“Finley!” Raven's voices sing songs from the bottom of the stairs.She was one of the first ones down earlier, so many of the sisters are envious of her effortless beauty, those curves and thick eyelashes—that have to be covered in coal to be dark enough to see—with her full lips, she is a heart stopper. We are the only two natural red heads in ATA, and we like it that way, she’s got the curves and I have the slim athletic form, together we are the perfect package.
“Yes?” I jog down the stairs. The goofy grin and the way that she is bouncing to the music shows me that she has already had a few drinks.
“The bartenders that your guy sent are H-O-T hot and every woman in this building is already obsessed.”
Fantastic.
Now I have to go down there and make sure they understand that they are not allowed to start any kind of relationship with any of my sisters. They can sleep with who they want but staying in contact and starting a relationship isn't an option that they have.
“Boys,” they both tense up at my approach, there are not very many people here, so I manage to be the only person standing at the bar, “Good, you know who I am.” They both nod and busy their hands with things behind the counter.
“I don't know either of you well and I am thrilled that you dressed up for the occasion,” both men are wearing dark jeans and button-down shirts, their sleeves are rolled up but only one of them has tattoos that show and they aren't anything dark or dangerous.
They blend.Perfect.
“We were told what to wear and how to act,” one of them tells me with a small smile.
“I just want to make one thing clear; these people do not know who I am, I have kept my contact with the club a secret, and I would like to keep it that way. With that being said, you can sleep with anyone that you want, with the understanding that you make it clear it will be a one-night stand. You will not get her number; you will not give her yours. Give her a fake name if you want to, but under no circumstances do you tell anyone in this building that you are who you are.” I talk fast, trying to get it out as quickly as I can because I have no idea how long I will be standing here alone.
“Yes ma’am.” They both speak at the same time.
“Good, I’m glad we are on the same page. Now let me get a vodka and sprite, Grey Goose, I know my father would have sent a bottle. I will probably only have three or four drinks so make sure that there is at least that much.”
“WOO-HOO! Finley is drinking tonight!” someone yells from the crowd, several girls do the WOO-girl thing and Raven and Zoe make their way to me.
“I am having three drinks, four max. Don't get ahead of yourself.” They share a look and bump into each other with their hips. They try every time to get me to drink more than just one or two, but I have always refused, and when they ask me why I make something up. I can't tell them that even though I see them as family I won't drink around them because I know how bad things can get when people drink, and I don't trust any of them to protect me if I need it.
Most college kids don't think about needing someone to watch their back when drinking, but it’s normal at the club. Even when just drinking at the clubhouse there is always at LEAST a handful of guys that stay sober. Here everyone gets stupid trashed and just thinks nothing bad could happen. Of course, they forget about the few students that have had their stomachs pumped or the people I have rolled onto their sides or stomachs so that they don’t choke on their vomit or their tongue.
It wouldn't sit well with them if I told them that not only do I stay sober to protect myself, but I stay sober to protect them.
I don't know the girl that died, but I know that she wasn't one of my sisters. It's not easy making sure that every single one of them is safe, and I have probably missed a few once or twice, but I make sure that everyone is accounted for the next morning. And no one ever leaves this house with a man until I know that they are in their right mind. I don't ever talk about it so most of the girls don't even remember that I do it most of the time.
The only reason that I am willing to have even a few drinks tonight is that I know that Bell is close and the guys behind the bar are watching me.
I know they are I can't say for sure that they were told to, but I know that there is no way in hell they would let something happen to me while they are here.Leaving the guys out of it, because they probably don’t know about that, my father would never let them forget about it if something went down.
Honestly, I have never felt safer in this house.
On the large wrap-around porch we have several options for seating, and I typically take one of them or a seat against one of the walls. The porch is a nice vantage point for anyone coming and going from the party. I can watch the people that show up and know if any of them are too far gone to have anything else to drink and make sure that no one is leaving with someone that they shouldn't. Tonight, we have security posted at every door and even a few that are wandering the house, so for the first time since I joined this sorority, I get to have fun with my friends.
I join a group of girls by the DJ booth and start a conversation about the music. We build a short playlist of songs that we want to hear next and get them on the list and then we go out to the dancefloor for one of our choices. The house is starting to fill up and my first drink is gone, the bar is packed with people that are waiting for drinks and I hate the idea of waiting in it, but I will abide by the rule that Zoe set.
The bartenders are trusted to not spike the drinks, and if you are the only person that touches your drink then you can't get drugged by someone else. At least that's the current theory, I pointed out that someone could drop something in it while it's in your hand but since we are all aware of what is going on everyone is keeping an eye on their cup, as well as keeping an eye on other people’s cups too.
This is the best part about having so many sisters looking out for one another, as well as everyone else around them.
There was no good way to tell the other sororities about the rumors without telling the entire campus, and there is no way that we would get away with that. There is a reason that the people that run this campus have kept what happened a secret, and if we are the ones that blow the lid off of it, they might bench our chapter for the rest of the year or try to find out how we know it.
I could refuse to tell them but there are a lot of things that they could hold over me if I don't tell them what they want to know. I know that it sounds like some damn tv show shit but the people that run this school and campus use petty tactics to get what they want. While I don't have a degree plan, I still don't want to find myself on academic probation because I won't give them what I want.
“You are thinking way too hard about whatever it is!” Tanner yells over the sound of the music. I hadn't realized that the girls that had been around me wandered off until Tanner pushed up behind me.
“I wasn't thinking about anything that hard,” I turn to face him, stepping back a little so that he isn't quite so close.
“You know, I think this might be the first time that I have seen you inside enjoying the party, why don't you drink?”
“I drink, just not much.”