“What’s this about? If you’re concerned about getting in, you met your challenge. It’s just a formality to wait for the official entrance ceremony. If that was your concern, I could have told you in the other room. It’s not a secret.”
“No, that’s not it.”
Leaning forward she braced her elbows on the desk and stared at me. “Then what’s the problem?”
“Did you know that the man you chose for me was going to be my professor?”
Her serious expression broke into a grin and she laughed falling back into chair, clapping her hands with glee. “Ohmygod! That’s awesome! He’s your professor?”
Relief swept through me. She didn’t know. It was just a stupid coincidence. No reason to be upset or challenge her or leave the sorority. If that’s the case, I was sure she’d be fine deleting the photo and moving on with things. Class would be awkward, but we could move on from it. We were adults and that’s what adults did.
She continued, “I mean, we knew he was a prof at the school, but it’s hilarious that he ended up being yours!”
And just like that the relief faded and the anger re-emerged. “So you knew he taught at the school!”
She looked at me as if I was an idiot. “Of course I did. Why did you think we were so excited to have chosen him for you? Honestly, we weren’t sure if he’d take the bait, a number of our girls have tried over the years but he’s always turned them down. But you are stunning with such an exotic look and accent, I suppose I can understand how he fell for it.”
“This could ruin his career!”
“We didn’t make him fuck you. He chose to do that all on his own. How is it my fault he can’t keep his dick in his pants around a student?”
“That picture I sent, you need to delete it.”
A frown creased her brow and a look of mock sadness spread across her face. “Delete it? But it’s your ticket to the sorority, without it then what proof do I have that you completed your mission?”
I knew she’d try to pull some shit like this. “Because you’ve seen it and I’m sure Rebecca has seen it. That should be enough. I didn’t expect that the whole sorority would be eyeballing it.”
“We’re a sisterhood here. We keep each other’s secrets. Always have and always will as long as we’re all sisters. You do want to be our sister-” she cocked a brow up at me, “-don’t you?”
I really didn’t at this point. But I wasn’t a stranger to veiled threats as long as I played along the picture would remain private. “So, you’re saying as long as I’m part of this sorority the picture stays… Between you, me and Rebecca?”
The fake sympathetic smile reappeared on her face. “Exactly. Because us sisters stick by one another – always. But, since you seem so concerned-” Getting up from her chair, she rounded the desk and perched herself on the edge of it. Reaching into the back pocket of her jeans she pulled out her phone. A moment later she presented me with the picture of me and Zack. Selecting the picture, she then pressed the trashcan icon and it disappeared. “See, as an act of sisterhood I’ll delete it. Are we good now?”
I had a suspicion that there was more than just that one picture already in circulation, but I was at a loss right now. I really had no plan other than to demand she delete it. She’d deleted it so what now? All I could do was play it by ear and figure out a way to ensure it was gone for good which meant pretending everything was peachy-fucking-keen.
I was naïve and fell into the trap. This was my mess and I now had to reap the consequences and do whatever necessary to protect Zack from my reckless actions.
Hitting her with a fake smile of my own, I nodded. “Thank you, Candace, I appreciate that. The last thing I would want is for anyone to be in trouble over me. I knew you’d understand.”
“You’re very welcome. Come this weekend we’ll officially be sisters. If you need anything, don’t hesitate to ask. That’s what we’re here for.”
Right…