Ritual - Palm South University

Until I see a familiar face that I haven’t seen since last semester.

Well, I’ll be damned.

Kip Jackson struts in like he owns the place, and I only look at him for a split second before I find Skyler, who covers her mouth with both hands and tears up immediately. The damn sight of it gets me choked up and Lei pokes my ribs, making fun of me as I swat her away like I did Kade.

Damn emotions.

Kip takes Skyler’s hand in his, kissing it before thrusting it up into the air. “Ladies of Kappa Kappa Beta, your new president!”

We all clap and cheer and lose our shit, and then the brothers all start swaying — some of them playing guitar, some of them singing the lyrics to “My Girl.” Before long, all my sisters join in, too, and when the song finishes, Kip calls our attention back to him long enough to present Skyler with the Alpha Sigma letters on a delicate gold chain.

A lavalier.

“Skyler Thorne, you mean everything to me. You are my world. When we met earlier this year, we were both playing a game that neither of us was prepared to lose. Tricks were played, hearts were broken, but in the end — we somehow made it out alive. Together. I promised to never gamble with your heart again, and this is me showing that promise to the world. Please, make me the happiest man in the world, Ella Mae. Wear my lavalier?”

God, it’s just too fucking sweet!

I’m so annoyed that I’m all teary-eyed and gooey as the room cheers again and Kip puts the necklace around Skyler’s neck. Kade’s eyes find mine, and he winks, giving me a shit-eating grin that tells me he sees just how emotional I am over the whole night.

Damn it all.

“Alright, bitches!” I yell, standing up before I can cry. “Let’s go party! Everyone to Ralph’s!”

Ashlei laughs as the rest of the sorority cheers in agreement, and then Kade sneaks up behind me, squeezing my hips. I turn, and as much as the old Jess would have thumped him on the nose or shoved him away, it’s the last thing I want to do. Instead, I throw my arms around his neck and kiss him for everyone to see, both loving and hating the butterflies in my chest.

This kid was just supposed to be a distraction, a free ride, a little fun in my last semester.

And then the asshole went and stole my heart.

“Someone is all in their feels tonight,” he says, kissing my neck.

“Shut up.”

“It’s okay to be mushy sometimes, Jess. No one will judge you for having a pulse and emotions.”

“I am judging me,” I argue.

Kade chuckles, threading his hand through mine. “Come on, let’s go get you drunk. That’ll take your mind off your feels. Plus,” he adds, sucking my earlobe between his teeth. “Then, I can take advantage of you.”

“Finally on date 3,” I muse.

“Finally.”

“We could just skip Ralph’s altogether.”

“But it was your idea. You just told everyone to go there.”

I huff dramatically. “Fine. But you’re driving.”

That earns me a kiss on the cheek, and I lean into Kade, wrapping my arm through his as we make our way to the back of the house and out to the parking lot before making our way down Greek Row to the Alpha Sig house.

“So, classes are over, graduation in just a few days… how are you feeling?”

I sigh. “Weird.”

“Going to miss all this?”

“Of course. But, as much as I’m sad, I’m excited, too. I’ll have a big girl job soon, and my own apartment, and who knows what else. College has been amazing, but… I’m ready for what’s next.”

“And what about me?”

I tap his nose. “What about you?”

“You going to miss me, too?”

All the joking is gone, and I see the vulnerability in Kade’s eyes like I’ve never seen it before. I pull him to a stop on the sidewalk, frowning. “I don’t have to miss you. I’ll still be local. I thought… I mean, I thought we’d stay together.”

He lets out a long breath. “You did?”

“Of course, I did, you dummy.” I shove him playfully. “What, you think I’d spend all that time and effort morphing you into my perfect little sex god just to let some other girl reap the benefits? No way.”

“Hey, I was a sex god before you got to me. You just made me better.”

“Mm-hmm, whatever you say.” I lean up on my tiptoes and press a kiss to his lips. “But seriously, I want to do this. I want to keep dating and see where this goes… that is, if you want to. I mean, you’re a junior, you still have some time here, and I don’t want to hold you back from enjoying it.”

“You don’t hold me back from anything,” he says quickly, sincerely. “You make it better.”