THE REVENGE SQUAD
EVELYN
I WALK BACK TO RESIDENCE AFTER MY CLASSES, PULLING MY SWEATER COAT TIGHTER AROUND ME. The late September weather is chilly, and the leaves are already turning red and orange. I exhale. It’s only a month into my Monarch College life, and nothing is turning out as I’d hoped.
Of course, I have much to be happy about. Annie is now my stalwart best friend and I’m making new friends in my residence and classes. Scholastically, I’m excited about my courses.
But I’m too different from everyone else.
I don’t share the pop culture references that everyone else has.
I haven’t had the same social experiences, like high school, dating, part-time jobs.
And I don’t look like everyone else here in ways I can’t really put a finger on.
Sure, my wardrobe is mostly altered thrift finds and home-sewn garments, but even my store-bought jeans don’t look like other people’s.
And I’ve already messed up on one of my dream goals, getting into Alpha Zeta Mu. Annie was incredulous that I turned down Sigma Phi, but that’s my way. I aim high and work towards my goals. I’m going to try again next year. All I have to do is figure out the codes of fitting in.
Of course, my other goal—getting a boyfriend—feels equally impossible. Men here don’t seem to notice me. And honestly, I haven’t yet met anyone that I want to date. Even if I did, I wouldn’t know the first thing about how to demonstrate my interest.
When my phone trills, I start, still not used to having a cellphone. I check, and it’s my father. I panic.
Dad?
Evelyn. How is college going? His clipped voice sounds like he’s right next to me, and I instinctively straighten my posture. Of course, he can’t actually see me but with my father, who knows.
Fine. All my classes are challenging. The assignments so far have not been difficult.
It sounds as if I’m reporting to a headmaster, but my father is intimidating.
He’s extremely intelligent with a formal manner.
I’m shocked that he’s calling at all, since my mother is usually the communications conduit.
Look, I’m calling about your mother, he says, and my heart plummets.
Is she not well? I already feel guilty because I haven’t called her since I got the sorority rejection. While I realize that Alpha Zeta Mu was my own fantasy, I still feel like I’m disappointing her.
My father pauses for a tense moment, then replies, Physically, she’s fine. But mentally, she misses you very much. She’s experiencing a low.
It’s not like him to be so vague. Like a depression? My mother can be sensitive and moody at times.
I wouldn’t classify it as depression, but I’m not a medical expert. But what would help is if you called her more regularly. Kept her abreast of your activities.
Okay, sure. I don’t mention that she was the one who suggested that we talk less. It’s a chance to separate from your old mom and have a new start, she’d insisted.
Good. Thanks. Then he disconnects the call. My father never wastes words. He communicates with intention, and that question about my schoolwork was his attempt at socializing. Besides, he won’t tell my mother he called. He prefers his interventions to appear natural and unprompted.
I calculate the time in Moscow so I can decide whether I can call her right away.
Ugh, it’s 11:00 PM there, so too late. My dad keeps insane hours working late into the night and then getting up early for his calisthenics routine.
He’s so immaculately disciplined that he still weighs exactly what he did when he met my mom over twenty years ago.
Before I put away my phone, I find a new email from Alpha Zeta Mu. My hopes jump. Maybe there was an omission?
It’s a message from Destiny Brown, the woman in charge of rush activities. She asks if I can meet her at 7:30 tonight. No details or explanation. I agree immediately, hoping for good news.
After dinner, I have a clothing crisis. As I discard my third outfit onto the bed, Annie finally intervenes.
Why are you getting all excited about this? If they were going to admit you, her email would have stated that. This must be something else.
But what could it be besides a bid? I ask.
She shrugs. Maybe they want you to perform some menial chore for them, like sweep their floors or help them study for a history exam. I don’t understand why you didn’t join Sigma Phi with me.
But I’ve dreamed of this for so long, it’s hard to give up. I pull on my final outfit: a floral blouse with navy velvet jeans. Okay. I'm off. Wish me luck.
Ugh, good luck. But be careful, she cautions.
They’re not going to kidnap me, I scoff as I swallow down a bubble of nervousness.
I walk swiftly to the beautiful sorority house on the edge of campus. It’s glowing in the twilight, the large home draped with fairy lights. The Greek letters are spotlit on the pediment. It’s a place with glamour and authority.
I knock on the door, and it’s flung open by a very pretty woman in pale pink sweats with dark auburn hair. I try to smile, but my lips aren’t cooperating.
Hi. I’m here to see Destiny, I say.
Her bright smile flows easily. Hi, I’m Mia. You must be Evelyn.
Yes. Evelyn Smith. Then I curse myself for just repeating her words instead of saying something casual and witty. That’s the kind of member they want here, not someone who gets tongue-tied at hello.
Right this way. I follow her bouncing ponytail down a hallway to a closed door. She raps on the door, opens it right away, and motions me inside.
It’s a plush sitting room with upholstered chairs and love seats positioned around an unlit brick fireplace. There are three women relaxed in the chairs, and they all stare intently at me, their eyes raking up and down my body. I feel like a prize cow at auction.
I recognize Destiny, who’s tall with waves of dark brown hair. I instinctively smooth my unruly curls. There's another other woman here I've met before, Jordan. She's an athletic-looking brunette with wide, thickly-lashed eyes. The third woman has black hair and pale, luminous skin.
Nobody says a word for a moment. I’m not sure if I’m supposed to sit or not, so I waver at the edge of the carpet.
Have a seat. Destiny motions to an armchair. As I nervously lower myself, I stumble and my large purse vaults into the lap of the raven-haired woman.
Oh, I’m so sorry, I gasp.
She lets out a loud sigh as she hands the purse to me. Then she turns and murmurs to Destiny, There is no way that this is going to work.
Have faith, Angelica. You must see the potential. Destiny smiles at me, and introduces everyone: Jordan Krause, Angelica Ford, and Mia Hamilton.
So, Evelyn. I’m sorry that you didn’t get a bid to Alpha Zeta Mu, Destiny begins smoothly. You were so close, but we had very limited numbers this semester.
Angelica coughs into her hand.
Destiny leans closer. I think we were your first choice, right?
I nod energetically. I was inspired by my mother. She went to Monarch and thought that Alpha Zeta Mu was by far the leading sorority. She praised all the charitable work that you do.
Jordan starts and picks up a pale purple file folder with my name on it. Wait, your mother wasn’t a legacy, was she? What was her name?
Diana Gardiner. But no, her father forbade her from joining a sorority. Perhaps that’s why she admired yours so much.
Angelica frowns at me. Forbade? Where did you go to high school?
I was home-schooled, I explain.
Her eyebrows disappear under her dark bangs. For high school too? I would die.
I rub my sweaty hands over the soft velvet of my pants. I didn’t have many options. We moved a lot…in Europe.
Europe? Like Paris? Jordan asks eagerly.
No. More like Finland. I hope that this will stop the questions.
It does. Most people don’t know enough about Finland to ask more, even though there are many Scandinavian immigrants in Minnesota.
Ladies, let’s stop giving poor Evelyn the third degree until I can explain why I invited her here.
Destiny smiles at me. But before I say another word, I would like you to sign a confidentiality agreement.
She pushes a pen and paper in front of me.
We are all sorority sisters, and as sisters we keep each other’s secrets.
But this feels slightly sinister.
I’m sorry, but before I sign anything, I’d like to know what’s going on, I state firmly. Perhaps I’m not the most confident in social matters, but signing an official document in complete ignorance is for fools.
Destiny nods approvingly as if I’m a dog who has performed correctly. So, it’s a bit of an unusual circumstance. What we’d like to offer you is a chance to join our sorority.
But I thought your quota was complete. Did someone not accept? Hope bubbles up inside me.
It’s kind of… a backdoor invitation, she hedges. Someone did drop out, and as Recruitment Chair, I’m in charge of finding the next pledge.
My spirits rise. I take the paper and read the short text.
I, Evelyn Smith, agree not to reveal to anyone the proposal made to me tonight, otherwise I will be subject to suspension from all sorority and fraternity activities on campus.
It’s dated, and there are lines for witnesses.
While Alpha Z is the top sorority on campus, I rather doubt that they can control all the other sororities, so this threat seems unenforceable.
Is this proposal something illegal? I ask.
Destiny's eyes widen. Of course not. And we’ll all sign as well.
While I still have misgivings, I'm intrigued about what's going on here. Greek life always has a hint of mystery around it with secret ceremonies and traditions. I sign, and the document gets passed around the group. It already feels like we're bonded in some significant way.
Destiny leans towards me, her eyes glinting. Evelyn, Alpha Zeta Mu is a sisterhood. We are bound together for life. If you hurt one of us, you hurt all of us.
I bite my lip and nod, even though physiologically that's impossible. Unfortunately, my father’s pragmatism has made me resistant to flights of fancy and dramatic metaphors.