Sybian Sorority
I didn’t
want to pledge. When my mother suggested I check out her Greek alma mater, I
told her smugly, I’d rather cut off my left arm than walk through the doors of
some stuck-up sorority.
But that was
all before I met Chloe.
“It’s just a
meeting!” My new roommate was both alluring and persuasive, but if it weren’t
for the instant click that happened when we met, I wouldn’t have even
considered it.
“I’m not the
type,” I grumbled, lamenting that my new Kindle, where all my textbooks were
currently downloaded, wasn’t big enough for me to really hide behind—but I
tried.
Chloe
pouted. I hadn’t yet been subject to the full force of the Chloe pout, and the
pushed out lower lip and big, sad brown eyes were almost enough to melt my
resolve. Almost. But then she spoke.
“I don’t
want to do it without you.” Her voice actually quivered. I swear to god. I
pretended not to notice. “It won’t be any fun if you don’t come.”
I made my
voice cheerful and light. “Sure it will! You’ll have a blast, Chlo. Go for it!”
She sighed,
sitting on her bed, across from mine, and stared at the floor. “Never mind
then.”
Great.
I flipped
through the menu on my Kindle, looking for my physical science textbook—we had
two chapters to read before Monday. I needed something to do besides trying not
to look at Chloe tracing flower patterns on her bedspread. She actually looked
like she was about to cry.
Christ.
“Look, do
you know the crow I’d have to eat if I joined a sorority?” I sat up, tossing my
Kindle on the bed. “I told everyone how much I hate them—my mother, my
sister—there’s no way I can pledge. No way.”
“That’s
okay.” She sighed, blinking fast and looking toward the window, like there was
something interesting there. She had a habit of twirling a long strand of blonde
hair around and around her finger. “You don’t have to.”
I took a
deep breath and tried a different angle. “I’m really not the sorority type. I
mean—look at me!” I held my arms out, glancing down at my baggy black sweater
and jeans. “I’m a brainiac. I practically have to wear my glasses to bed. I can
barely wear a one-piece, let alone a bikini.” I pulled at the short, dark curly
mop on top of my head that liked to masquerade as hair. “I’m not even blonde,
for Christ’s sake!”
“Oh,
Violet.” Chloe rolled her eyes. “It’s so not like that. You’ll make lots of
friends—and trust me, there are tons of smart girls. You have to have and
maintain a 3.0 GPA to get in!”
I frowned
and cocked my head at her. “You do?”
She nodded,
sensing my give, and edged a little closer, leaning forward as she talked. The
fact that her v-neck blouse dipped to show her not inconsiderable cleavage
didn’t hurt either. “There’s nothing like the sisterhood. I promise you, it
will be something you’ll always remember.”
“Right.” I
sighed, trying to keep my gaze away from the swell of her breasts. “Because of
the abject humiliation and degradation they put me through before I join?”
Chloe
laughed, letting the strand of hair she’d been playing with unravel into a
long, blonde curl. “Is that what you’re worried about? They don’t do hazing
anymore. It’s not allowed.”
I snorted.
“That’s what they tell you just before they make you strip naked and moon Gamma
Delta Whatever.”
“Well…” She
lowered her voice conspiratorially, eyes bright. “I’ve got it on good authority
that the hazing at Eta Nu Pi isn’t bad. In fact, it’s quite fun.”
“Fun?” I
snorted. “I very much doubt that.”
“Come on,
Violet.” She gave me the puppy dog eyes again, and this time I wasn’t
distracted. Damn, she was tough to say no to. “Please? For me? Just come to the
meeting. If you hate it, we’ll leave. I’ll go with you. I promise.”
I sighed,
glancing at the clock. “Oh hell. Why not? I didn’t want to read about
transition metals,
I didn’t
want to pledge. When my mother suggested I check out her Greek alma mater, I
told her smugly, I’d rather cut off my left arm than walk through the doors of
some stuck-up sorority.
But that was
all before I met Chloe.
“It’s just a
meeting!” My new roommate was both alluring and persuasive, but if it weren’t
for the instant click that happened when we met, I wouldn’t have even
considered it.
“I’m not the
type,” I grumbled, lamenting that my new Kindle, where all my textbooks were
currently downloaded, wasn’t big enough for me to really hide behind—but I
tried.
Chloe
pouted. I hadn’t yet been subject to the full force of the Chloe pout, and the
pushed out lower lip and big, sad brown eyes were almost enough to melt my
resolve. Almost. But then she spoke.
“I don’t
want to do it without you.” Her voice actually quivered. I swear to god. I
pretended not to notice. “It won’t be any fun if you don’t come.”
I made my
voice cheerful and light. “Sure it will! You’ll have a blast, Chlo. Go for it!”
She sighed,
sitting on her bed, across from mine, and stared at the floor. “Never mind
then.”
Great.
I flipped
through the menu on my Kindle, looking for my physical science textbook—we had
two chapters to read before Monday. I needed something to do besides trying not
to look at Chloe tracing flower patterns on her bedspread. She actually looked
like she was about to cry.
Christ.
“Look, do
you know the crow I’d have to eat if I joined a sorority?” I sat up, tossing my
Kindle on the bed. “I told everyone how much I hate them—my mother, my
sister—there’s no way I can pledge. No way.”
“That’s
okay.” She sighed, blinking fast and looking toward the window, like there was
something interesting there. She had a habit of twirling a long strand of blonde
hair around and around her finger. “You don’t have to.”
I took a
deep breath and tried a different angle. “I’m really not the sorority type. I
mean—look at me!” I held my arms out, glancing down at my baggy black sweater
and jeans. “I’m a brainiac. I practically have to wear my glasses to bed. I can
barely wear a one-piece, let alone a bikini.” I pulled at the short, dark curly
mop on top of my head that liked to masquerade as hair. “I’m not even blonde,
for Christ’s sake!”
“Oh,
Violet.” Chloe rolled her eyes. “It’s so not like that. You’ll make lots of
friends—and trust me, there are tons of smart girls. You have to have and
maintain a 3.0 GPA to get in!”
I frowned
and cocked my head at her. “You do?”
She nodded,
sensing my give, and edged a little closer, leaning forward as she talked. The
fact that her v-neck blouse dipped to show her not inconsiderable cleavage
didn’t hurt either. “There’s nothing like the sisterhood. I promise you, it
will be something you’ll always remember.”
“Right.” I
sighed, trying to keep my gaze away from the swell of her breasts. “Because of
the abject humiliation and degradation they put me through before I join?”
Chloe
laughed, letting the strand of hair she’d been playing with unravel into a
long, blonde curl. “Is that what you’re worried about? They don’t do hazing
anymore. It’s not allowed.”
I snorted.
“That’s what they tell you just before they make you strip naked and moon Gamma
Delta Whatever.”
“Well…” She
lowered her voice conspiratorially, eyes bright. “I’ve got it on good authority
that the hazing at Eta Nu Pi isn’t bad. In fact, it’s quite fun.”
“Fun?” I
snorted. “I very much doubt that.”
“Come on,
Violet.” She gave me the puppy dog eyes again, and this time I wasn’t
distracted. Damn, she was tough to say no to. “Please? For me? Just come to the
meeting. If you hate it, we’ll leave. I’ll go with you. I promise.”
I sighed,
glancing at the clock. “Oh hell. Why not? I didn’t want to read about
transition metals,
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