chapter Seven
All thoughts of Colton and the disaster of my social life were pushed aside as I got ready for bid day the next morning. Thankfully, Jana, the new pledge mom, had decided to have bid day at the house, a much better idea than the joint laser tag event with the Kappas the year before. The day was supposed to be about welcoming the new girls into the house, not about flirting with boys. Of course, I had a very biased opinion on the subject. Spending time around Kappas would be a surefire way to ruin a good day.
“Thank goodness Jana isn’t dragging all of us to laser tag again.” Cara said exactly what was on my mind.
“I don’t know why you guys hated the laser tag thing so much.” Juliet brushed out her hair.
“I didn’t hate it. I just like that we’re having it at the house.” I put on some lip gloss, satisfied that I didn’t look like a girl who’d been up half the night. Despite a few much needed hours of movie time with Juliet, I was restless all night and sleep evaded me. I still couldn’t quite believe Colt was at Harrison or that he was pledging Kappa.
She cocked her head to the side. “You hated it, but that’s okay.”
“Not all of us met the love of our life there.” Cara laughed. She looked down at her blue Timeless Collection t-shirt. This year’s bid day theme was Tiffany’s (as in the jewelry store). The pledges were getting t-shirts with the year printed on them. It was a cute idea.
Juliet held up her palms. “Yeah, well, I’m also the only one of us who knows how to handle a gun.”
I chortled. “Yeah, please remember that comment when you try to recruit me for paint ball next time.”
“I can teach you.”
“No, thanks. I’ll leave that to you professionals.” I slipped my ID in my pocket and headed downstairs. Juliet and Cara followed close behind.
Ten minutes later, I was out on the front lawn with the rest of the girls and ready to meet the new pledges. I held onto the side of a huge banner. It was such a different experience on this side. Instead of the nerves you have as a pledge, it’s all excitement. I’d gotten a look at the official list and was dying to see one pledge in particular—Jade. I’d made sure to talk to her at every party, and I couldn’t wait to welcome her to the house.
We started cheering as soon as the girls appeared on the sidewalk. A bunch of guys from a few of the nearby frat houses came by to check out our “new meat.”
I rolled my eyes. “Do guys have to be that obvious?”
“Hey, we did the same thing last night, didn’t we?” Cara smiled.
I fought back the wave of nausea that hit me remembering the embarrassment. “Yeah, but it was at a party. This is out in public in broad daylight.”
“That somehow makes it different?” Juliet asked.
“Yes. It does.” I held back a smile. It’s amazing how quickly Juliet could pull me out of a funk.
“All right, either way, it’s time to meet everyone.” Cara whistled. “Welcome home, girls!”
After several hours of chatting, taking more pictures than I could count, and playing lots of getting to know you games, it was time for lunch. We’d had it catered from a local café and sat at elegantly dressed tables to fit the Tiffany theme.
I took a seat at a table with Juliet, Cara, Jana, and a couple of pledges.
“Is there an unofficial rule that Delta Mu’s have to date Kappas?” Ashley, a pledge with long blonde hair, asked.
“No. You can date whoever you want,” Jana answered immediately.
“But most of you do date Kappas…” Ashley continued.
Cara shrugged. “Can you really blame us?”
“There’s a Kappa pledge on the floor above mine that I’m into.” Leslie, one of the girls I met during the open house, smiled.
“Oh yeah?” I tried for nonchalant, but I really hoped it wasn’t Colt. I realized he’d probably date, but it didn’t need to be one of my sisters.
“What’s his name?” Juliet asked, keeping her eyes anywhere but on me.
“Colton Waters. He’s ridiculously sexy.” Leslie bit her lip.
Don’t let it bother you. I repeated the words over and over. Why did it matter? I mean what she said was true. He was ridiculously sexy… especially when he was naked.
“Oh, don’t waste your time.” Juliet leaned back in her chair.
“Why not?” Leslie furrowed her brows.
“He’s got a girl back home. I hear she’s pretty special and he isn’t interested in anyone else.”
“Oh. Whatever, there are plenty of other hot guys.” Leslie crossed her arms.
I waited until we were alone to corner Juliet. “He’s got a girl back home, huh?”
“Hey, you’re from his hometown.”
“I’m not his girl.”
“I’m just looking out for your best interests.” She stuffed her hands in the back pockets of her jean skirt.
“Thanks.” I smiled. She was an awesome friend. She knew me well enough to know how I’d feel about him dating one of the pledges.
“Anytime.”
I was really going to have to keep my jealousy in check. Maybe my date with Tanner would help speed that along.
We’d finally moved the conversation off of Colton when the doorbell rang. Cara grinned and my heart stopped. She’d only be grinning for one reason. Aaron.
“I wonder who that could be.” Danielle was a horrible actress. She ran out of the kitchen toward the front of the house. I took a deep breath.
“Pledges, please come out here,” Danielle called from the living room.
The pledges got up, looking at each other nervously.
I reluctantly followed them, staying close to Juliet.
The singing started before I’d even made it into the living room. The Kappa pledges, each wearing a dress shirt and khakis, were down on their knees, singing to our pledges. Most of the guys were smiling at the girls, but Colt’s eyes weren’t on any of the pledges. They were on me. Despite my best intentions, our eyes locked. I finally shook myself, breaking the eye contact. I couldn’t look at him that way when he was singing You Are So Beautiful.
“Yeah, you really are completely over him,” Juliet mumbled.
“Don’t start.”
She laughed. “I won’t.”
The boys finished their song and waited for Aaron to very publicly kiss Cara before heading out the door. Colt treated me to one of his heart melting smiles before walking out. I needed to ignore the flutter in my chest. Nothing good could come from dwelling on him.
The girls were giddy, which is exactly what the serenade was about. Part of why you joined Delta Mu was to get in with the hot guys, and they’d just gotten their first taste of it.
“Hey, if Colton has a girlfriend back home, why was he staring at Mallory that way?” Leslie asked Juliet, but her eyes were also on me.
“I don’t know. That’s an interesting question.” Juliet winked at me. “Maybe it’s because Mallory is too hard to resist.”
I held in the groan.
“Which Kappa are you with?” Leslie turned back to me.
“None.”
“Oh. So you’re single?”
“At the moment.”
“Cool. It’s nice to know not every sister has a boyfriend. That can get old.”
“Tell me about it.” I spotted Jade standing off by herself. “Can you excuse me for a second?”
“Sure.”
I walked over to Jade. “Did you enjoy your serenade?”
“Ah, yeah. Kind of embarrassing.”
“For who?”
“All involved.” She laughed.
“I might have to agree with you there. Welcome to pledging.”
“Thanks. I think this is going to be an interesting experience.”
“It will be. It’s going to be fun, but it’s also a lot of work. If you ever need to talk or anything, just let me know.”
“Thanks.” She smiled. “You’re why I didn’t drop out of rush.”
“What do you mean?”
“I wasn’t sure if a sorority was for me, but you made Delta Mu sound amazing.”
“Oh, wow. I’m so glad I had something to do with your decision.” I only hoped she enjoyed the experience. I loved it, but that didn’t mean it was for everyone.
“I’m excited to be here, but I feel bad for some of my friends who didn’t get a house.”
I frowned. “Yeah, that’s the worst part of the whole system. I wish there were enough spots for every girl who wants to join a sorority.”
“Do you think they’ll ever change things?”
“No.” I answered honestly. “It’s a combination of wanting to keep things exclusive and there not being enough chapters on campus.” I shared her distaste for the system. I’d even voiced it to the sorority council, but they’d shot me down pretty quickly.
“Yeah. That’s what I thought.”
I needed to lighten the mood again. “Do you want to go check out the desserts?” I gestured to the kitchen.
“Absolutely.”
She had a sweet tooth too? I’d officially found my little sister.