“I think you have rushing confused with a high school sleepover,” Matilda said.
“They just make us do a few embarrassing things, I think. Sing in public. Hit on a guy when everyone’s watching. Stuff like that. It’s not a big deal.”
“I still don’t understand,” I turned to Laura pleadingly. “This doesn’t seem like you.”
“Maybe it doesn’t seem like you,” Laura countered coldly. “I like the idea of it, though. I like the idea of belonging.”
“You belong to yourself,” I replied. “Why can’t that be enough?”
“Kelsey is rushing a sorority,” Laura said angrily. “Why aren’t you angry with her?”
“I’m rushing a business sorority,” Kelsey answered stoically. “We don’t have rush events and the only thing you need to get in is a 4.0 grade-point average. We don’t even have regular meetings. It’s just something to put on my résumé when I graduate.”
“Well, it’s still the same thing,” Laura whined.
“Not even close,” Kelsey said. “I’m doing it for networking reasons. You say networking reasons are why you’re doing it, but you’re really doing it because of the parties and whatever else it is the two of you do when you’re hanging out with them.”
I eyed Kelsey curiously. Did she know something? Now was definitely not the time to ask.
“We just like the girls; why is that such a terrible thing?” Matilda asked petulantly.
I couldn’t help but wonder if she was being purposely obtuse or if she was really that naïve. Maybe she was just a consummate liar? It was possible.
“Just think about this before you do it.” I turned back to Laura beseechingly.
“We’ve already talked about it,” Laura got to her feet angrily. “You’re not the boss of me. I’ve made my decision. I don’t need you to make decisions for me. I don’t need you to tell me how stupid I am. Just let it go. We’re rushing Delta Omicron.”
Why is it that just when I think things are getting better they get so much worse instead?
Thirteen
I went straight to Aric’s apartment the next day after classes concluded. We were supposed to be laying low for the night – ordering a movie On Demand and staying in to spend some quality time together – but I had a few questions I wanted answered first.
Aric seemed surprised when he opened the door and found me standing on the other side.
“I thought I was picking you up at the dorms? Was I supposed to pick you up after class?” He looked worried.
“No,” I shook my head. “I walked over here when I was done.”
“You missed me that much?” Aric winked saucily.
One look at his low-slung jeans and open flannel shirt and I momentarily reconsidered the order of business tonight. I shook myself out of my reverie quickly, though. I had an agenda.
“I have news.”
Aric must have sensed that my mood wasn’t exactly playful because he took an involuntary step back and let me stalk into his apartment with my anger intact.
“What’s wrong? Did something happen? Is it Will?”
Will? “No, it’s not Will. Why did you immediately jump there?”
“I … what’s wrong?”
“Matilda and Laura are rushing Delta Omicron. They told us last night.”
Aric blew out a frustrated sigh and sank down on the arm of his couch, rubbing his neck tiredly. “I was worried about this. I thought you were going to talk them out of spending time with that sorority?”
“I’m not magic,” I grumbled. “I can’t just make a wish and poof.”
“Well, you’ve got to do something to make them change their minds,” Aric said grimly. “I don’t care what it is. Tell them that the sorority is full of sluts or something and it will ruin their reputations.”
“Like that’s going to work,” I scoffed. “That will just make Matilda want to join more.”
“There has to be something.”
“Well, for starters, why don’t you tell me what you really have against that sorority?”
Aric’s face immediately went blank. “What do you mean?”
“Oh, don’t. Don’t do that.” I threw my backpack on the floor angrily.
“Do what?”
“Pretend like you don’t know what I’m talking about,” I said accusingly. “You know something about that sorority and you’re keeping it from me.”
“How can you say that?”
There it was. He was asking a question to give himself time to think of an acceptable answer.
“I’m not stupid,” I said. “I know when you’re keeping something from me.”
“I ... .”
“I accept that there are some things you can’t tell me,” I charged on. “I know that you have these wolf things that aren’t any of my business and that you have to be secretive about them. This is about something else, though. This is about my roommates, and I don’t think it’s fair that you’re keeping things from me when they could be in danger.”
Aric looked surprised by my diatribe. “Why do you think I’m keeping something from you?”
“Because you’re not a very good liar.”
Aric rolled his neck and got to his feet, turning his back to me so I couldn’t see his face. I couldn’t help but wonder what expression he was trying to hide.
“Just tell me,” I pleaded.
“I can’t.”
I don’t know what I was expecting, but that wasn’t the answer I was looking for.
“You can’t?”
“Zoe, I’m not trying to keep things from you,” Aric said quietly, turning back toward me grimly. “There are some things, though, … there are just some things that I can’t tell you.”
“And this would be one of those things?”
“All I can tell you is that sorority is bad news.”
“Well, great,” I shot back sarcastically. “That helps me a lot.”
“Zoe.”
“What? What!”
“I’m sorry,” Aric offered lamely.
“You’re sorry?”
“I don’t know what else to say.”
“Don’t say anything,” I turned on my heel, stopping long enough to scoop my backpack up from the floor, and stalked toward the door.
“Where are you going?”
“To find answers.”
“From where?” Aric sounded desperate. For a second, my heart went out to him. He sounded truly anguished. The thought was fleeting, though.
“I need answers,” I responded blithely. “I have to go somewhere where I can get those answers.”
“Let me guess,” Aric charged hollowly. “You’re going to go to a tan guy with fangs and get him to tell you what I can’t?”
I snorted derisively and turned back to him. “I already asked Rafael. He wouldn’t tell me anything either.”
“When did you see him?” Aric’s voice had taken on a ferocious timbre.
“Weeks ago,” I said. “He was outside the dorms. I asked him what was up with the sorority and he said it was bad news. He didn’t tell me anything either. I guess you guys have more in common than you thought.”
“What did he tell you?”
“That his reasons for keeping quiet were different than your reasons for keeping quiet.”
Aric looked puzzled by my response. “That’s what he said?”
“That’s what he said,” I confirmed.
“I thought he would use the information to get closer to you,” Aric mused. It was almost like he was talking to himself.
“Why would he do that?”
“You know why,” Aric looked back up to me. “He’s drawn to you.”
“I’ve seen him once in five months. That doesn’t exactly sound like he’s drawn to me,” I scoffed.
“He’s drawn to you,” Aric repeated. “He doesn’t know you but he feels you all the same.”
“What?”
Aric drew closer. “You have no idea the way you affect peopl
e,” he continued. “You have no idea how truly special you are.”
“Is that why you’re with me?” I could feel my heart pounding in my chest. Suddenly, it felt like everything I truly cared about was slipping away from me. “You’re drawn to me because of some mystical crap? You don’t even like me, do you? You just want to be near me because I’m a mage or whatever. Is what we have even real?” I choked up suddenly with unshed tears.
Aric moved toward me but stopped when I held up my hand to stay him. “What we have is real,” Aric said plaintively. “I’m with you because I ... because I can’t imagine not being with you. I need you to know that.”
I shook my head, turning my face so he couldn’t see the tears threatening to spill from my eyes. “I need to go,” I said finally.
“Where?”
“I told you, to get answers.”
“But where?” Realization flooded Aric’s face. “Don’t go to him.”
“You’ve left me no other choice,” I said woodenly.
“Sam Blake can’t bring you anything but more trouble,” Aric warned.
“He can bring me something you can’t,” I replied stoically. “He can bring me some form of truth that you’re obviously unwilling to share with me.”
“Don’t say that!” Aric was coiled with anger and frustration.
“I have to go.”
“Are you coming back?”
“I’ll probably spend the night at the dorms,” I said evasively.
“That’s not what I meant.” Aric looked lost. Unfortunately, I didn’t have an answer for him.
“I’ll be spending the night at the dorms.”
If I expected him to follow me – to try to stop me – it didn’t happen. He let me go.
And, when he did, a little piece of my heart broke.
Fourteen
It was late on a Friday afternoon, but I took a chance and made my way to Professor Blake’s office. I was hoping he was as much of a slave to his job – both of them – as he seemed. I wasn’t disappointed.
The door to his office was open and he was sitting at his desk grading papers, intent on his task and nothing else, when I stepped into the doorway. Maybe it was the potential broken heart talking, but I considered turning and fleeing. Maybe I could just do this day over?
But Professor Blake must have sensed my presence because he looked up just when I was contemplating my escape.
“Zoe?” He looked surprised.
“Professor Blake,” I nodded, stepping into the room stiffly.
“Did you have questions about class?” He was playing a game. I was too exhausted to join in.
“No, not about class.” I closed the door, closing us off to prying eyes and ears, and sank into one of the leather chairs across from his desk in defeat. Could I sink much lower than this? Wait, don’t answer that.
“Let me guess,” he said, leaning back in his chair and raising his fingers in a steeple across his chest. “You’re here because some supernatural occurrence has arisen and you have nowhere else to go?”
“Pretty much.”
He looked surprised by my blatant honestly. “Really?”
“Really.”
“I, well, I was expecting you to have some snarky comeback and play a few games before you went to the heart of things.”
“Maybe I’m growing?”
Professor Blake regarded me dubiously.
“Maybe I’m tired?”
“Maybe,” he agreed. “So, what’s up? I haven’t seen you since you raced out of my office to stop a sphinx. I heard you were successful in that endeavor, by the way.
Good for you.”
“I didn’t do a lot but scream and run,” I admitted. “I had a little help.”
“From werewolves,” Professor Blake nodded. “I heard.”
“How did you hear that?” I asked suspiciously.
“I have my sources.”
“So you’ve said. Repeatedly.”
“Fine. You’re not here to talk about the sphinx. What are you here to talk about then?” Professor Blake didn’t look thrilled with my presence. There was a certain level of curiosity wafting about the room, though.
“What do you know about Delta Omicron?”
Professor Blake looked surprised. “Delta Omicron? The sorority.”
I rolled my eyes. “I said I’m not here to play games.”
“Okay,” he replied carefully. “What do you want to know?”
“I want to know what the big secret is. What are they?”
“How do you know they’re anything? Maybe they’re just a bunch of girls living in a house together?”
“Because every werewolf and vampire on this campus is warning me that they’re up to something bad – but they won’t tell me what,” I complained. Okay, it was only one vampire and one werewolf, but he didn’t need to know that.
“They’re warning you that the sorority is bad but not telling you why? That doesn’t sound particularly helpful.”
“It’s not.”
“So you came to me?”
“I did.”
“As a last resort.”
“Let’s not pretend we’re best friends and you’re hurt by my general disinterest,” I said angrily. “I’ve had enough crap for today. I’ve had enough crap for this semester already and I still have weeks to live through. Just tell me what you know.”
“If you were part of the group, you would already know about Delta Omicron,” Professor Blake pointed out.
“That’s not helping.”
“I’m not trying to help. I’m trying to state the obvious.”
“Well obviously I’m not going to join your group.”’
“Then why are you here?”
“Just because I’m not willing to join Monster Hunters Inc., that doesn’t mean I’m not willing to listen.”
Professor Blake considered my answer for a second and then blew out a sigh. “So you want to share information?”
“I don’t exactly have a lot of information right now,” I admitted. “I just have a lot of vague warnings and a really dark pit in my stomach. I think I might be getting an ulcer.”
“So you want me to give you information? So what? So you can take that information and run off and steal all the glory? Again?”
You’ve got to be kidding me. “I’m not looking for glory,” I replied dryly. “I’m looking for help.”
“You want my help?”
“I need to know what’s wrong with that sorority.”
“Why?”
“Because I have two roommates threatening to rush it,” I replied honestly. “And I have everyone on campus who knows anything about anything telling me it’s a bad idea. The problem is, they won’t tell why it’s a bad idea. I can’t fight a problem that I don’t fully understand.”
I was surprised when I saw sympathy wash over Professor Blake’s handsome face. “I see.”
“I don’t think you do.”
“You’re trying to protect your friends,” he said. “You just can’t protect them without all the information.”
“Okay, maybe you do understand.”
“You know ... .”
“Don’t even say that I wouldn’t be having this problem if I joined your little monster squad. That’s not going to happen and I don’t want to hear it. Not again.”
“Fine,” Professor Blake said.
“Are you going to help me?”
“Against my better judgment? Yes, I am.”
“Really?” I felt hope surge in my chest.
“Yes.”
“Is there going to be a catch?” I asked warily.
“Not this time.”
“Why?”
“Because I think the situation is dire enough to tell you without payback.”
“That doesn’t sound good,” I said, sighing dramatically for emphasis -- just in case he didn’t know I was truly pathetic at this point. I had a feeling he knew, though.
“It’s not,” Professor B
lake agreed. “Delta Omicron is full of witches.”
“I figured.”
“They’re not just any witches, though,” he continued.
“What kind of witches are they?”
“From what we’ve been able to ascertain, the hierarchy within the sorority is obsessed with dark magic.”
“Jessica,” I mused aloud.
“Yes.”
“You were talking to her after class that day. Did you know who she was then?”
“She’s trying to infiltrate the group,” Professor Blake explained. “She thinks she’s being stealthy. We’re aware of what she’s doing, though. We’re playing the game with her, but giving her no information in return.”
“Then why is she doing it?”
“You would have to ask her.”
“Pass.”
“You know her?”
“We’ve had a few run-ins.”
“And?”
“And? And she’s a bitch.”
“You have such a way with words. You should write a book.”
“I knew something was up with her when I met her.”
“What can you tell me about your roommates?”
I was uncomfortable with the question, but I figured I owed him something. “They’re kind of wannabes, I guess. Laura is really desperate to belong. Anywhere really. She’s kind of lost. I don’t know how to deal with it.”
“Some people have weak personalities,” Professor Blake said. “You can’t help them. You have to let them figure things out on their own. That’s the only way they’ll grow. Unfortunately for you, if she’s looking to belong, she’s looking in the wrong place. What about your other roommate?”
“She’s just in it for the fun.” I think. “She’s boy crazy and I think she’s just trying to find a way to have easier access to frat boys.”
“That sounds ... immature.”
“You have no idea.”
“Do you think they know what the sorority really is?”
Truth or lie? “Yes.” Truth it is.
“Do you think they’re interested in the sorority’s ultimate agenda or just dabbling?” Professor Blake asked seriously.
That was an interesting question – one I hadn’t really considered. “I don’t know,” I answered honestly. “They probably just think it’s cool. What is the sorority’s ultimate agenda, by the way?”
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