Initiation

*note: This is an unfinished draft of a story I’m working on for The Rule Everyone Knows. Just doing a temperature check for characterization. I’m going to keep it here until I complete the draft and finish editing it. Do not be gentle if something isn’t working.

The chapter meeting ended in silence, the pledges holding their faces together above their uncomfortably knotted ties as the AAE brothers left the room. All of the southern boys from good families aspired to be brothers of Alpha Alpha Epsilon, also known as Alpha Assholes Everywhere and AA Eventually. Dressing for meetings was a tradition as old as the fraternity itself, allegedly reminding the boys who they were, where they came from, and to conduct themselves with dignity.

To break the tension, Jason unleashed a monster fart, clashing with his neutral Versace merino suit.

“Dude, that was toxic. Save it for your date,” Heyward drawled from the chair supporting his always-relaxed body and was received with respectful laughter. Heyward, quadruple legacy, was the undisputed president of the pledge class, panhellenic council leader to be with future alumnus achievements waiting to be filled in on his resume. “Anyway, it’s not eventually yet, and it’s not like we have any say in this shit. Let’s pollute our livers.”

Nick and Alex mumbled something about studying, but Moose rose from the bench that served as his chair. “Hell fucking yeah! Let’s worry about this bullshit tomorrow when Reese gives us the list.”

They piled into Moose’s jeep, hauling ass down fraternity row to the bar that was loose about ID. Heyward’s uncle owned it, and if there was ever trouble, the AAE brothers were whisked into the back room and up the stairs to the loft apartment, ducking under the caution tape across the threshold.

The entire pledge class, except and Nick and Alex, gpa legacies, slept through morning classes. The Samuelsons were excused from most pledge duties by virtue of keeping the chapter out of academic probation, three generations strong thus far, and the Samuelsons gave back, offering their house in Destin for spring break and their cabin in Boone for the winter ski trip.

The list was slipped under the doors of the pledge suites before they woke into their hangovers. They plied into Moose’s Jeep again, Nick driving his fellow pledges to the dining hall to soak up some of last night’s beer and tequila.

After dumping half its contents in his own orange juice, Heyward passed his monogrammed flask around the table. Screwdrivers, coffee, Coca-Cola, eggs, bacon, hash browns, toast, yogurt, fruit, and cereal were demolished in record time.

Nick unfolded a copy of the list, all sorority sisters, and no sorority was exempt. A few events were listed beneath the names, with bonus points attached to some. The ADPi crush dance was worth the most, and sororities were ranked as well.

“Jesus fuck, Nick. Did your cousin come up with these categories? Since when is math part of pledge duties?” Bates slurred, already on his third screwdriver.

“Don’t worry, Batesy,” Heyward gave him a level look. “ Just get Katie Burnside to go to the ADPi dance with you, and the math takes care of itself.”

As if on cue, Katie, surrounded by her KD sisters, floated into the dining hall, turning every head in the room. Bates promptly slopped the remainder of his drink down his shirt and shot Heyward a look as the table laughed at him.

Moose, having taken in just the right amount of courage, rose from the table and lumbered over to Katie. Shortly, she and her friends were giggling at something Moose said, and he accompanied them through the line, carrying Katie’s coffee, yogurt and fruit cup to the table directly across the dining room from the AAEs.

“Moose knows how to get shit done,” Heyward mused as Bates glowered at him. Bates rose and crossed the room.

“Hey, Stacy, we need to get back to the house. You can flirt later.” A cruel smile lifted Bates’s lips.

“Is your name Stacy?” Katie giggled, “that’s my sister’s name!”

Moose didn’t miss a beat. “Nick has my keys. I’ll meet y’all back at the house,” he said, briefly acknowledging Bates’s presence before turning back to Katie. “It’s true, your sister and I have the same name. I have some numerals, too, but for some reason, everyone calls me Moose instead of Stacy Four.” He plucked a strawberry off Katie’s plate and popped it in his mouth. After he swallowed, he smiled down at her and said, “But you, sweetness, can call me anything you want, especially if I can have the honor of escorting you to the ADPi crush dance.”

Bates heard her accept on his way back to the table. Heyward noticed the set of his jaw and refrained from commenting, wondering if he could steal Katie out from under Moose.

“Alright, who else is on the list?” Bates snapped at Nick.

Nick read the names, beginning with Katie and ending with Zoe Wiggins, a Zeta.

“How come feminazi Zoe isn’t worth more than Katie? I hear she prefers a box lunch at the Y to a tube steak.” Bates grumbled. “At least Katie doesn’t want to live on Wonder Woman’s island.”