Palm South University Season 1 Omnibus (5 page)

But now,
finally
, I know how to make it.

THEY MAKE US sit on our bids in the gym for ten minutes before we can open them and find out what sorority we’re running home to. Our group leader is trying to talk to us and distract us from the wait, but I feel like this card is burning a hole into my shorts right now.

I suicided Kappa Kappa Beta last night and I have no idea what’s about to happen.

“Can you believe it? We’re going to be
sisters
!” Paris squeals, squeezing my arm and bouncing a little. I smile back at her nervously and watch the clock on the far wall. Time has never passed so slow.

“Alright, ladies,” our leader says after an eternity. “Open your bids!”

The gym fills with a combination of rustling and envelope tearing followed by screaming, laughing, and crying. I slowly, calmly rip the top of my envelope and stare at the card when I pull it free. And then, I exhale.

Kappa Kappa Beta.

“AH! OH MY GOD OH MY GOD I’M FREAKING OUT!” Paris grabs my card and suddenly her smile fades. “Oh no…”

I’m still smiling. “No it’s okay, Paris. It’s what I wanted.”

She screws her face up. “What? What do you mean,
it’s what you wanted
? We were supposed to both go Zeta, Cass.”

“I know, but I just don’t fit in there, Paris. And that’s okay. You do, and I know they’re going to absolutely love you.”

She shakes her head, but doesn’t press me further. “Well, I’m sure you’ll like KKB, I just really thought we were in this together.” She hands my bid back. “I guess I’ll see you at the dorm tonight?”

“Yeah, for sure.” I pull her in for a hug, though she seems stiff. “I love you. Congratulations. We’re sorority girls!”

That seems to bring back a little of her pep and she squeezes me tight before squealing again. “I know, right?!”

“Just wait a second, why is everyone celebrating?” our group leader interjects. “You’re not home yet, ladies. Now… RUN!”

Everything turns to chaos. There are bags being tossed and girls tripping over their own feet as they clamor toward the doors and out onto the main campus road. I wait a little, but make sure I’m not last as we run toward Greek row.

Paris veers off at the Zeta house, looking back at me one last time with a sad smile. I blow her a kiss and keep running. Kappa Kappa Beta is the last house on the street. When I finally reach it, I’m completely out of breath. There are fraternity boys everywhere handing me flowers and teddy bears and giving me kisses on the cheek. I scour the crowd trying to figure out what to do next and notice all the KKB sisters are holding anchor-shaped signs with names on them. One of them says mine in all capital letters.

Making my way through the crowd, I smile when I see the hand attached to the sign. It’s the girl from last night. Her long hair is pulled up into a high pony with strands falling around her face and her makeup is immaculately done. She looks so different from last night, but her smile is still the same.

“Looks like that pond has a little magic in it, after all,” she says.

“Looks like it.”

“I’m Skyler,” she offers her hand. “Skyler Thorne.”

I reach out to shake her hand but she pulls me in for a gripping hug, instead. When we pull back, I say what I wanted to say last night but forgot. “Thank you.”

She winks. “We’re just getting started.”

Skyler takes me around the yard and inside the house, introducing me to other sisters and new members. We take so many pictures my face feels numb from smiling by the time we finish, but it’s fun. Everyone is so welcoming.

“Okay, it’s time to drink. Let’s hit the back yard!” Jess, one of the girls I met earlier this week, pops up beside Skyler, waggling her eyebrows.

“No arguments here. What do you say, Cassie?” Skyler asks.

And at first, I’m not sure what to say. This week has been all about figuring out where I belong. But now, the decision has been made and school doesn’t start until Monday.

I think it’s time to enjoy myself.

“Hell yeah!”

They both cheer and we make our way through the house and up to the rooms. Apparently they room together, because as soon as we walk into the large, two-bed room, they each cross to a different dresser and begin rummaging through it. Skyler tosses a skimpy bathing suit back to me.

“Here, I think this one should fit you. You can change in the bathroom right here.” She points to an open door leading into a large, white-tiled bathroom and I can see another bedroom on through the opposite door. I duck in, change quickly, and meet them back in their room. They each have sundresses on, Skyler in a cute yellow maxi dress and Jess in a short red number with no straps.

Jess tosses me a cute lavender sundress and I pull it on over my suit. They both appraise me, smile, and then we head back downstairs and out to the back yard. When Jess swings the door open and gallivants off, I have a hard time closing my mouth.

The yard is covered with people – guys, girls – all in letters. There’s a blow up slip-n-slide on one side of the yard and a pit full of bubbles in the other. A few people are already in their swim suits, either laying out in the yard or wandering around. More and more people join them as I stare.

“We kind of have to sneak the drinks,” Skyler says, sliding me a flask and watching over my back for someone. Who, I’m not sure. “Technically we’re not supposed to drink on KKB property.”

“Really?” I take a swig from the flask and my face twists, but I stomach it. Rum.

She nods. “Yeah. The guys can drink all they want at the frat houses, but our council is pretty strict about not allowing sororities to drink in or around their houses. I guess it’s unladylike or something.” She shrugs, taking the flask from me and throwing it back. “Whatever. We have our ways.” She grins just as someone bumps me from behind.

“Whoa!” I feel strong hands grip me around my middle and steady me. “Sorry about that.” I turn to tell whoever it is that it’s fine but when I come face to face with a lean, dark-haired guy with a heart-stopping smile, I forget how to speak. Or breathe. “You okay?”

I nod, which I’m surprised I can even remember how to do. He smiles wider, revealing perfect, blazing white teeth and one dimple on the left side of his beautiful face. His eyes are dark – almost as dark as his jet-black hair – and in nothing but floral-print board shorts and a white fraternity tank top, his lean muscles are on full display.

I swallow.

The guy’s eyes move from me to Skyler and back again as he removes his hands. I feel a slight sting on my skin where he was touching me when he does. “I’m Adam Brooks, Alpha Sigma.” He reaches his hand out to me first and I shake it numbly before he moves to Skyler. He eyes us both carefully, grin still intact.

“Skyler Thorne. And this is one of our new members, Cassie McBee.”

“Nice to meet you both. Although we have a problem.”

Skyler cocks a brow. “Oh?”

“Yeah. You see, you’ve got a flask. I’ve been here at least two minutes now and you have yet to offer me a drink.”

Skyler giggles. “Why, whatever were we thinking, Cassie?”

I find my voice and try to keep up with the banter. “We’re not being very ladylike, at all!” Taking the flask from Skyler, I hand it to Adam, shaking slightly and hoping he won’t notice.

His grin intensifies and his eyes assess me, falling down my body slowly before meeting my eyes again. “I knew you two would be good hostesses.” He tips the flask to us before downing back a shot. Then, he reaches behind him and grips his shirt just behind his neck, pulling it up and over his head. My eyes immediately fall to his chiseled abdomen and toned chest and my throat is dry again.

Holy hell.

“Are you a freshman, Cassie McBee?” he asks and again I can only nod in response. He chuckles, tossing me his shirt and tipping back the flask once more before handing it back to me. “Welcome to Palm South!”

He takes off running and dives headfirst down the inflatable slip-n-slide, leaving me holding fast to the cool metal of the flask and staring like an idiot. Slowly, I look over at Skyler, my mouth still wide. She laughs, shrugs, then pulls her sundress up and over her head, too.

“What he said.” She grins and then takes off running in the same direction.

And I realize this is it. This is the first day of the next four years of my life. I’m here to get a degree, and that’s more important to me than anything else. But at the same time, I’m here to have fun. And right now, standing in a yard full of shirtless fraternity boys and sisters who will be by my side through all the shit college will throw at me, I know without a doubt there will be no shortage of fun in my life.

This is Palm South. This is Kappa Kappa Beta.

And I am
so
excited for both.

THE FIRST WEEK OF CLASS is my favorite. It’s syllabus week, which means we only go over the hell we’re about to endure instead of actually getting any of it assigned to us just yet. As I take a seat near the back of my last Wednesday class, Scope and Methods of Political Science, I chug down the rest of the iced coffee I picked up on the way over and sink down into the chair. I’m still hungover from post-rush weekend and I can’t wait to get back to the sorority house. I need a freaking nap.

I’m one of the last ones in and less than a minute later, the professor claps her hands together. “Alright, let’s get the logistics out of the way, shall we?” She’s a middle-aged woman with dark brown hair and a smile too cheerful for me at the moment. She’s dressed modestly in an all-navy dress suit and dark red lipstick covers her bird lips. Yep, definitely fits the part of a political science professor. “I’m Dr. Louise Maynard and hopefully you all already know that this is Scope and Methods. If you’re here, I’m also safely assuming that you’re Poli Sci majors. So, show of hands, how many of you are pre-law?”