Still Jaded (Jaded #2)

When I tried to get by, Leah stepped in front of me. I reared back. I so wanted to unsheathe my claws, but I said to myself 'nice Sheldon, nice Sheldon, nice Sheldon' in my head. I could almost feel Bryce watching me.

Leah must've sensed my internal conflict because she cracked a smile. Then we both jumped as two blondes in tight red polo shirts and blue miniskirts appeared in front of us. They flashed blindingly white teeth, and their cheeks sparkled with glitter. "Sheldon, right? You're Sheldon Jeneve, girlfriend of Bryce Scout and friend of Corrigan Raimler?"

I almost fell backwards from their energy. It oozed out of their breast implants. "Excuse me?"

Leah scowled beside me. "Shoo away little flies. You're nothing but pests."

The taller blonde frowned but plastered a smile on her face as she hurried to restore her carefully crafted façade. "We can be civil to each other. Just because you've maneuvered yourself inside of Alpha Mu doesn't mean that we're enemies."

"Speak for yourself," Leah snorted. "You guys didn't want me as a sister, and Theta Delta did. You're just pissed because you missed a good opportunity."

The shorter blonde's nostrils flared. "We didn't know you'd be as close to the guys as you are."

"Natalie!" The taller one looked aghast. "We don't air those grievances in front of outsiders."

Excuse me.

Leah laughed outright and shook her head. "You guys are so stupid."

"I mean," the tall one sputtered. She looked at me and gushed, "I didn't mean—Sheldon, you're not the outsider. I meant Leah because she deferred to a different house."

I shrugged. "Whatever. I'm not a part of this. Nor do I want to be. I've got a counselor to hunt down."

Before I left for school, Bryce had asked if I would check in with Miss Connors. He thought she could help me in my quest to become a new and nicer Sheldon. I wanted to growl at the thought of how much work that was going to take.

"No, wait!" Natalie planted herself in front of me. I shuffled two steps to the side and she shuffled with me. She was smack dab in front of me. When her chin tightened, I knew she wasn't going anywhere.

"Move," I glared.

"My name is Cadence, and this is Natalie," the taller one introduced herself. Finally. She extended a golden hand for me to shake.

I didn't.

With a slight twitch to her eyelid, she pulled her hand back. "I apologize for starting off on the wrong foot. It's just that some people are not in my personal good graces—"

"Personal good graces? You're crazy. I'm not anything personal to you at all. You guys didn't want me as a sister—" Leah bristled.

"Moving on." Cadence rushed forward, "I wanted to formally introduce myself and invite you to a house social."

"They're super fun." Natalie bounced closer. "We start by getting ready for the night and drinking together. And then we all go out as a house, usually to a frat party or a bar. It's a great way of bonding, especially with the new sisters."

Cadence nudged her aside. She opened her mouth but closed it as Leah interrupted, "They want to be invited to your party tonight. And they really want to use you because you're best friends with Corrigan and boning Bryce Scout."

Both sisters gasped.

I hated to admit it, but I felt a weird kinship with Leah.

"What do you want?"

Natalie looked entranced, but Cadence skimmed me up and down with a shrewd eye. I matched her, eye to eye, as she tried to get a better read on how to handle me. And then she snapped to her decision and drew upright to her fullest height. "We want to come to your party, but not because of your best friend or boyfriend. We want to come because you're hosting it and you're connected in ways that could benefit our house."

"So you want to use me?"

Leah rolled her eyes and huffed beside me.

Cadence narrowed her eyes. "We were hoping it could benefit both of us."

"And how could you benefit me?"

"You don't have girlfriends. We could be your friends."

"I don't have female friends for a reason."

"I can't hurt a girl if she hurts you. I don't like those rules."

I shivered as I remembered Bryce's words, but it didn't matter. My girlfriends weren't his problem. They were mine.

I focused back on Cadence. "No offense, but girls are catty and I don't have time for that in my life. I'm friends with people I trust. And I'm not going to trust a houseful of sorority girls."

"None taken, but let us prove you wrong."

Natalie piped in, "You can trust us. We're not like other sororities."

"Oh please," Leah groaned.

"Whatever. I don't care to be your friend, but you can come to the party. I have to go." And I did. I needed to track down Miss Connors. I turned on my heel and strode away, but I didn't miss Natalie's squeal or Leah's outburst of curses. When I rounded the corner, I looked back and was struck by Cadence's surreal stillness. She looked triumphant, like she'd won a battle and was on her way to winning a war.

Weird. And whatever. I had more important things to figure out.