37. Lydia
Lydia
“I GOT INTO DELTA GAMMA!” Simone yells, bursting into our dorm room.
“AHHHHH!” I scream, getting up from my bed and sprinting over to hug her.
Lani jumps up from her bed too, squealing and smiling with that wild grin of hers, and I can’t help but smile too, caught up in all the contagious energy.
“Our little Greek girl!” Lani coos, still bouncing with excitement.
I plop back down on the bed, rolling onto my stomach, and resting my head on top of my hands, pretending to be a little pouty. “Does this mean you’re gonna forget all about us now and only wanna hang out with your new ‘sisters’?”
Simone walks over and smacks my arm, making my head fall. “Never! But, I mean… you both could…” She looks between Lani and me deviously, “rush next year and be with me!”
Lani makes a fake gagging motion, and I laugh, rolling onto my back. “Ummm…I don’t think I’m sorority material, babe.”
“Lies!” both Lani and Simone say in sync.
I roll my eyes at my delusional friends. “Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t know the bright, bubbly, very colorful, and very charismatic sorority girls were looking for a black sheep to join the Delta Phi Sigma square root of sixty-four sorority house.”
Lani laughs, and Simone sucks her teeth at me.
“Shut up, you’re not a black sheep. You’ve really stepped out of your shell a lot recently, Lydia.
I mean, look at you, you don’t even stick to your all-black—still cute—but grunge style anymore…
and you’re hot! You’ve always been hot! Any sorority would kill to have you in their house. Trust me. You’re a catch.”
“I won’t…” I say sarcastically while laughing. “But thank you for the daily confidence boost, Simone.”
“I’ll keep boosting up your head until you start to believe for yourself that you really are the prize around here.”
“What would I do without you?”
“You’d still be a baddie. You’d just be a baddie without a baddie best friend who loves you and is always here to hype you up.”
“That would be a true tragedy,” I tell her as I get back up to grab my phone.
“Will y’all go with me down to Greek row to the Gamma house before class? I want to introduce you two to some of the girls and grab some shirts they had made for tonight’s mixer.”
“I’m down,” Lani tells her.
The room goes silent, and when I turn around from the dresser with my phone, they’re both sitting on Lani’s bed, staring at me, waiting for an answer.
I sigh. “Fine. Sure. Whatever. I’ll go meet the girls who are about to steal my best friend away from me.”
“Love you,” Simone singsongs. “You’re the best.”
“I know,” I say flatly.
Simone winks at me. “That’s what I like to hear.”
I roll my eyes playfully at her as she stands up and takes my hand, dragging us all out of the room. I quickly swipe my bag sitting on the floor as I’m pulled out of the door against my will.
* * *
On our walk from our dorms to Greek row, we’re laughing and joking with Simone about all the crazy things we pretend we’ve heard are a part of the hazing they do here at A she’s our spirit chair. Ava, this is Simone, one of our new pledges.”
She hugs Simone and tells her they’re happy to have her at Gamma, and as soon as she goes to say something else to Joy, there’s a knock on the door.
Ava perks up. “That must be Ryan.”
She rushes over to the door, and when she opens it, three guys walk in together. The one I assume is Ryan leans down and kisses Ava before they all walk back over to where we’re standing.
Ava introduces Simone to the guys. “Simone, this is my boyfriend, Ryan, and this is Chase and Tank, his frat brothers from Sigma Chi.”
Simone smiles and introduces herself to them as well.
Chase stares at me with a smirk on his face as he looks me over. “And who are these pretty ladies?”
Simone turns to us and lights up. “These are my roommates and best friends—Lydia and Lani.”
Chase steps closer, reaching his hand out to shake mine, never breaking eye contact. “Lydia,” he repeats like he likes the way it sounds. “Nice to meet you.”
I take his hand and smile back at him. “You too,” I say shyly.
“Okay, Playboy. Stop flirting with the fresh meat,” Tank tells him as he claps a hand on his shoulder.
Chase lets go of my hand, but doesn’t drop eye contact as he responds to Tank. “I’m just trying to give them a warm welcome, that’s all.”
His dimples are showing as he smiles at me, and I get instant butterflies.
What the hell is going on here?
“Will I see you tonight at the mixer?”
I look over to Simone and Lani, who are just staring in fascination. They say nothing— No help.
“Um… I’m not in the sorority.” I tell him, trying not to be awkward.
“Oh, girl, it’s not a closed party,” Joy says. “You two should come!”
“Speaking of the party,” Ava pipes in. “Chop chop, boys. I made you come over to do all the heavy lifting of setting up for us.”
Ryan wraps an arm around her. “We got it, babe. Just tell us what you need us to do. It’s kinda sexy when you boss me around.”
She shakes her head at him, smiling. “Come on. I’ll show you what to do before I have to run a couple of errands. And you said Simone, right?—” she asks, turning back to us. Simone nods her head. “The spirit shirts are in the dining room in boxes. Just find your size and take a couple.”
“Okay, cool. Thanks.”
Then the boys all start to walk away, following Ava.
Chase stops and looks back at me once more. “So I am going to see you tonight then, right?”
I have no idea where my sudden confidence comes from as I flirt back a little. “I guess you’ll just have to find out by looking for me.”
He gives me a touché nod. “I like a challenge,” and then he winks at me. “I’ll see you tonight, Lydia.”
I shrug. “Maybe.”
When they’re out of sight, Joy tells Simone she has a couple of things to do, but to grab her shirts and be here tonight at nine. All pledges have to be here before the mixer starts.
When she walks away, both Lani and Simone turn to me, faces in pure shock.
“What…the hell…was that?”
I try to play it off, acting confused—‘cause honestly, what the hell was that, is right. “What?”
“You were totally flirting with him!” Simone whisper-shouts.
“Was I?”
“Stop playing stupid,” Lani deadpans.
I giggle a little, and Simone’s jaw drops open.
“You were! I knew it. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you flirt before,” she ponders. “That was kinda hot.”
I wave her off. “It was harmless. It’s not like I’m really going to the party…I have too much schoolwork to catch up on—”
“Oh no!” Simone interrupts. “You’re definitely coming! Are you kidding me?”
“Simone—”
“No, I’m with Simone here,” Lani agrees. “We’re definitely going. How can you not want to see him again? I mean, did you see him?”
I roll my eyes at her. “Yes, I saw him…He’s just a pretty-faced frat boy. No good can come from those.”
“Have a little fun, Lydia,” Lani encourages.
I sigh, knowing I can’t say no to them. Simone already knows what that sigh means and starts to get excited. “Yes! Okay, we have to get to class, but we’re totally getting you all dolled up tonight, Lydia! Ah! This is going to be so much fun!”
“Lord…what am I getting myself into?”