“And that’s why you’re here? You ran away from him.”
“Not exactly,” I begin, wishing I didn’t have to talk about Corey. “I told him I needed time to think before I could consider his proposal. A day turned into a week, and then a week turned into a month, and before I knew it, I was applying for a transfer to Strick U. He says he understands, but I doubt he does. We were high school sweethearts. Corey thought we would get married after graduation. The problem is I’ve never dated anyone other than him. And I wasn’t all that sure he was the one I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. So, now I’m here, trying to figure out what to do next.”
“Oh, this is perfect.” Shannon claps, her face illuminated from her bright smile. “We’re going to have so much fun this year. I know everyone on campus. Well, maybe not everyone, but you get what I mean.” I shoot her a look that says, ‘no, I don’t,’ and she continues, “I know where all the parties are going to be for the semester. Consider me your social coordinator.”
Between Jordan and my new sorority sisters, I will have my entire calendar planned by the end of the week. This is what I wanted, isn’t it? I think it is. I didn’t come to this school to keep my nose in a book and my head in the clouds.
I smile. “I’d love that.”
“We’re having dinner in the cafeteria tonight,” Shannon informs me. “Most nights we cook in the house, but Abby has something planned for you and the rest of the pledges.”
I groan. “Is it something embarrassing again?”
She shakes her head. “No, it’s not too bad. Pretty soon all of this will be over, and we’ll be pinning and welcoming you into our sisterhood. This might seem like a pain in the ass right now, but trust me it’s totally worth it to hang in there and go with the flow because you want to become a Kappa. Plus, it’s your legacy.”
I force a smile at her last comment. My mother was so thrilled when I told her I was pledging Kappa. Jordan was equally excited to welcome me into her extended family.
“What about you?” I ask Shannon. “Where are you from? What’s your story?”
She slides another pillow behind her back and smiles. “Well, I’m from Philly, born and raised about twenty minutes from campus. My dad is a truck driver, and my mom works as a secretary for the trucking company. I’m not the typical Strick U student.”
She means she’s not rich like most of the students who don’t need an ounce of financial assistance to attend.
“Did you always know you wanted to be in a sorority?”
She moves her hand to her mouth and chuckles. “No, definitely not. In fact, I never thought I would get a bid, let alone become a sister.”
“Why not?”
“I wasn’t what you would consider Kappa material in my freshman year. I was super awkward, still had braces on my teeth, and hadn’t grown into my weight. And I hadn’t even heard of Louboutin until one of my sisters let me borrow her shoes.”
I stare at Shannon, wondering how this beautiful girl could ever not be considered Kappa material. She’s gorgeous, the kind of girl you stop and notice when she walks by you. Her presence commands attention. She looks like she would have been prom queen, the center of attention, the girl every guy in school wanted to date.
I try to keep my face straight, but Shannon must notice my confusion, because she says, “You look surprised. Everyone says the same thing when I tell them. It’s funny how much you can change over the course of a few years, right?”
I nod, understanding what she means. Last year, I thought I was ready to settle down after college and start my life with Corey. At least I thought I was until he proposed. My entire life veered off course after that, making me second-guess everything.
Shannon sits up and slides her feet off the edge of the mattress. “We should head downstairs. It’s almost dinnertime, and Abby hates to be late.”
I’m now reminded there’s a reason we are eating dinner in the cafeteria, and I’m suddenly not the least bit hungry. Fear floods through my veins when I consider all the stupid and ridiculous things they might make my pledge class and me do.
Sitting across from Zoe and Riley in the cafeteria, I listen to some of my sorority sisters’ gossip about who’s dating whom on campus. I have no idea who they’re talking about, not the least bit interested.
Our latest pledge chore wasn’t horrible. We were forced to serve the current members of Kappa Delta, dressed in skirts with Greek letters on our ass, accompanied by the matching baby tee in white-and-green, paired with heels and a full face of makeup. Everyone in the cafeteria stared at us as we formed a single file line in the middle of the room and marched toward the buffet line like G.I. Jane Barbie dolls. I guess it could have been worse.