followed men. Now it looks like we're the followers. All you girls are just plain mean."

"And don't forget it," Jenny said, winking at Abby and Charlie. "I better unpack and catch up on some reading before the big speech tomorrow night. You guys going?"

"I have to—my political-science professor made us go and write a two-page paper on his speech," Abby replied. "What's the guy's name, anyway?"

"Thomas Malkin," Charlie said. "He's achieved so much for being only about 45 years old. He is a Blackwood alumnus—got his bachelor's here about twenty years ago—but since then he's gone far. The press release on him—it's around here somewhere, but you can find it online too—said he served in the Gulf War, Iraq War, and from what I hear is brilliant. Now he's one of the leaders in Homeland Security."

"That's right," Jenny said. "My dad said this is one speech I don't want to miss. He almost came down with me just to listen to his talk! I guess Malkin's big claim to fame is tracking down that anthrax poisoning case in the DC area about ten years ago. And wasn't he also involved in arresting those two coconspirators plotting a terrorist attack in Houston?"

"I think so," Charlie said, raising his eyes to the ceiling to jog his memory. "He's definitely respected in the field of counterterrorism—bad news for al-Qaeda."

"Wish we could line all of them up for public hangings. I'd be the first in line for tickets," Abby said.

"That's a bit harsh, don't you think?" Charlie asked.

"Still, we're lucky to have such a distinguished alum," Abby said, as Jenny enjoyed her donut.

"If someone can cover for us," Charlie added, "I think I'll run over to the Grand Ballroom and catch the speech as well."

Jenny took the elevator up to the third floor. At least most of the construction was over. Edgar Hall, the oldest residence hall on campus, had undergone massive renovation over the last two years. It had gone from archaic to including such modern facilities as Wi-Fi throughout the building, a recreation center, a lounge with a new sixty-five-inch flatscreen high-definition TV, and a new computer lab and cafeteria, as well as a few new meeting rooms and a conference center.

Though Edgar Hall had six floors, all of the students living there currently had single rooms on the third floor because of the renovation. It felt weird having only sixteen students living in such a large residence hall, but Jenny was used to it and had come to appreciate the more intimate atmosphere. She had made good friends and was enjoying her classes. Now she just wanted to avoid Chip, at least for the time being.

Jenny got out of the elevator and turned right. She heard voices at the other end of the hall—male voices—and it sounded like they were watching a late football game. Jenny thought she would avoid that side of the building today and go straight to her room, unpack, get started on homework, and then catch up with friends later. All except Chip, of course.

She entered her room and unpacked her suitcase. She was happy that everyone in Edgar Hall had a single room so she could decorate hers as she pleased. She loved her room—the World Wildlife Fund poster on her closet, the light blue and yellow pillows strewn across a red bed cover, and the small desk with a computer and printer...