by Ruby Vincent
The shower did its best to drown him out but I got the gist. We didn’t need reservations. Burger King would do just fine.
“Wake up from that dream. You know Mom hasn’t eaten a fry in nineteen years,” I shouted back. “And she still blames me and the pregnancy cravings for breaking her diet.”
I couldn’t tell if he said something, but I definitely heard him laugh.
A raucous noise startled me. Brian’s cell belted some horrible ringtone, most likely that death metal crap he was into. Not for the first time I wondered how two brothers could be so different.
“—answer it,” Brian said.
I vaulted over his unmade bed and snagged the phone off the dresser.
“Hello?”
“It’s about time,” the person hissed. “I’ve been calling you for weeks.”
I frowned. “Who is this?”
“Don’t fucking give me that, Brian!”
The guy’s snarl raised my hackles. What the hell was he so mad about?
“You said you were leaving to sort some things out and then you’d be back in a week,” he bit out. “We’re supposed to fly this stuff out in two days.”
“Fly what stuff out? Who the fuck is this?”
“Bri—wait. Who the fuck are you?”
The bathroom door banged open. “Ezra, what are you doing?!”
I didn’t have a chance to reply before the phone was ripped out of my hand. The snarly guy’s shouts were cut off with a click.
“What is wrong with you?” Brian snapped. Water dripped along the harsh twist of his mouth.
“What are you talking about? You told me to answer it.”
His eyes flashed. “I said don’t answer it, Ezra. You and Mom think you have a right to know everyone’s fucking business.”
Anger licked at my calm. “Relax,” I said through gritted teeth. “It was an honest mistake. It won’t happen again.”
“It better not.”
The mask cracked. “You’re being a real asshole! Want to explain why you’re flipping out over a damn phone call?”
“No,” he replied, voice hard. “Just stay out of my stuff.”
“Gladly.”
I stormed out of the room and blew past Mom on the staircase.
“Ezra? What’s wrong?”
“I’m not going anywhere with him,” I shouted loud enough for Brian to hear.
“But, Ez— What could have happened in the last ten minutes?” she cried.
I left, got in the car, and drove to campus. I ignored the texts for me to come back and grabbed lunch at school.
I had one class this afternoon and then I was expected at the Sam house to help plan the party. Valentina was so excited about it that she had roped Maverick, Ryder, and Jaxson into going. Jaxson loved a good party, but Maverick was an introvert. Ryder hated everyone except for the people who lived in his house, and parties for me meant being on all night.
No drinking, no drugs, and getting out if things got too wild. One day my brand would rival the Media Maven’s and when that happened, people could use the Hubble telescope to look for dirt on me and they’d find nothing.
Two hours later, I walked out of my Intro to Journalism class and crossed campus to Greek Row. Along the way, I hooked up with some other pledges.
“Why do we have to help?” Chuck griped. “I bet what they really want us to do is clean up the vomit and used condoms after.”
I cringed. “You’re probably right.”
“We’ll wear gloves and suck it up,” said his friend, Nolan. “Anything to become a brother. I was talking to my professor about the student interns he lets work cases with him. He heavily hinted that becoming a Sam guarantees my spot. What about you, Ezra?”
“What about me?”
“We’re all trying to become a Sam for something. What’s your reason?”
“They say they’re the best. That’s reason enough for me.”
“Nice. Well said.”
We made it to the Sam house together, but split up in the front hall. Austin spotted me from the living room and came over.
“I texted you,” he said by way of hello.
“I turned my phone off for class.” And to avoid Mom.
“We have to go next door. We’re meeting in the Sally house.”
Nolan and Chuck reappeared like they'd just gotten the message too. The four of us backed out and walked across the lawn. The noise hit me before the smell. Fresh cookies awaited in the living room along with twenty pledges. I moved inside and there she was.
Valentina covered her mouth to hide her food as she laughed. It did nothing to mask her beautiful, dancing green eyes. Sofia tapped her shoulder and pointed me out. Val stood and came to where she belonged—in my arms.
I kissed her, highly aware of the watching eyes. They forced me to end it much earlier than I wanted to.
“Mmm. And you say you don’t taste like chocolate.” My voice was barely above a whisper.
Red stained her cheeks. “You weren’t talking about my lips and you know it.” Val leaned back, squinting at me. “What’s wrong? You’re upset.”
It was a statement, not a question.
How does she do that? There isn’t a trace of my fight with Brian on my face. I made sure of that. But she sees through me anyway.
“You know you make me question everything when you do that?”
She cracked a smile. “The only thing you should question is why you’re surprised. The woman you love is supposed to know you inside and out.” She held my chin between two fingers. “You avoid eye contact with me. That’s how I know there’s something you don’t want me to see in those dark eyes.”
I blinked. Do I really do that?
“We’ll talk about it later,” I said.
“Hey, Val.” A voice sounded behind us. “Can you help us in the kitchen, please?”
“Be right there.” She pecked me on the lips. “Later.”
The minute she was gone I noticed Austin staring. He sidled up to me.
“Are you two together?” he asked.
“Yes.”
“How long have you been with her?”
“A few years,” I replied. What’s with the questions?
“Are you exclusive?”
My eyes narrowed to slits. “Why?”
Austin backed up. “It’s not me you have to worry about.”
He took hold of my arm and pulled me to the side. “I recognize her,” he said under his breath. “I saw her last week kissing some guy outside the student union. I’m sorry, man, but you should know she’s cheating on you.”
I pointedly extracted his hand. “What did this guy look like?”
“Massive Black dude.”
“The massive Black dude is named Maverick,” I corrected, “and he’s Valentina’s boyfriend too.”
He gaped at me, jaw slack. For the first time, something other than irritation broke through.
“I appreciate you trying to be a friend and looking out for me,” I said. “But you don’t need to worry about me and Valentina. We’re solid.”
“Right,” he muttered. “Sorry.”
“Gentlemen, we’re in here.” I looked up and saw Aiden gesturing at us. “Take a seat.”
There weren’t many to choose from. Austin squeezed in between two girls, looking pretty pleased about life. I picked a spot on the wall and propped it up.
“So, about the party,” Keily began. “I was thinking we could make fingers and fake eyeballs and—”
Aiden waved that away. “Forget about the party. Pledges are on cleanup duty. We have the rest handled.”
“What? But, Leighton.”
The tiny woman who led the Sallys nodded. “What he said. We’re not here to talk about the party.”
I straightened. “Then why are we here?”
“There is a more important task for you to complete,” said Aiden. “You didn't get details beforehand because we didn’t want you trying to prepare.”
Le
ighton picked up the thread. “Every pledge class, Sallys and Sams, has to take the test. Fifty questions ranging across all and any topics. You will have two hours to finish and it starts in”—she glanced at her watch—“three minutes and forty seconds.”
This calm announcement didn’t elicit the same response.
“Three minutes?” someone bleated.
“We don’t get to study?”
“How hard is it? What if we don’t pass?” asked Nolan.
Aiden cut him a sideways look. “It’s well-known that we take the best, the strongest, and the smartest. If you don’t pass this test, you’d better hope the other pledges don't either. The point loss will put you seriously behind.”
I sensed Valentina before she took my hand. The sweet strawberry shampoo she favored prevented her from sneaking up on me.
“What’s going on?” she asked.
“It’s bullshit,” I said softly. “They’re surprising us with some test that will make or break us.”
“Test? Test on what?”
“Any and everything.”
“Shit.”
“My sentiments exactly.”
“Take it into the dining room, guys,” Leighton announced. “Sallys and Sams. It’s all set up.”
Seeing no other choice, we followed the depressed group into the next room. Twenty-four test booklets and twenty-four pencils lay neatly on the table.
Valentina sat and pulled out the chairs next to her. I took one side and Sofia sat on her other. Leighton looked at her blasted watch again.
“No talking. No cheating. No breaks,” she said. “Your time starts... now.”
I flipped over my book and opened to the first page.
Question One: Does free will exist, or is every action predetermined?
What the hell? The first question and they hit us with a philosophical one that’s impossible to answer?
I spared one minute pondering and then wrote something about life being steered by too many random events for order to apply—like my mother forgetting her water bottle at a tourist site, ducking into the nearest restaurant, and meeting the man who would become my father.
I moved on to the next question. A random math theorem I’d never seen before.
Ten questions in and it became clear. This test was created to torture us.
In those two hours, I squeezed every drop of gray matter onto the page, summoning all the knowledge and critical thinking I had acquired over the years.
It wasn’t enough.
“Time.”
Leighton called it with twelve questions still to go. I pushed the test away in disgust.
“We’ll let you know your results after the Close Enough party.”
No one said anything. A collection of sallow, glowering pledges trudged out of the house.
“The hell,” Valentina said. “Can you believe those questions? ‘What is the core message of King Lear?’ ‘What does each individual owe their fellow man?’ They were completely random. We couldn’t have studied for that test even if they had warned us.”
She lifted my arm, draped it around her shoulder, and tucked herself in. “I used to think I was reasonably intelligent. Staring dumbfounded at ninety-eight percent of those questions cured me of that idea.”
“Don’t believe that,” I said.
We crossed the lawn, putting as much distance as possible between us and the Greek houses. I was more than ready to go home.
“Those were graduate-level questions,” I continued. “Stuff that all of us gen-ed-taking freshmen wouldn’t know. They made it crazy hard on purpose to weed us out. Only half are becoming Sallys and Sams.”
Val sighed. “I bet I know what half I’m in after today.”
Chapter Five
Valentina
“Hands up, legs apart, Val,” Leighton barked.
“Buy me dinner first,” I huffed—not low enough.
Sofia snorted a laugh. How she had breath enough to do that I didn’t know.
A week had passed since that mind-melting test and life had gone on as usual in the Sally house—with one exception.
Sofia and I had rolled in ready for our three-mile run when Leighton announced we were shaking things up this morning. I basked in four seconds of euphoria till Leighton finished her statement with “backyard workout.” That was how I ended up stretching, running, and jumping jacking all over the yard. At least I had a nice view.
Swarming around us, sisters worked to set up for Close Enough. Even in the beginning stages, it was obvious this would be a great party.
Cobwebs hung from skull string lights and spooky paper lanterns hovered above our heads. The Sallys were in charge of the real food for those who didn’t want to gorge on candy all night. The sisters took that task and slam-dunked it like they did every other.
The foldout table would soon be loaded down with veggies and green slime dip, mummy jalapeño poppers, cheese puff eyeballs, chocolate cake dripping with blood, pumpkin deviled eggs, and poisoned candy apples.
I offered to help bring these creations to life so I could rack up more bonding points. Anything to get me out of all of this exercising.
Leighton paced before the line of jumping girls, surveying us like a drillmaster.
“Good form, Blair.”
“You’ve been training, Sofia. Your hard work shows.”
Leighton stopped in front of me. “That’s enough, Val.”
“What?” I stumbled out of my jumping jack. “Am I doing that badly?”
She chuckled. “No. You’re done for today. Go home, change, and then come back to help with the food. And well done for offering to do more than clean up. It’s that kind of initiative that impresses me.”
“I can help make the food too.” Blair shot in between us. “I’m happy to help.”
She let loose the tide.
“I can too, Leighton.”
“Me too, Leighton.”
“I love to cook.”
Leighton held up a hand. “Two volunteers are more than enough. Val and Blair, get ready and be back here by five.”
I waved bye to Sofia and escaped through the fence.
My boys weren’t home, except for one. The shower was calling my name, but when I arrived, I turned left instead of right at the top of the stairs, heading to Adam’s room.
I heard him before I saw him. Laughter spilled through the open door—high and excitable for Adam, soft and tinkling for Caroline. I peered around the frame.
Caroline sat cross-legged on the carpet, arranging Adam’s toys in a neat little row. At her back, looking wholly out of place in the colorful toy land, was her ever-present bodyguard. And there was my son, at the foot of his bed, rifling in his backpack.
He pulled out his prize. “Look, Cara. I made this for you.”
A smile tugged at my lips. Caroline was a bit of a mouthful for him, so he called her by the cat’s name. That Cara also meant love warmed Caroline’s heart so much she couldn’t stand to correct him.
“This is beautiful,” she breathed. “I’m going to hang this on my wall, so I can see it every morning.”
“Knock, knock,” I called.
“Mommy!”
Adam took a running leap at me. I caught him and spun, laughing as I peppered his face with kisses.
“How was school, baby?”
His mouth turned down in a pout I rarely saw on my son’s face. “Bad.”
“Bad? Why was it bad?”
“Derek won’t stop eating my snacks.”
I gasped. “He’s eating my baby’s snacks? Well, don’t you worry, Adam. Mommy will take care of it.”
Adam’s smile returned fast—everything was perfect in his world again.
Cuddling him to my chest, I buried my nose in his soft curls. This was everything I ever wanted. For Adam’s life to be filled with so much love, security, and happiness that his biggest worry would be a few stolen graham crackers.
He was conceived in blood and pain, but while I live, h
e’ll never know either.
“I told Ryder about our cookie thief,” Caroline spoke up. “He’s going to speak to Adam’s teacher on Monday.”
“He doesn’t have to do that.” I set Adam on the carpet and let him run back to Caroline. “He’s got a test on Monday. I can handle it.”
Caroline shook her head. “Don’t you have a test as well? Let Ryder take care of it. I have a feeling he’ll enjoy reaming them out.”
I chuckled. “I have that feeling too.”
Adam pushed his toy car around the carpet, making little vroom vrooms as he played. I sat behind him and pulled him onto my lap.
“How is the sorority, Val?” Caroline asked. “Did I ever tell you one of my best friends was a Sally? I had a ball hanging out with her and the other sisters.”
“Really? I had no idea.” I winked. “Any tips to help me get in?”
“You don’t need help. If this generation is anything like mine, they’ll realize they’re lucky to have you.”
“Thank you.”
Adam mimed an explosion and added the sound effects to match.
“Are you sure you’re up to watching him tonight?” I asked. “It’s just a party. If you’re tired, I’ll stay in.”
She waved that away. “I’m fine. Adam and I are going to take it easy tonight. We’ll have our dinner in the theater, watch our favorite movie, and then we’ll be in bed by nine. If we need anything, we’ll call you.”
I knew they would be fine. This was hardly her first time babysitting. I just wouldn’t be doing my job if I didn’t worry.
Caroline transferred Adam to her lap. “Get out of here and enjoy your party. Be a college student.”
“Okay.” I got to my feet and slowly backed out of the room. “But call if you need me.”
“I will.”
“He’s on this bubble bath kick, but don’t let him stay in there for hours.”
“Of course not.”
I was almost to the door. “He has to eat all of his vegetables. Adam, eat your vegetables.”
He wrinkled his nose. “No, I don’t like them.”
“Listen to Grandma Cara,” I said sternly. “Do everything she says.”
Adam waved both hands at me. “Bye, Mommy.”
I huffed. “And look sadder to see me go.”
Caroline laughed. “Go on, you silly. We can’t miss you until you do.”