Smash into You

by Sherry Soule

  “Wow. He’s really into the animal rights stuff. How hot is that?” Vanessa said. “It’s pretty cool that he’s helping these dogs get rescued and find homes.”

  “Yeah. Makes me wonder what his major is.”

  “Maybe he wants to go into law enforcement or become a veterinarian.”

  I glanced down at my red ring. “I’ll have to ask the next time I see him.”

  Vanessa closed the tabs. Her desktop background displayed a wallpaper of the cast from The Vampire Diaries. “It’s obvious that he likes you. Are you into him, too?”

  No! No! No!

  Yes? My heart needed a damn return policy, or at least a complaint hot-line. That defective organ was constantly being distracted by thoughts of Cole Prescott. Damn those broad shoulders, cute dimples, and that feeling of heat and possibility that struck my senses every time I was around him. The guy was adorable, unbelievably witty, and not in my long-term plans. The goal was to join Zeta Beta and fly off to Paris this summer—not get a new boyfriend.

  “Well? Do you like him?”

  I stepped back and plopped down on my bed. Staring up at the ceiling, I sighed. “Yeah. Unfortunately, I think I do.”

  DIRTY RUSHING

  Recruitment, otherwise known as Pledge Hell, finally arrived and I was a tight bundle of nerves. Someone slipped a black envelope under my door sometime during the night and Vanessa found it as she was leaving for class in the morning.

  She shook me awake. “You got an invitation to something,” she said, hovering over my bed.

  Although groggy, I threw myself into a sitting position and ripped open the envelope. Inside, on scented stationary was an invitation.

  DEAR SERENA DUPONT,

  YOU’RE CORDIALLY INVITED TO VISIT ZETA BETA THIS EVENING AT EIGHT O’CLOCK FOR A PRIVATE MEET-AND-GREET FOR LEGACIES.

  TELL NO ONE.

  “What is it?” Vanessa asked.

  “Just a message about recruitment.” I glanced at my roommate. “How hard do you think Pledge Hell’s gonna be?”

  “Brutal. But you’re tough. You’ll survive.” Vanessa flounced out the door with her book bag bouncing off one shoulder.

  I propped the invite against my laptop and stared at it. Guess being a legacy trumped being labeled a stalker. I couldn’t screw this up.

  Joining a sorority had moved to the top of my life-changing-strategy list for numerous reasons. One, my sad existence would drastically improve with a bigger circle of friends. Two, I’d always have someone to accompany me wherever I went—a gym partner, a study buddy, a wing woman. Three, as an only child, I loved the idea of being surrounded by sisters. And four, it would prove to my dad that I had moved on with my life.

  I drifted through my morning classes while mentally stressing about the meeting tonight and agonizing over what I would wear. A quick trip to the mall would solve one of my problems. A new outfit would lend me courage, and at least I’d look good on the outside while my insides trembled.

  After taking a cab to the local mall, I bought a trendy top and skirt from H&M, then found a pair of stylish heels on sale at Nordstrom. And to mark the special occasion, I went to the MAC counter and had my makeup done.

  Now I was almost ready to face the Zeta Beta girls on their own terms. I went back to my dorm to get dressed and blow my hair out straight. Vanessa showed up just as I was about to leave.

  She dropped her books on the bed, then turned to face me. “Where are you going?”

  “It’s a sorority thing. Sorry, I can’t really say.”

  “No prob. You look awesome. Like you’re already a Zeta Beta.”

  “Thanks. Wish me luck.”

  “You’re not going to need it, but—good luck,” Vanessa said.

  As I walked to the Zeta Beta house, my Urban Decay Piggy Bank Pink–toenails peeked out from my open-toed Prada heels and click-clacked against the sidewalk. A low, waning moon hovered distantly in the twilight sky, bestowing a dim light upon the campus. I felt like a teen going solo to a high school dance, hoping to have fun but trying hard to pretend I didn’t care about impressing anybody. Still, I felt pumped. Really pumped.

  Breathe in, breathe out.

  The Zeta Betas would be openly judging me. What each girl wore defined them, they’d get cool points for being outgoing, and each response needed to be carefully worded and sound intelligent.

  Super easy…or not.

  When I arrived, I took several deep breaths, then I tottered up the porch steps, but before I could knock, the door swung open.

  “Come on inside,” a perky redhead said. “We’re just waiting for one more PNM.”

  The interior of the Victorian mansion contained a vaulted-ceiling, which highlighted an enormous curved staircase in the foyer. Two young women stood beside Raven, one was a super cute Asian-American girl in a designer outfit with spiked heels and the other was a shorter Hispanic freshman with dark walnut-colored hair that flowed down her back.

  I quickly moved closer to Raven and unclenched my fists. Through the open doorway, a silver BMW parked at the curb and a bronzed leg gracefully emerged from the passenger-side door. The girl’s shiny brown hair was styled in a classy A-line bob and her smile revealed perfect white teeth. The beauty queen smoothed her flowy blouse and strutted up the walkway like a runway model. It seemed Brooklyn had competition.

  I suddenly felt as if I was wearing a burlap sack and too much makeup. The beauty queen air-kissed Raven on both cheeks, then faced the Zeta Beta sisters as if she already belonged.

  Guess I had some major competition, too.

  Brooklyn peeked out from beneath her hood and said, “This meeting is private. Because ZB doesn’t want to be involved in a dirty rush scandal. Got it, PNMs?”

  The girls around me said, “Got it.”

  I leaned over and whispered in Raven’s ear, “What’s dirty rush?”

  “According to Greek law,” she whispered, “sororities are technically not allowed to show interest in pledges during rush because girls are supposed to visit every sorority on campus before making a final decision.”

  Two antechambers branched out from either side of the entrance hall with an arrangement of purple tulips gracing a polished oak table in the center of the foyer. A sagging welcome banner hung above our heads. The room on the left was dark, but the one on the right was softly lit by dozens of candles that twinkled from various end tables and the mantel. Twenty women, including Brooklyn and Claire, wore long red velvet cloaks with hoods and waited in a semi-circle.

  Jade stepped forward, her arms spread wide. “Welcome, Potentials! I am Jade Goodwin, the chapter president of Zeta Beta. We don’t want to be accused of dirty rushing, so like Brooklyn said, this is a private meeting with legacies only. You have each received an unofficial bid, but that does not guarantee you a place among us just yet. You need to prove yourself first. Zeta Beta stands for excellence in academics, athletics, and philanthropy.” She smiled although it seemed a little forced. “If you survive rush, and are good little girls, you might have the privilege of joining this great house. So are you bitches ready?”

  “Yes!” the five of us chorused.

  “Fantastic. Now we’ll need your cellphone numbers. You must have your cell on you at all times and never turn the ringer off,” Jade said in a booming voice. “Despite what you think you know about Greek life from movies—we are not a cult of über slutty party girls. Being a part of a sorority means surrounding yourself with passionate, strong, and confident women, who have your best interests at heart. Zeta Beta is about the bonds of sisterhood, and women who will stand by you during the hardest times in your life as well as celebrate the happiest.” Jade walked over to me and the other four young women, and as she spoke, she moved to stand in front of each of us for a moment. “Sisters of Zeta Beta run some of the nation’s biggest corporations. All but two Presidents have been Greek. Think about that for a second…” Jade paused in front of me and her gaze bore into mine with an intensity that made me squ
irm, but I held eye contact. “There is something special about being a part of Greek life that gives a person the power and confidence to follow their dreams.”

  Her speech had my heart thumping. With every word Jade spoke, I wanted more and more desperately to join Zeta Beta and change my life. My gaze sought Claire’s, but she was staring off into space with an unreadable expression. With the candlelight dancing across her pale face, it was as if her features morphed and transformed into someone I didn’t recognize. A chill raked my limbs as I stared at her.

  Two of the other girls standing with me in the foyer started squirming and sweating through Jade’s rather longwinded speech. Raven chewed on her lip and the beauty queen twirled a strand of hair around her finger.

  Jade continued in a soaring voice, “PNMs must attend every gathering for the first eight weeks until initiation.” She clasped both hands behind her back and stepped closer to the Zeta Beta sisters, who nodded in agreement to every point she made. “Our chapter expects potential members to acquire a certain amount of points to maintain status as an active member. These points can come from attending socials and mixers, participating in philanthropic activities, going to tailgates for football games, keeping a high GPA, or anything that we request you to do. And remember, what happens in-house, stays in-house. Now turn on the lights and let’s get to know our legacy PNMs, ladies.”

  “What’s a PNM?” I whispered in Raven’s ear.

  Raven rolled her eyes. “Potential New Member. Duh.”

  “Oh.”

  Interview time. I couldn’t let anything screw it up. My body broke out in a light sweat, as if a stack of red-hot bowling balls had been surgically implanted in my stomach. I shifted my weight from foot to foot, my toes pinched in my new shoes. My hip bumped the table and the vase of purple tulips tittered dangerously.

  The entire room fell silent. I quickly reached out with both hands and steadied the vase. Everyone stared. Raven folded her lips inward to suppress a smile.

  A blaze of heat zinged across my cheeks. Friggin’ great. Now I look like a total spaz. I shuffled away from the table and demurely laced my hands in front of me.

  The lights flickered to life and the Zeta Beta sisters removed their hoods. The members were all from diverse ethnic backgrounds and each wore a warm smile for us. Soft music erupted from speakers hung from the ceiling and a table of refreshments sat near one wall. The large room had sparkling hardwood floors and open stained-glass windows.

  The girls mingled, chatting on topics ranging from Greek social events and party etiquette, to cool vacations they took over the summer or unique hobbies. I overheard the pretty Asian girl telling a story about her recent intoxicated shenanigans and boasting about her sexual escapades. The Zeta Beta sister she chatted with glanced around as if uncomfortable. Definitely TMI.

  Raven let out a long sigh. She must be nervous, too. She leaned over and whispered, “The honeymoon period has begun. Better be on your best behavior, Serena.”

  Each sister came over to us. Lots of handshakes, big smiles, and small talk. I introduced myself for the fiftyish time and tried to stay bubbly. The Zeta Beta sisters openly judged my every word and gesture and strand of hair, but I kept smiling and nodding. Even when my jaw started to ache.

  A slender Zeta Beta sister approached me. “Hi! I’m Abby, and you must be Serena. Tell me about yourself in under a minute. Start by explaining why as a sophomore you’re pledging a sorority.” She glanced at the gold-plated watch on her wrist. “Go.”

  “Oh, ummm…” I said. “I didn’t have much time at my last college. After I heard this impassioned plea for help to support hunger relief in Africa at a school rally, I felt compelled to help fight the famine in Ethiopia. So I impulsively abandoned a semester to work in the refugee camps my freshmen year…”

  Huh. That sounded quite impressive even to me. Another colorful bouquet of lies. Although it was something I’d always wanted to do, but not until I graduated.

  She grinned. “I had no idea you were such a humanitarian.”

  “Yup, that’s me.”

  The Zeta Beta sister patted my shoulder. “I’m extremely impressed, Serena.”

  “Thank you.”

  But the three sisters that I really wanted to impress the most hadn’t approached me yet.

  My brow dampened with sweat. Was I talking too much? Was I acting too perky? Had I made one of my subtle bitchy faces?

  She tilted her head. “But I heard something about your parents dying in a house fire and your brother robbing a bank. When did you go to Ethiopia?”

  My stomach pitched. I had said that to…Raven? Ms. Greene? Vanessa? Being such a creative and imaginative person, it would be difficult to keep track of all my stories one hundred per cent of the time. I would have to be more careful from now on.

  “Oh, that’s weird. I don’t even have a brother,” I said, which was true. “And my dad is alive and well, and living in Los Angeles.”

  “That is odd.” The Zeta Beta sister shrugged. “Well, that’s the best thing about joining a sorority. It doesn’t really matter who you were, or where you came from. You can be anybody you want now. A whole new you...” She patted my shoulder, then moved on to interviewing Raven.

  A whole new me. I liked the sound of that.

  Brooklyn appeared beside me. “Your dad called one of the alumni’s yesterday and informed Jade that you’re a legacy. You mom was a Zeta Beta, right?”

  Okay, so I was still golden. No need to tell anymore lies.

  “Yes, she was always raving about all the fun she had going Greek, and how it was the best decision she made in college.”

  “You’re talking about her in the past tense, why?”

  “She died when I was fifteen.”

  “I’m so sorry. That sucks.” Now that her cloak was gone, Brooklyn was wearing ZB shorts, a ZB hoodie, with full makeup, and her brown hair looked like it had been blown out professionally. I noted that Brooklyn had major swag, gifted with the kind of coolness that a girl couldn’t just acquire by buying the right handbag or pair of designer jeans. She caught my stare and said, “You like? You’ll get a care package once you get your official bid with all these Zeta Beta goodies.”

  Claire sidled up to Brooklyn and said, “So, Serena…what do you think is the driving force in your life?”

  Gulp. So much for small talk.

  I gave her a fake, toothy smile. “Art. There’s something so candid and beautiful about painting. It feels organic and honest. Primitive. My art professor at EBU told me that I have a natural raw talent… ” I paused. Brooklyn’s eyes had rolled back in her head, yet Claire seemed absorbed by my rambling, as if studying an insect under a magnifying glass. “Anyway, I just really like art.”

  “That’s cool,” Claire said with a nod. “I suppose since you’re a legacy, we can try to overlook your stalkery tendencies.” She linked her arm through Brooklyn’s. “Come on. We have four other PNMs to interrogate—I mean chat up.” She steered Brooklyn away.

  Jade came over to me. “Why did you decide to go Greek?” she asked.

  “Like I told the others, my mom was a Zeta Beta and the whole bonds of sisterhood sound amazing. I’d really like to be a part of that.”

  Her expression seemed carefully composed, but her hawk-like eyes scrutinized my every movement and word. “What are you looking for in a sorority, Stalky?”

  I had rehearsed what I was going to say in the mirror before I left the dorm, but now I felt tongue-tied and my left eye twitched. This was turning into an uncomfortable job interview instead of a fun get-to-know-you gathering.

  “Um, well, you know…” I cleared my throat and straightened my spine. “A sorority gives young women a philanthropic and personal development experience that I’ll need to be successful in the real world. Plus, it’s a great way to make new friends, form networks, and contribute to the community.”

  Jade nodded slowly. “Good answer. I think all assign Brooklyn as your Big. I’ll let Clai
re be Amber’s big instead.”

  “Big what?” I asked.

  “Each new member is given a big sister that will be like a mentor throughout the new member period,” Jade explained before moving onto the Asian girl, and my whole body exhaled.

  I turned and bumped into Raven. “Sorry.”

  “You’re such a klutz. Sheesh, get your shit together.”

  I ignored her sarcasm. “Who’s the beauty queen?” I asked, jerking my chin at the beautiful girl who had shown up in the BMW and was currently conversing with a Zeta Beta sister.

  “That’s Brooklyn’s cousin, Amber, from New York. Another legacy and she’s pre-med, which sucks because I heard the Zeta Betas are only taking maybe two recruits this year. She’ll get a formal bid for sure. That Asian chick is Jenny Liu and the other one is Marisa Perez.”

  For a moment, Raven and I both sized up the other PNMs. Marisa appeared shy and reserved, and gave the Zeta Beta sisters short, blunt answers. But Jenny told raunchy stories and laughed too loudly. Amber seemed perky and smart, and I bet most of sororities on campus would want her. I doubted Jenny would get a bid from Zeta Beta, but she might fit in at another house. That left Raven, Amber, and me as the most likely to get into Zeta Beta. Maybe I was safe…

  I backed up into the table and the vase crashed to the floor, breaking into a thousand pieces. Water splashed on two Zeta Beta sisters and the tulips scattered everywhere. The silence seemed deafening. The stares seared into my flesh like bullets ripping through skin. Raven rolled her eyes and shook her head.

  Maybe I’d been overly confident.

  “Ohmygod. I’m so, so sorry! I’ll clean it up.” My voice squeaked as I bent down.

  Jade sighed heavily and pulled me back up. “Relax, Stalky.” She gestured to the other girls. “Okay, Pledges. Recruitment officially begins tomorrow on campus. Hashtag be ready. And please remember that if you pledge our sorority, you will be representing us and the sorority we cherish, so behave yourselves,” Jade warned. “Time to call it a night. Before anything else gets trashed in our house.”