The Pledge (6 page)

Being friends with these girls felt good.

Having friends at all felt incredible.

“Done. There were three bucks left, so I bought myself a neon thong. Consider it my commission.” Julie snapped the laptop shut and headed for the door. “I’ve got some reading to do for class, but don’t forget about the rush informational meeting. It’s Thursday at five o’ clock.”

Alexis groaned and fell back against her pillows. “Are you really making us go? I am so not sorority girl material.”

“Neither am I. I can’t imagine fitting in with a sorority.” The truth was, I wasn’t afraid that I wouldn’t find one that I liked. I was afraid of being excluded. I knew all too well what it was like to be the last pick in schoolyard selections. I wasn’t looking forward to the reminder of that humiliation at the college level.

“Stop it. The Greek system will embrace you.” Julie threw her arms open wide. “Besides, you promised.” She air kissed us and closed the door behind her.

“Are you sure about this?” Alexis lay sideways on her bed, facing me.

“No, but I love Julie, and I promised to reinvent myself in college. No regrets, right?” Alexis nodded. “Let’s go together, and if we find out all the sorority houses suck, we don’t have to pledge.”

“Can we also make a promise to do it together? I mean, choose a house we like and hope they like us both? Alexis flopped onto her back and stared at the ceiling. “I don’t want to do this without you.” Her face pinched, and she closed her eyes. “I have a lot going on back home.”

She’d hinted before that her home life was not the best. I could only hope that she would trust me enough to confide in me one day. “Of course. I feel the same way.” I smiled at her, but deep down the violent thrashing of my high school insecurity reared its ugly head.

Alexis was beautiful, and with a few wardrobe changes, she’d have no problem pledging a sorority. I, on the other hand, was another story. I couldn’t see how I could possibly be converted from geek to Greek. My nerdy roots might run too deep.

“I’m so glad you’re my roommate, Taren.” Alexis spoke softly, her voice strained. “I didn’t have many close friends in high school.”

“I didn’t have any.” I pulled at the end of my pillowcase, avoiding the look of pity I was sure to see in her eyes.

“What do you mean? You can’t be serious.” Alexis sat up and pulled her knees to her chest.

“My Aunt Claire has always been my closest friend.” I swallowed against the lump in my throat, guilty at the thought of my aunt. She was my only family, and she had sacrificed for me in more ways than I could count.

“What about your parents?” Alexis tilted her head to the side, biting her lip as if bracing herself for my answer.

“My mom died years ago. I never met my dad.” I wiped at the brimming tears in my eyes. My tears weren’t for my parents. Sure I missed having them in my life, but it was more. Talking to Alexis about my lack of friends back home brought back so many memories. Not many that were good. In fact, a few that were awful. More than anything, I realized how lonely I’d been. I hadn’t known how much I needed a friend until I met her.

She jumped off her bed and hopped up next to me on mine. Slinging an arm around my shoulder, she hugged me to her. “Well, you and I are just going to have to become sisters then, aren’t we? We both really need that.”

Sniffing, I rested my head on her shoulder and nodded. “Yeah, I really do need that.”

***

“Jules, you just inhaled that pizza, and you have room for more?” I teased. Julie was attempting to conquer a mountain of FroYo sitting on top of a small cone. Contrary to popular belief, the dining hall food wasn’t all bad. I mostly stuck to turkey sandwiches or the salad bar. Tonight, however, we had decided we needed real, homemade pizza and frozen yogurt, so we ventured off campus to Route One.

“Shopping burns calories for me. Then I get hungry. Shut it.” She glared at me before grinning. Then she went right back to her conquest.

Alexis stopped walking in front of a coffee shop filled with students. “The coffee smells so good. Hold on a sec, I’m going to buy a cup.” Alexis walked into the shop, having claimed she was too full from pizza for frozen yogurt.

“Ooooh! I think I need that dress over there.” Julie pointed to the boutique window next door and walked over, peering through the glass at a hot pink dress.

I looked around Route One, the main road that ran along campus, as I ate small bites of my chocolate FroYo. The street was filled with funky stores, as well as the typical college-town bars, restaurants, and take-out places. Small wrought iron tables sat clustered in front of a café, where students lingered, eating and talking. I smiled at the peaceful image, but then my grin vanished.

Alec Hart. I’d recognize him anywhere.

He leaned back and laughed, tagging a blond guy on the arm. The guy smacked the back of Alec’s head and a tiny brunette leaned close to Alec and spoke into his ear. His grin grew bigger, and his head turned in my direction as he spoke to her.

I plastered my back against the brick wall of the coffee shop.
Don’t let him see me. Don’t let him see me.
My heart stopped beating. I was sure it did.

After a few moments, I ventured another look to where he sat. Thankfully, he hadn’t noticed me. God, he looked so hot. Why did jerks like him get to be hot? It made hating them that much harder. The small girl next to him ran her fingers up his leg, resting them high on his thigh. My face burned. They were a couple. Of course, they were together. She was beautiful. He was gorgeous. Pretty people paired up. That was how it worked in life. Everything was easy for pretty people.

The bells on the door of the coffee shop jingled as Alexis came out, sipping a large cup of steaming coffee. “That place is so cute. They even have live music on Tuesday nights.”

Noticing that Alexis had returned, Julie joined us and we crossed the street to head back to campus. Alexis was chatting away about the coffee shop, but I barely heard a word.

Alec Hart.

I couldn’t believe he was here at
my
college. I didn’t want anyone here knowing about the old Taren, and Alec knew it all. Those painful memories needed to stay away. Fuck it. I would just leave Alec Hart and my ridiculous crush where it belonged. In my past.

As we passed by the upperclassmen dormitories, a guy called out to us from where he stood in front of one of the buildings.

“Hey girls! Looking good!”

“I’m pretty sure he’s referencing the oral skills Julie’s demonstrating as she works over that yogurt,” Alexis whispered, her nose wrinkled.

“No one has ever complained about my oral skills.” Julie ran her tongue along the edge of the cone in a way that made me blush.

“Hey,” the guy yelled, clearly not discouraged by the fact that we never answered his first catcall. “Need a ride?”

I looked back over my shoulder because, well hell, it was a long walk back to the dorms. If he had a car, that might be worth a “hello.”

The guy smirked when he caught my eye. “I’ve been told I’m a great ride.”

I didn’t see any car, only a loser palming his junk. I whipped my head back around. “Jesus. I thought guys were only that douchey in movies.”

“Nope, that there is a real, live jackass.” Julie rolled her eyes.

“You know what they say?” The guy followed us, hoping to get another reaction. We ignored him and continued walking. “Need a date? Try a Gamma. You three gotta be Tri-Gams for sure.”

I looked at Alexis and shook my head. Ah. A fraternity dude classifying us by a sorority house. How wonderfully judgmental of him. We picked up our pace, refusing to respond, and he stopped stalking us.

“It just goes to prove that what I’ve been telling you since last week is true.” Julie walked with her chin held high and chest puffed out.

“What?” I threw my cup and spoon in the trash can.

“Have you heard of Tri-Gam?” she asked. Alexis and I shook our heads. “He’s talking about Gamma Gamma Gamma. It’s the
hottest
sorority on campus. They only take beautiful girls who have daddies with fat wallets.”

I smiled to myself. I didn’t even know my daddy, let alone a relative with a fat wallet, but I’d gladly take a compliment about being beautiful, even if it did come from a douche waffle making catcalls.

***

“There! Perfecto!” Julie stood back to admire her handiwork. “Working at mom’s beauty shop every summer finally paid off.” Evidently, she was not only a fashion guru, but a genius with hair, too.

She turned me to face the mirror, and I gasped. “That’s me?”

Julie rested her chin on my shoulder. “You’ve looked like this all along little nugget. I just shaped you up.”

Shaped up
my ass. Julie had worked a freaking makeover miracle. I ran my fingers through my hair. She cut several inches off my long brown locks, added a ton of blonde highlights, and plucked my eyebrows into graceful arches.

I took a moment and studied my reflection. I didn’t just look good. I looked like I’d walked off a runway. I didn’t recognize myself, and that was a damn good thing. I may have been queen of my nerdom in high school, but today I was ruling my makeover.

Alexis stood next to me with her mouth hung open, staring into the mirror. Her face was pale, and her eyes wide with shock. “Liam’s going to be so pissed.” Those were her first words since Julie had finished with her. Gone were the barrettes that held back Alexis’ thick hair, followed by a few inches off the length. Now her hair hung down to her shoulders with flattering layers that made her look at least five years older.

I moved behind her, wrapping my arms around her shoulders. “Why? You look amazing.” She was stunning, and I was surprised she sounded more wary than ecstatic.

“Oh, it’s just different. I’m not sure he’ll like the change.” Alexis’ brow furrowed, and she played with a strand of her hair.

“How do
you
feel, Alexis?” Julie planted her hands on her hips.

Alexis met my eyes in the mirror and spoke in a shaky voice. “I feel...I feel...renewed.”
Renewed?
What an odd choice of words. Her eyes were full of tears as she turned to face Julie. “And pretty. I do feel very pretty, so thank you.”

“No tears! We want to make a good impression tonight.” Julie blew air in Alexis’ face and waved her hands manically in front of her. “Let’s do your makeup and get dressed, okay?”

The rush informational meeting started in one hour. With altered looks and attitudes, we were almost ready to unveil the brand new Alexis and Taren.

***

Julie yanked my arm, steering me toward the sorority section on the mall. The “mall” at the University of Maryland was really a long stretch of grass with a reflecting pool in the middle. It was housed in between several of the largest and oldest academic buildings on campus. Today all the fraternities and sororities, along with other clubs, were participating in the First Look Fair in an attempt to get freshmen to join.

Julie was currently explaining the rush process and that “rushing” meant different things if you were a female than if you were a male.

“Guys stop by fraternity houses during parties. They make the decision to pledge based on several factors.” Julie held up one finger. “Amount and quality of available beer.” She added a second finger. “Amount and quality of available girls.” She held up a third finger. “And amount and quality of interest in sports.” Julie rolled her eyes, and we giggled.

“Girls have a formal rush. We’ll visit each sorority house on campus in rounds until we’re left with our top three houses. Then the Preference Ceremonies occur.” Julie talked like a cruise director. While Alexis and I studied for our classes at night, Jules studied the Greek system. “That’s when the rushees and the sororities rank each other and final matches are made.”

After hearing the lengthy details, my brain hurt. Calculus was easier to understand than the complex, social algorithm that was the sorority rush process.

“Denton! Over here!” I glanced toward the sound of my nickname to see Doug waving his hand over his head.

“Keep walking. Head down. Avoid eye contact,” Julie whispered. “Don’t you dare give him the time of day.”

As Julie tried to lead me away, I looked over my shoulder at Pickles. He sat at the Delta Epsilon table and was still trying to get my attention. I smiled, flattered that he remembered me. Despite Julie’s warning, I wanted to talk to him again.

“I’m going to say hi to him. Just for a second. I’ll meet you in a minute.”

Julie shook her head in disapproval. “Just so you know, I think he’s a bad idea.” She and Alexis walked away as I turned and headed for Doug.

“How are you, Denton-now-Taren?” Doug came around from behind his table and hugged me.

“You remembered my name. Nice. You also lost your whistle. Nicer.” I did my best impression of a flirty smile, and Doug laughed.

“You look different.” His eyes took a leisurely stroll along my curves, and I resisted the urge to cover my body from his appreciative gaze. I wasn’t quite used to the fitted, revealing clothes that Julie had picked for me, but it was clear that Doug liked them.