I looked up from beneath my lashes at them to see what was going on.
The frat guy shrugged. "Sure, Rho Gam. Whatever you say." He backed off. As he walked away, he leaned into me and whispered in my ear, "Looking forward to talking with you soon, PNM. Name's Dakota Bradley"—he glanced at my nametag—"Alexis Turner. Pretty name."
The puppy squirmed in his arms. Dakota cuddled the cute little dog to him and walked off, laughing.
That evening we filled out our preference forms. There were fifteen sorority houses on campus. In the first cut, we could only be invited back to a maximum of ten. We had to submit an electronic form with our bottom five choices. I hesitated over my last choice, so tempted to fill in the Double Deltsies. Good sense—and a futile sense of destiny—won out. I didn't enter their name. The truth was I wanted to see Zach again.
I turned to Em, who was sitting next to me in the Student Union Building—SUB—coffee shop as we filled our forms out together. "You're not cutting the Double Deltsies, are you? I can't go to them alone."
She looked across her laptop at me and rolled her eyes. "No. For your sake, legacy girl." Then she laughed and grinned at me, and I knew she was teasing. She wanted the Double Deltsies to invite her back.
"Good." I took a sip of iced mocha.
"Don't look so relieved. They probably won't invite me back for philanthropy day."
I smiled back at her. "You are so totally philanthropic, I bet they will."
The next morning, I woke up early and checked my Group Me app for instructions. Our Rho Gam group was meeting at eight. I logged into my recruitment account and held my breath. I had ten invitations, including from the Double Deltsies and Molly's house, even though I'd cut it.
I texted Em. She replied immediately. "Yep, still under consideration with the Double Deltsies."
During the second day, we no longer traveled as a group. Our individual appointments were at different times. I went to the Double Deltsie house full of anticipation, hoping I would get a glimpse of Zach. I was on my best behavior as Morgan interviewed me a second time, and Kelly stopped by for part of it. This time they offered me sparkling punch instead of water, but no cupcake. Maybe I was out.
That afternoon I met with Em at the SUB again. We now had to preference down to seven for the house visits. Em and I discussed our choices.
"I envy you," I told her as I looked over my list. There were two houses I was absolutely in love with. The girls were fun and friendly and warm. I felt like I really fit in there. Two houses that were almost as good. None of them were the Double Deltsies.
"Why?" Em asked. "I might not even get a bid."
"You'll get a bid. One from the perfect house for you. And you have a choice. You can actually pick the house you want to get into. You'll make friends for life and have more fun than you should be allowed to."
"And you?" she said.
"I'm stuck with the Delta Delta Psis no matter how much of a misfit I'll be there."
"Some girls would kill to have your problem." She sounded genuinely envious.
"Are you going to cut them?" I asked.
"Not this time."
"I'm cutting Molly's house. Again," I said with a grin. "They didn't get the hint last time."
Em laughed with me. "Not from me, either! They want us, girl."
The next morning, we met with our Rho Gam group. As the cuts became more severe and more and more girls weren't being invited back to their favorite houses, I began to dread meeting up. There was too much heartbreak and too many tears.
I joined Em as Molly handed out our invitations. I held my breath as I read my list. My two favorites, my legacy house, and Molly's were still on my list of invites for house visits. "You?" I asked Em.
"Still under consideration at all our favorite places." She flashed her invites at me.
"Okay, then," I said, feeling relieved. "Off to see the wizard!" I linked my arm with hers.
"Let's just avoid little dogs." She squeezed my arm. "How soon after recruitment's over do you think Dakota will call you? You know, he's the Tau Psi president."
I frowned at her, surprised by the news. "Really?" I shook my head. "Then why would he be interested in me? I'm sure he was just teasing."
Chapter Three
Alexis
I was still in love with two of the houses with a desperate kind of longing, the kind you get when you know something is out of your reach. Em and I went to the first two houses together. Then parted ways for separate appointments and ended up at the Double Deltsie house together in the late afternoon in the next-to-last appointment of the day.
As recruitment progressed, everyone got more serious, more tired, more competitive, and more stressed. Both the PNMs and the girls in the houses. The bubbly, perky atmosphere vanished. Tonight we PNMs had to preference down to only three houses. And the houses had to decide whom they were serious enough about to show the inner workings and some of their rituals to tomorrow.
Kelly greeted us again at the door for our tour. This time, there would be no separate appointments. She gave us an introduction and a brief history of the house, which I knew by heart thanks to my mom, and then we were shown the house. It was truly gorgeous, with the nicest sleeping porch, the largest rooms, the most amenities, a large, sunny breakfast nook, a pretty formal dining room, and a comfortable study room. The house itself was wonderful. I just didn't feel I fit with them.
The PNMs, too, had been culled. The group I took the tour with were all Double Deltsie material, or close to it. I kept thinking that a subset of these girls would be my pledge class. And, sad to say, the thought wasn't thrilling.
As Em and I toured the house side by side, I felt Morgan, who was one of the girls helping with the tour, watching me. Which messed with the part of me that wanted to sneak off and "accidentally" run into Zach. Halfway through the tour, my feet were killing me, and I was still under Morgan's tight surveillance. After a day on my feet, I just wanted to sit down.
I flagged one of the girls helping with the tour and asked for directions to the powder room.
She pointed the way. "Down the hall, around the corner, first door on your right."
"Want to come with?" I asked Em.
She shook her head. It was like she was actually into the tour.
"Take notes so you can fill me in later. I'll be right back," I told her, and made my way around the corner. The powder room was easy enough to find, but small—only two stalls—and mercifully empty. I zipped in and closed the door behind me, taking a deep breath as I leaned my head back against it. Free at last! For the moment, anyway.
I was just about to open a stall door when I spotted a pair of bare, muscled male legs sticking out from beneath one of the sinks. I let out an involuntary gasp of surprise.
I must have startled the guy. His legs moved and then his head banged something beneath the sink.
"Fuck!" he said in the smoothest, sexiest voice I could have imagined.
"Sorry!" Even though he couldn't see me, I pointed and looked back to the door like it was to blame. "There was no sign that warned a guy was in here doing repairs." And okay, I had just failed recruitment and spoken to a guy.
He slid out from beneath the sink, holding his head and squinting up at me as he sat up. My heart plummeted to my stomach like I had just gone over the steepest hill of a rollercoaster. Zach!
"Crap!" I fell into a crouch beside him and stared at his bloody fingers where he was holding his head. He had an open gash on his gorgeous forehead. "You're bleeding."
I popped back up, grabbed a couple of paper towels from the dispenser, soaked them in cold water in the sink next to the one he'd been working on, and crouched back beside him to press it gently against the gash.
He winced and wiped his fingers on his sweat-soaked T-shirt.
"Don't do that. You'll ruin your shirt. Here. Use this." I kept the pressure on his head while I handed him a spare damp paper towel.
He wiped his fingers. "Why couldn't
you just ignore me, pee, wash your hands, and leave like the rest of the girls?"
I stared at him, stunned. "Girls actually do that? Act like you're invisible while they pee?" I made a face to show my disgust.
He grinned at me, making me weak in the knees. "Yeah, PNM, they do. Get used to it."
I didn't think I would ever get used to him and that golden voice of his. I pulled the paper towel away from his head long enough to take a look at the damage. "You're going to have a goose egg. It's already popping up."
He grimaced.
"No, that's good," I reassured him. "It means you probably don't have a concussion or a serious head wound."
"Thanks, Florence Nightingale."
I put the paper towel back against his head and applied pressure, fighting off the tingly way touching him made me feel and trying not to blush. "You should ice that."
I handed him the paper towel and started to rise. "I'll get you some. Keep the pressure on while I'm gone. The bleeding should stop soon. It's just a small gash. But you could use a butterfly bandage, too."
I tried to stand. He caught me by the wrist. I hoped he couldn't feel the way my pulse leaped at his touch.
"No!" He shook his head and squeezed my wrist. "They'll realize you talked to me and kick you out. You'll blow your shot at being a Double Deltsie."
I couldn't help it. I laughed without humor. "You don't know who you're dealing with. I'll be a Double Deltsie no matter how many rules I break." I caught myself too late. That sounded way too arrogant and stuck up. I softened my tone. "Taking care of you is more important than pledging this house. I don't think killing their houseboy is going to win me any bids, either."
He smiled, let go of my wrist, and pulled the paper towel away to see if he was still bleeding. "Stay, please. I'll be okay. I would never forgive myself if I was the reason you didn't get in here."
Something about his teasing tone stopped me and made my heart race. Was he flirting with me? I let out a sigh. "I can't believe this. I've made it past guys carrying adorable Pomsky puppies without breaking my vow of silence toward men, and I blow it in the ladies' room?"
"The Tau Psis are still using the old puppy trick, are they?"
I gave him a hand and helped him to his feet. He didn't let go of mine immediately. We lingered too long holding hands. His was warm and strong. I longed to feel it cupping my head and pulling me into a kiss. But to hang on any longer was almost indecent. "You mean they've used it before?" I slid my hand free from his.
"Every year." He studied me for a minute before turning to squint in the mirror as he examined his head.
"You're a mess!" Over his shoulder, I studied his reflection in the mirror. "Give me your shirt."
"Wow. Subtle come-on." He grinned.
I rolled my eyes. "Take it off and let me rinse it out for you before that blood sets. Stripper moves are optional."
"Anything to get me out of my shirt. I like bold girls." He winked at me. "We houseboys are more than beefcake, you know."
I blushed. "Just trying to help." I held out my hand for it.
He stripped it off over his head, twirled it with a flourish and a sparkle in his yes, and tossed it to me like I was a groupie.
I kind of was. I almost went weak in the knees. The chest beneath that shirt was toned and ripped. I caught the shirt and turned to wash it out. It was filled with his body heat and smelled like him, of cologne and sweat.
I turned the water on and tried not to look at his bare chest as I ran the stained part of the shirt beneath cold water and wrung it out.
He held my gaze as I handed it back to him. Our hands brushed again. I had a crazy urge to grab his and not let go.
"You should get out of here before someone catches us." He took the partially wet shirt from me.
"And you should walk past the PNMs without your shirt on. You're as completely adorable as those puppies." It wasn't like me to be so bold.
He laughed.
I hated to leave, but I couldn't linger much longer without being missed by the all-seeing, all-watching Morgan. "You're right. I have to go."
"Oh, shit, PNM!" He grinned wickedly. "I'd almost forgotten why you came in here. Of course you do. Feel free to use the stall. I'll go back to work."
As if there was any way I'd be able to pee with the thought of him hearing me. I laughed and shook my head. "Not that way. I dodged in here to escape the hard sell and get a second of peace and quiet."
"Sorry I ruined it."
"No. You didn't." I smiled like a flirt. "See you around." I turned to leave. At the door, I hesitated and looked over my shoulder at him. "Zach?"
He looked surprised and flattered that I remembered his name.
"Are the girls in this house really as shallow and backbiting as their reputation?"
He looked even more surprised by my question. He shrugged. "They're like any house, a mixture. Some of them are all right."
Not exactly a ringing endorsement. Not a condemnation, either. You could tell a lot about people by the way they treated their help. That's what my grandma always said. Zach had just rendered the Delta Delta Psi as totally neutral.
I nodded and turned to leave.
He stopped me. "Make sure the coast is clear before you slip out, PNM."
I laughed. "Sure thing. Put a Men at Work sign up, okay? Unless you're trying to get a rep as a perv."
I caught up with Em and the rest of the PNMs in the dining room as they were eating cookies and drinking iced blended mochas.
"They went all out on refreshments. Wow!" I came up behind Em and grabbed a mocha. We'd been served sweets and sweet drinks at every house we'd visited. What I really wanted was a burger. I settled for a cookie.
Em frowned at me. "You were gone a long time."
"Was I?" I smiled coyly and took a bite of cookie, trying not to give myself away.
After the house visit, Em and I grabbed our laptops and went to sit at the edge of the open green beneath the shade of some tall trees. Guys were tossing footballs and flying discs. Music blasted. The air smelled of suntan lotion and sunscreen as Em and I made one of the most important decisions of our college careers.
Every other time we preferenced houses, we wrote down the houses we wanted to eliminate. This time, we had to enter in the three houses we wanted to keep. The sororities would then match our choices with their preferences and have a big meeting to hash things out. They had a top-secret system for negotiating when two houses wanted the same girl. We could preference three houses, but we could only get one bid. We either accepted that offer tomorrow at the bid meeting at the SUB, or declined to be Greek.
Some girls had only been invited to one house visit. They only had the option of writing that house down. Em and I had been to the maximum five house visits. That meant we could list one, two, or three choices. If we only listed one, that was called a suicide bid. Because if that house didn't want us, we'd just knocked ourselves out of getting into a house at all.
Em stared up at the sky, watching a bird chirp overhead in the branches. "Let's bid the same houses."
"Serious?" I said. "You know I have to put down the Double Deltsies?"
She nodded. "I like them."
I was shocked. If I'd been in her place, I would have chosen one of the other houses, one of two I really loved and felt comfortable in.
"But you could be in…" I named my two favorite houses. "I think you're definitely a rush crush of a recruiter in each house."
Em shrugged and looked away like she didn't want me to see what she was thinking. I hoped I hadn't misjudged her. I had thought she was real, not like the girls who just wanted popularity at any price.
"And you're Morgan's rush crush!" She made a point of watching the guys toss the football.
I rolled my eyes, thinking about how Morgan had told me to suicide bid. "I can't believe you'd sacrifice for me and take the chance of becoming a Double Deltsie."
"You're such a brat, Alexis!" She took a deep breath, tu
rned her head toward me, and frowned. "I would kill to be in your shoes. I'm not doing this for you. I'm doing it for me."
Before I could reply, my cell phone buzzed. "My mom," I said to Em, and took the call. "Mom!"
"Hey, baby kid! How was your last day of rush? What did you think? Aren't the Double Deltsies fabulous!" Mom's voice was full of missing me, mixed with sunshine, hope, and a heavy dose of trying to influence me.
I hesitated. "Everything was great!" I feigned her perkiness and went for broke. "The Double Deltsies were really nice to me. I think I'm still one of their main recruiter's rush crushes."
"Of course you are, baby! Why wouldn't you be? Sorority greatness is in your blood."
It was hard to imagine my aging, graying, slightly plump mom had ever been a partying Double Deltsie. But I suspected, from what she'd told me about her college experiences, that they weren't the top house in her day. And that they were now was part of the reason she pushed me so hard to pledge them. Their prestige impressed her. The college girl she had been showed through in her voice and she sounded almost girlish—the pride, the desire to live through me, her hopes that I would have the excellent college experience that she had had. Her soaring hopes for my future and career.
"There are two other houses that I like a lot, too," I said, testing for wiggle room. "I think I could really fit in those as well. The girls are fun and friendly, welcoming…"
There was a pregnant pause by my mom that said just about everything.
"I can make three choices, but we can only get one offer." I took a deep breath. "Morgan from the Double Deltsies said I should suicide bid them. She broke the rules by mentioning bids. There's nothing I can do about that. But if I do suicide bid, and they don't pick me…" I paused. "I think I should write all three houses down."
"Morgan? The girl you've told me about? Their toughest recruiter?" The pride came through in Mom's voice. "Against the rules or not, if she told you to suicide bid, you'd better do it!"
"But if they don't pick me, I'll be out! I won't be Greek. Wouldn't it be better to—"
"No!" I could almost picture Mom shaking her head, and the wild look she got in her eye when she knew she was right and worried that I wasn't going to listen to her. That I was going to do something stupid, like think for myself. "Do what Morgan says, baby. You don't want to upset them."
Rushed (The Rushed Series) Page 3