The Serpents were founded by families who’d made their fortunes in science and innovation, essentially the biggest nerds with the most money on campus. They’re still a bunch of nerds, but they’ve since expanded their membership to include tech bros, and now they’re also known for the intense infighting and self-sabotage going on within their walls.
Then there’s us, the Oathkeepers, the only house that’s never had any consistent criteria for members, and the only things tying all the founding families together were their money and their shared saltiness at being passed over by the other frats. Sniping the strays who would normally have been snapped up by the other frats on campus is still how most of our new members are chosen, so the name fits.
“How did yours?” I ask.
It’s not that I don’t want to tell him; I’m just curious about his family and want to take advantage of the chance to get some backstory on them while the subject is open.
“My great-grandfather was actually tapped to be a Rebel,” he says with a soft chuckle. “But then one of the leaders at the time found out that my great-grandpa kissed his girlfriend during the school’s welcome dance the week before.”
“How scandalous,” I say gravely.
He gently nuzzles his cheek against mine. “It caused quite the ruckus, and he was booted out of the Rebels about an hour after he got his initiation letter. Family legend says he heard rumblings about founding a new frat after all this went down and joined them as a fuck you to the Rebels. What about your family?”
“Do you want the simple answer, or the nuanced one?” I ask.
“The real one,” he says, slipping his hand under my shirt to gently rub my stomach.
“Racism,” I say simply.
His hand freezes for a beat, then resumes its lazy circles.
“My great-grandfather wasn’t born here,” I explain. “His parents immigrated from Italy when he was six months old. He spent his entire life here, but there was a lot of geopolitical unrest going on when he started at Silvercrest, and a lot of people didn’t trust him.”
I lightly brush my lips against his temple. “If it had been any other time, or any other leadership group in charge, he would have gotten an initiation letter for the Kings. When he didn’t, he took that personally and joined the movement to establish the Keepers.”
He shifts, draping his leg over one of mine, letting it hang in the space between my knees. “I don’t understand hating someone because of how they look or where they’re from. It just doesn’t make sense to judge someone for something they can’tcontrol instead of judging them for who they are and how they act.”
“That’s because you’re a good person.”
“So are you,” he says. “You’re not like that.”
“No, I’m not,” I agree. “But I’m not a good person.”
He gives me an assessing look, and for a moment, I think he’s going to argue with me, but he just leans up and presses a soft kiss against my lips. “I think you’re a good person. You might do some bad things, but that doesn’t make you bad inside.”
“We’ll have to agree to disagree on that one,” I tell him.
He leans against my chest and mumbles something I can’t make out.
“What was that?”
“Nothing.”
I pinch his side.
“Hey!” He jumps, trying to twist away, but he’s so tangled up in me that all he manages is jostling us about. “Rude.”
I pinch him again, then grab him around the waist and pull him onto my lap when he squeals and tries to wiggle away.
He settles on me with one of his legs on either side of mine and drapes his arms over my shoulders. “You could have just asked if you wanted me to move.”
“I could have.” I run my hands up and down his sides, sliding them over the soft material of his t-shirt. “But where’s the fun in that?”
He glances at my bed, then lets out a long groan. “I should go soon.”
I glance at the clock and see he’s right. It’s getting late, and we both need to get some sleep.
“At least my first class isn’t until nine tomorrow.” He rests his forehead against mine. “I still can’t believe I was dumb enough to sign up for an eight a.m. class on Fridays thissemester. At least Damon’s in that one with me, so I’m not suffering alone. But tomorrow is going to be a rough morning.”
