So, that assures me that she’s got more in her arsenal. After tonight I have no doubt that she’d come at me even harder, and the way Cody was laying it on, I’d be lucky if she didn’t murder me in my sleep. Every few minutes, as if to reassure himself that I was there, he’d kiss my temple or wrap his arm around me to pull me in closer.
All in all, the night wasn’t shaping up to be too bad, and I dare say we were even having fun. He must’ve had a stern talk with his guys because they were on their best behavior, and truthfully, halfway through the night, I’d all but forgotten about Susie and my reason for being here. “Are you tired, baby? You wanna go?” It’s true that now that everything was over, I felt wilted. All the running around the last few days, not to mention the mental gymnastics I’ve been doing to keep him from knowing what I was up to, had left me exhausted.
“A bit, but I’m not sure the others are ready.” We looked over at where the others were talking to some newcomers. Steve and Chad were never too far from Alexis and Jess, while the rest of his friends were talking football with some guys in a corner.
“They’re grown; they can find their way back.”
“But we came together.”
“We’ll leave them the car and walk back together, it’s not that far, and we’re still on campus.” He had a point. Though the campus was over five thousand acres, there were only a few streets between the sorority house and the dorms.
“Fine, let’s say bye. I doubt Jess and Alexis are ready to leave anyway. It’s their first night as pledges.”
Jess wasn’t too sure about staying behind, but Alexis still had stars in her eyes, so in the end, it was decided that they’d all stay for another couple of hours while I left with Cody. I didn’t see Susie again and had no idea where she’d gone, but I didn’t ask Melissa or one of the others when I went to say goodbye.
I have to remember to ask mom what exactly she’d said to whomever she’d spoken to to get these people to look at me like royalty, but I’m certain it wasn’t the twenty-two-year-old Melissa. Knowing mom, she’d called the head of the Panhellenic council or some crap. At least the girls didn’t seem to mind, and they weren’t half as snooty as I’d expected.
Outside, the air was crisp with just enough of a breeze not to make it overbearing. The heat in this place, even in the evening hours, is something I have yet to get used to. Now that the first act was over, I felt more relaxed as we walked together, barely seeing anyone else after we’d left the vicinity of the party. Just a few late-night stragglers coming from a food run or the library.
“Did you have fun?”
“It was okay, not entirely what I expected. I thought there would be guys jumping off of roofs in a drunken game of let’s see who can kill themselves the fastest, and girls in skimpy dresses showing off their wares.” He snorted and squeezed my hand.
“And you still wanted to go.” His mock scowl was too cute, so I kissed him.
“Chi isn’t like that; they’re probably the only ones here who don’t put up with that kind of stuff.”
“How do you know all that?”
“I looked into it once you started talking about joining. They have a good reputation and seem to be more into networking for the future than partying away their college days.”
“Why did you go to all the trouble to learn that?” He stopped and turned to me with both my hands in his. “Did you really think I’d let you go there without me vetting it first?” How come when he said it, it sounded way different from mom? My feelings were different too. Mom’s interference never gave me butterflies or made me want to smile as wide as the moon.
“What else did you learn?”
“Lots of stuff. Now tell me what happened there tonight.” I told him about mom calling to get us in, Alexis’ wanting to join, and a whole slew of things other than the fact that I went there to mess with Susie and that it was just the beginning. I think if he knew that I‘d decided to play the aggressor instead of waiting for her next attack, he’d not be too pleased.
“Let me get this straight? Your mother was able to get all three of you accepted into the hardest sorority to pledge in one night without any of you rushing?” He had the right amount of awe in his voice when he asked, and not for the first time tonight; I realized how others saw mom.