Ritual - Palm South University

It’s crazy what feeling settled in your love life can do for the rest of your life.

“And I was thinking,” Adam continues when I’m on my fortieth rep. “Instead of doing the concert like I’ve done the last two years, what if I changed it up a bit?”

I frown. “That concert… got you… on the map again,” I remind him. “It took Alpha Sigma from…” I groan, wrenching myself up and kissing him reluctantly before I lower again. “Nothing… to the talk of Greek Row.”

“I know, and I think that’s just it. It’s served its purpose, you know? But I want to keep things fresh and exciting.” He grins, kissing me before I go down for my last three reps. “What do you think about karaoke?”

“Karaoke?” I echo, finishing my last reps and enjoying the long, sweet kiss that follows the end of my torture before I lean back on my hands, sweating, panting. “As in, poor quality instrumental music from a speaker with an amateur singing the words on a monitor in front of them?”

“Exactly. Except, better.”

I chuckle. “Okay. I’m listening.”

“Picture this,” he says, excitement rolling off him. “We set up a huge stage, just like we normally do for the concert, and there’s a band set up — drums, guitars, bass, backup singers, all that. Then, each fraternity and sorority gets to compete for the trophy by pulling out their best karaoke skills. We’ll encourage them to not only bring out their best singers, but to also go for the entertainment factor — humor, dancing, all of it. Can you imagine how fun that would be?”

I tilt my head, cocking one eyebrow. “Honestly, my sisters do love karaoke.”

“Who doesn’t?”

“You said there’d be a band? So, instead of instrumental, it’s a real band?”

“Exactly. I already talked to a local band who does weddings and stuff. They said they can give me a giant list of songs they know for the fraternities and sororities to choose from. And we’ll do the lights up just like we do for the concert, and the fog and confetti and all that. It’ll feel like a real show.”

“That’s really cool,” I muse, smiling.

“And, we’ll make more for our charity this way, too. We can charge an entry fee for the fraternities and sororities to enter, and charge a low-ticket price, get prizes donated for the winners — first, second, and third place.” He’s so excited that he’s breathing as hard as he was when we got to the top of the parking garage after running up the stairs. “And if it goes off the way I have it planned, I feel like it would become a new tradition, kind of like the Greek Week games where we all compete.”

I lean forward, grabbing his face in mine and kissing him hard. “How did I get such a smart, sexy boyfriend?”

“Well, it wasn’t exactly easy.”

I snort, but before I can sass back, he’s pulling me in closer, wrapping me up in his arms, his love, kissing me like it’s the first and the last time at once.

“What about you?” he asks, popping up to stand before he reaches his hand down to help me up, too. “How has the new school year been for you so far? Anything new and exciting in the land of KKB?”

He grabs my shoulder as I grab his, and we both pull up the opposite foot to our butts, stretching our quads.

“We got a great group of new members,” I say, frowning. “And the pressure is on from my G-Big to take a Little.”

“Ex?”

I nod. “I didn’t take one last year, mostly because I just didn’t feel ready to, you know? And I guess I do feel ready this year, but… I don’t know.” I struggle to find the explanation. “It’s my junior year, you know? I have a ton of schoolwork, and I don’t know if I…” My stomach drops as the root of my concern hits me. “I don’t know if I’d be a good Big.”

We switch legs, and Adam squeezes my shoulder where he holds me. “Cassie, you’re an amazing friend, an amazing sister, a phenomenal kisser — er, I mean, girlfriend.”

I smirk.

“And I know you’d be an amazing Big — but only if you want to be one. Don’t feel like you have to just because it’s the norm. Take a Little if you want to continue your family line and pass down some traditions, if you want to mentor one of the new girls and help her find her footing in the sorority the way Sky helped you.”

I smile. “I really do think I’d like that. I don’t know what I would have done without Skyler, maybe dropped out of KKB altogether.”

“Well, then, maybe that’s your answer. But sleep on it, okay? You have time to think.”