LITMIR.BIZ

       Chapter Four

      I watch him as he signs in, laughing and smiling and chitchatting with the actives. Man-flirting, as I like to call it. Even from a distance, I can tell they like him. Of course they do; he’s the type of person who’s magnetic, who kills the first impression, makes it seem like he cares about you, even when all you’ve done is say hello.

      He disappears into the house, and I shake my head, like I can physically scatter the thoughts of him.

      Focus, Cassie, focus.

      I walk down the block and decide to loiter for a bit so I don’t walk in right after him. Taking out my dead phone, I pretend to type.

      Okay, if I wait any longer people will start to notice.

      With a deep breath, I walk forward, beer-goggled eyes tracking me.

      “Hi,” I say as I approach the sign-in table.

      An athletic-looking boy with blond hair and a cutoff shirt highlighting amazing arms looks up, unfazed. “Tri Delts don’t have to sign in. Go ahead.”

      “I’m actually here to rush.”

      He looks at the other guy, a lanky white dude with a backward baseball cap, and back to me.

      “DTC,” I clarify.

      “Uh...okay.” The blond guy looks back to his friend, who shrugs. “Sign in here, I guess.”

      They whisper as I quickly jot down my name and cell and check the legacy box. My handwriting is neat, but not too girlie. I don’t dot my i’s with a heart or anything like that.

      I smile sweetly as I set down the pen and make a break for the front door before they can figure out how to stop me.

      Inside is pretty similar to outside. Guys trying to impress one another while drinking beer that undoubtedly tastes like water at best and piss at worst.

      I am the only female.

      This could easily be extremely awkward, but I can’t afford to let that happen. I smile and walk forward, giving off an air of confidence I don’t really feel.

      The first two rooms are furniture-less, and one has a giant fireplace with a composite photo above it of all these fuckbois in suits and ties.

      Lipstick on a pig.

      The next room is almost as empty, except for a large wooden bar piled high with thirty racks of the usual suspects: Pabst Blue Ribbon and a bunch of Lights—Coors, Keystone and Natural.

      I grab a Natty and head back to the other room.

      “Hello, everyone.” An older guy steps onto a makeshift stage at the far end of the room. There’s a slight ruffling sound as everyone turns to look. The boy smiles, and his blue eyes sparkle. “My name is Peter, and I’m honored to welcome you to the Delta Tau Chi house. I know some of you are still filtering in, and that’s all right, but I just wanted to take a second to say hello and hopefully put you at ease.” His eyes scan the room as he speaks, like he’s talking to each of us and none of us. “Some of you may understand the Rush process, but for others this may be new...” His eyes reach me, and he falls silent for a second. He looks at the floor, and shakes his head before looking up with a picture-perfect smile and beginning again. “Basically we’ll spend this week hanging out and getting to know you guys, and then we’ll vote and some of you will be asked to join us on a Rush Retreat this weekend. After that we’ll vote again, and those young men will be invited to pledge. If you have any questions at all, feel free to ask an active—that’s what we call current members. Thank you. Have a great night.”

      He steps off the stage to light applause, and people return to their small clusters of conversation.

      Do I walk up and introduce myself to someone? Or hang back and let them come to me, like I’m too laid-back to do the whole ass-kissing thing?

      “Hey there.” I turn around to see a short but muscular guy. His hair is spiked, like he’s trying to pick up a few inches any way he can.

      “Hi,” I say.

      “I’m Jackson,” he says.

      “Cassie.”

      I switch my beer to my left hand so I can shake his with my right. “You a freshman?”

      “Yeah.” He smiles, like he doesn’t know that answer should be given timidly. I nod and look past him, trying not to be rude, but knowing I should be talking to upperclassmen. I’m working right now; I don’t have time to chitchat.

      “What’s that, a Natty Light? Interesting choice.”

      “Thanks.” I give him a smile. “I’ve always thought that, of the shitty beer, Natty is the best. It knows what it is and owns it. It tastes like water, but who cares, you barely paid anything, and we all know taste’s not why you’re buying it.” I take a sip before continuing. “Now, other cheap beers, they put this fake ‘beer flavoring’ in, because it’s too cheap to naturally taste like beer. But that fake stuff is what tastes so bad. They should just admit what they are, an inexpensive, tasteless beer, you know?”

      He looks at his own Keystone, his eyebrows drawing together. “I guess so.”

      He starts to say something else, but from across the room I catch Jordan’s eye, and everything else fades to a blurry buzz. He sees me, too, and looks confused, if not kind of...heartbroken.

      Do I go say something?

      No, we just met. There’s no way that sad look in his eyes is about me, right?

      Someone taps my shoulder. “Excuse me.” I turn around to see the boy from the stage. My blond friend from sign-in loiters behind him.

      “So sorry to interrupt. I’m Peter Ford, chapter president. I was wondering if we could have a quick word.”

      Whoops, already in trouble.

      I nod and turn back to Jackson, raising my hand in a small wave before following Peter up the stairs.

      He looks like he’d be president of a frat. Much better dressed and carrying himself with more confidence than the rest. Charismatic and handsome, the type of guy adults would say was going places but with a little bit of player still mixed in. Like the college equivalent of JFK.

      “That was quite the analysis of beer,” he says as we climb the stairs.

      I shrug. “I like to party, but I’m also a huge nerd, what can I say?”

      He laughs. “Well, welcome to Warren Greek Life,” he says, spreading his arms.

      And for the first time, I feel a small bit of hope that I might actually like it here.

      We reach the top of the stairs and pass a calendar that features a photo of a different topless model every month. August’s is licking a popsicle in a way that...well, let’s just say it wouldn’t be the typical way someone might enjoy an ice-cream treat.

      Aaaaaand my brief feeling of hope is gone.

      Peter gestures for me to enter one of the bedrooms. The blond and baseball-cap guys follow, and finally Mr. President himself. He closes the door behind him and crosses his arms.

      I glance around this room. Luckily there are no sexy calendars,

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