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“Hey, Red,” I say, laughing off the awkwardness of this situation. “If you wanted to cop a feel, all you had to do was ask.” I give her one of my boyish smirks and then wink at her.
But my usual charm doesn’t seem to impress her. Yeah, not even a little bit. Well, shit, this day is not going as I’d planned. First, I get my ass handed to me by Dean Whittaker, and now, this girl looks like she wants to murder me.
Her mouth twists in disgust, anger radiating through her. “Red?” She clenches her teeth. “Don’t even think about calling me that.”
She’s a fighter. This should be interesting.
Here we go…
Two
Jemma
Being the new kid on the block sucks. I get all the shit jobs no one wants, have no seniority in the house, and now I have to perform another pointless task to entertain my soon-to-be sorority sisters.
It’s all part of the pledge process at Delta Kappa, where my older sister, Jordan, is the vice president. Our mother was a legacy, which made both of us shoe-ins, though I’m still not sure if I am suited for Greek life. Time will tell.
Jordan stands next to Abby Gale, the president. I laughed the first time I heard Abby’s last name. Who wouldn’t laugh at a name like Abigail Gale? Jordan took me aside because she knew why I was laughing, and then laughed with me.
Jordan’s face beams with excitement, her smile so bright it should put me at ease. But it doesn’t. I know my sister well enough to know she’s forcing enthusiasm for our benefit. The entire sorority hovers behind Jordan and Abby, some of the girls hanging out on the steps that lead to the bedrooms in the chapter house. All of them are dressed to perfection, their hair and makeup flawless, wearing designer clothing I can’t even pronounce.
My sister glances in my direction, her eyes the same mossy green as mine. We’re separated by one year, but our similarities make it hard to tell. Our mother passed down her deep shade of auburn hair to both of us. Where my hair is past my shoulders, Jordan keeps hers cropped right below her chin.
Jordan gives me a look that says good luck. Nerves bubble up inside my chest. What are they going to make us do this time?
I frown in response, and she knows I understand, before I wipe the look from my face and replace it with a smile as fake as hers.
My face hurts from how much I’ve smiled since I accepted my bid to Kappa. I want to be here, don’t get me wrong. Becoming a Kappa Delta is almost like a rite of passage in my family. But I wasn’t supposed to be here. After my ex-boyfriend threw my life into a tailspin, I had to escape Lancaster. He didn’t leave me much of a choice. Not when he works for my father, on my family’s dairy farm.
Well, I guess that’s not entirely true. I had a choice. We both did. Except I ran away. And now, I’m a junior transfer student at Strickland University and pledging a sorority. While it’s not uncommon for girls to pledge this late in college, it’s not common either.
With her hands in front of her, dressed in an olive-colored tea dress and four-inch black heels, Abby flashes a wicked smile at my pledge class. “Ladies, I have another mission for you.” A few of her blonde curls fall in her face as she speaks, and she swats them out of her eyes. “I know some of you think we’re making you do these things to embarrass you, but I promise that’s not the case. All of us…” she says while angling her body to point at the girls behind her, “… went through the same thing when we were in your position. These exercises will help you bond with each other and teach you how to work together.”
My stomach clenches in nervous anticipation of our next team building assignment. It’s creepy quiet in the house. You could hear a pin drop in the foyer. None of the girls at my sides appear to be breathing. Their backs are so straight, their hands at their sides, just as terrified as me. All of us have walked on eggshells since we made the decision to join the sisterhood.
“This should be fun,” Abby continues, rubbing her hands together. “I remember when I had to do this in my freshman year. I know it might sound silly to some of you, or even childish, but I promise you will have fun doing this together. I know I did.” She clears her throat and announces, “At noon sharp, you will run through the Quad wearing a bathing suit. You must do this as a group. Don’t leave anyone or let them fall behind. You will jump in the water fountain at the center of the Quad, without getting caught by the faculty. This part is important. And if you get caught, don’t even think about mentioning the name of this sorority, or you will never make it to initiation. Understood?”
