Casey's POV
"Think long and hard, Casey," Amber Stevens, my sorority's new president, says to me. "Did you see me at Rush events when I was Pledge Mistress?"
"No," I reply.
"Exactly. You are not allowed to attend Rush events at all this school year."
"Why?" I ask her.
"If you attend the events, the potential pledges will get to know you and…like you. We can't have them liking you, Casey. You're their Mistress; they need to fear you. You will not see them until their first official pledge task, the Greek alphabet task. Have you ever called a girl a slut?"
"No, not to her face."
"Casey, Casey. You're so far behind. Call me something. Right now. Pretend I'm one of your pledges and I've just disobeyed you."
I start to channel everything I remember about my pledging experience. Here goes nothing. "Pledge Stevens, you mouthy little slut. When I say be at my place in half an hour, your bitch ass better be here in half an hour. I don't care what you were doing. As long as you're pledging this sorority, I own you!"
"Novak, I am impressed!" Amber says to me. "I think you're even better than I was. I can totally tell you were one of Stephanie's pledges. Well, I guess this lesson is over. Meet me back here in three hours for lesson two."
Thank goodness.
There's still a week before school begins and I am on a three-day retreat at a beach house for G-Pi juniors, seniors, and recent alumni. A sorority retreat may sound fun, but the purpose of this one is so all of last year's officers can train the incoming officers. It's day one of my Pledge Mistress training and I'm already starting to regret this. Amber told me that being a bitch to the pledges instills loyalty, but I'm having a hard time believing that. I hate calling girls "bitch" and "slut." It's so degrading, but all of my sisters swear it's necessary. So far, I've mastered name calling. My next lesson is on how to make the pledges fear me. I can hardly wait. Yes, I am being sarcastic.
I decide to leave the house and take a walk along the beach to clear my head. I really miss Alex and Kylie, but at the same time I'm excited to be here. Aside from all of the lessons, I'm glad I get to have this kind of bonding experience with my sisters. It's hard to believe how far we've come. I remember when Layla, Alejandra, and I were little freshmen pledging to this sorority and now we're juniors and helping the executive board run it.
"Casey! Wait up!" I hear Alejandra shout to me. Although I spent my summer in LA and she spent hers at home in Dallas, the two of us became so much closer over the past three months. We were on the phone or on AIM at least an hour each day, talking about everything we have planned for this school year. She was elected Social Chair and she was telling me about all of the events she has in mind for the sorority. Alejandra loves to party, so her position is absolutely perfect for her.
The beach does wonders for this girl. How she manages to look so beautiful with such minimal effort is beyond me. I keep thinking about the moment at the Mother's Day brunch when she told me she liked me. Neither of us have mentioned it since then, but it's still something that lingers whenever we're together. Also, the universe must be playing a cruel joke on us because someone paired us off while making sleeping arrangements for the retreat. Alejandra and I have been forced to share a room, a room with only one bed. This is going to be a very interesting three days.
When she catches up to me, I decide to blurt out what's on my mind, but I'm distracted by the way her white skirt complements her olive skin tone…and how her long, black hair looks silkier than ever while most girls get frizzy hair at the beach.
"I don't want this to be weird," I blurt out.
Alejandra starts to laugh, "because that didn't make it weird already?"
"You know what I'm talking about."
"Oh, you're referring to the way you can just cut the sexual tension with a knife."
"Is it that obvious?" I ask.
"Very. All of our sisters know. Why do you think Amber and Stephanie put us in the same room."
"I'm married, Alejandra, and I don't want to mess that up. I love Alex. I'm happy with her."
"She's not that great, you know? She doesn't understand you the way I do. Kelly broke up with me this summer and it didn't even phase me because I was thinking only about you. The whole time I was in Dallas, I was wishing you were there with me. I was thinking about what we'd do together and everything I'd want to show you in my hometown. I was home alone one night when it rained and I kept thinking about you being there and how we'd kiss on my balcony. I remember you telling me you've always wanted to be kissed in the rain, but Alex never did that with you."
"Alejandra?"
"Yeah?"
I forget what I'm about to say and decide to live in the moment. I inch my way closer and closer to her. Our lips are only centimeters apart. I'm about to move in closer when…
"What the hell?" I say after I've been pelted in the head with a beach ball. I turn around and see Layla Ortiz running away. "You're so in for it, Layla!" I shout as I start running after her.
When I catch up to Layla, I tackle her to the ground.
"What the hell?" I ask.
"I was saving you from ruining your life."
"What are you talking about?"
"Casey, I'm going to be blunt," she tells me. "I love Alejandra to death, but if you cheat on Alex you're going to regret it."
"I know. I know. It's just that…I'm falling for her. I really am. I try to tell myself that I'm not, but I know it's just a lie. I'm so fucked. I don't know what to do," I tell her as the tears start rolling down my cheeks.
This is going to be the longest, most excruciating three days of my life. Welcome to junior year, Casey.