Stepbrother Frat

1

Confusion filled me as I blinked my eyes open. Where am I?

A quick glance at my body confirmed that I was fine: still fully dressed, whew. But for some reason, I had a sheet covering my entire body--including my head. Carefully, I pulled it down and glanced around me. All of the decorations were red and gold. The wallpaper was a deep, blood red color with gold letters stenciled on: ZΦΠ. Zeta Phi Pi.

Shit, I’m in the Zeta’s frat house!

It shouldn’t be too bad since my stepbrother Derek’s a Zeta, but for the next couple of weeks no one was safe.

Yesterday afternoon, Carli Brooks, president of the Xi Nu Chi sorority announced that we were having a Greek-wide game. Killer, she called it. Each Greek member would have a target from another sorority or fraternity and would have to ‘kill’ them through writing on their body with a Sharpie. Whoever you killed would have to give you their target, and that would be your next target.

I wasn’t going to participate, but one of my sorority sisters, Darcy, said it’d be a great way to meet the other Greeks on campus. And then we decided to celebrate with a glass of wine… or three. I don’t remember, but somehow I ended up in my stepbrother’s frat house. I checked my wrist, my lifeline--a beaded bracelet--was still firmly blocking the circulation on my wrist. I was safe. For now.

Pulling out my sleek new mobile phone, I quickly texted Darcy.

Me: Darcy, what the hell? Why am I at the Zeta house?

Within seconds, Darcy had already responded.

Darcy: LOL you don’t remember? You followed your brother there and refused to come home with me

Cheeks flaming, I shot upright in my seat. I followed Derek here? Why? Well, there was one reason why. One obvious reason. Derek’s fucking hot. Ever since our parents got hitched when I was 16 and he was 18, I couldn’t really take my eyes off him. But at the same time, I’d always been extra careful in not revealing that I felt that way about him because it’s so wrong and he’d never look at me the same way again. It’s a little hard for me to believe that I followed him here just because I had a few drinks.

I could hear voices approaching, and I lowered myself back down to the ground as quietly as I could. Fortunately, I had the couch as a shield, so unless they walked into their living room I should be safe.

“Darcy? Yeah, she’s alright. A little bit of a ditz,” one of the voices said.

“What about her friend though? The chubby one? What’s her name... ” He snapped his fingers. “Karla! That’s it.”

“Dude, shut up, that’s Derek’s sister,” he whispered, but they were standing so close I could hear. Tears stung the corners of my eyes. So that’s how they saw me, just ‘the chubby one’.

“Oops. Sorry, I meant… The one with the ass!” Both guys erupted into laughter as the front door slammed shut.

Feeling ashamed and humiliated, I scavenged for my purse. There was no hesitation as I rushed to the front door, the tears freely streaming down my face.

The first person I saw when I finally got into the house was Darcy.

“Hey.” Her voice was all concern. “What’s wrong? They didn’t… did they?” She was already gasping in shock, as if I’d said yes. Good old Darcy, always assuming the worst.

“No,” I almost laughed at the thought of any of the Zeta brothers being interested in me after what I just witnessed--let alone forcing themselves on me. “Nothing like that. I just overheard them talking and they were being jerks, that’s all.”

“Oh,” she breathed in relief. “Well, whatever. Screw them; they’re all asshats anyway.”

I couldn’t help but giggle at the term. I’d only been initiated into Tau Beta Mu two months ago, but I already knew that I could trust Darcy to cheer me up when I was down.

“Anyways,” she started excitedly, “The Tabbies just got invited to the Zeta’s mixer this Friday! I have no idea what I’m going to wear. We should go shopping!”

Tabbies was our sorority’s nickname, because of Tau Beta.

For a split second, I was really excited, but the reality was weighing down on me. I shook my head sadly. “I’m not going, Darce.”

“Why not? It’s the first mixer we’ve been invited to this term! It’s your first mixer, period!”

“I know, but I don’t think they like me, Darcy. I wouldn’t feel welcomed there.”

“Don’t be stupid, your brother’s a Zeta. Of course you’d be welcomed.”

“He’s my stepbrother, and anyway that doesn’t mean anything. You didn’t hear them.”

She looked sad for a moment, then she shrugged. “Well, you know where it is and where I’ll be if you change your mind. I hope you do--this is a great way to get to know people!”

“You keep saying that. But I’m starting to think Greek life was a mistake; I don’t belong here.”

Turning serious, Darcy firmly grabbed my shoulders and shook me. “Don’t ever say that, okay? You’re our sister. Of course you belong here. Now, as Spirit Chair, I demand that you go to your room right now and write down twenty reasons why you’re amazing. Right. Now. Go!”

Shaking my head at her, I sulked back to my room. Not to write a list, but so I could mope some more. Enough moping would make everything better, right?

As I read the Fbook Event invite for Friday’s mixer, I thought about it some more. On the one hand, it’d be a great way to prove how awesome I am to all of the asshole Zeta brothers. On the other hand, I didn’t ever want to see any of them ever again. Plus the fact that I’m sure someone at the party had me as a target, and I’m not a fast runner. Add that to the list of reasons to mock you, I berated myself. Then shaking my head hard, I forced myself to snap out of it--and to write down twenty reasons why I’m awesome.

2

I readjusted my backpack on my shoulder as I walked across campus to my 8:30 AM Calculus class. Why I had to know Calc 101 in order to receive a degree in business administration, I didn’t know. I also didn’t know why I actually enjoyed the subject, unlike everyone else in my class. Instead of loathing the course with a passion, I saw each exercise as a puzzle, like a game. It’s because you’re weird, Karla.

As I hummed my favorite pop song,

I tried to decide on a dress. I’d gone to the mall two days in a row after class trying to find the perfect outfit and I’d settled on two black dresses. Now I was trying to choose between them: one was long-sleeved with a plunging neckline while the other exposed more leg and had an open back. Both made me look and feel incredibly sexy according to Darcy, who was ecstatic that I’d already changed my mind. Now I just had to choose.