by Ali Parker
Amber finally cleaning up before the semester was over was a tempting offer. Was it worth my soul? I didn’t want to end up a part of a group that I despised so much every weekend when I was trying to sleep. The annoying drunken people wandering home at two in the morning were the bane of my existence all semester. Didn’t they have any courtesy for others? Of course not.
“Come on, Lily,” she said, practically begging. “Live a little.”
In the back of my mind, I did wonder what these frat houses looked like on the inside. It was a curiosity that only a few were selected to see. Would it be right to deny myself a sneak peek? It wasn’t as if I was going to get blasted drunk and stumble home. I could be Amber’s designated-walker, and that was that.
“Fine,” I said.
Amber clapped her hands and jumped up and down a few times.
“You will fulfill your promise to clean by Sunday.”
She pursed her lips. “How about Wednesday?”
I gave her a look.
“Okay! Okay! Monday at the latest.”
“Deal,” I said, and we shook on it.
“Now we need to find you an outfit!” Amber said, turning up the volume of her music.
I grated my teeth at the sound level but made an effort to relax. I was about to go to my first college party, I needed to chill out. This was the fun part that everyone was excited for when leaving for school. Even though I never had the urge to go to a wild frat party, I already agreed to do so. One night couldn’t hurt me, right?
“You have nothing to wear!” Amber groaned from across the room.
I clamped a hand over my mouth. The entire contents of my dresser drawers were on the floor.
Amber smiled sweetly at me. “I swear I’ll pick everything back up. We don’t have a lot of time, though. I want to get there as soon as possible, so we can make the most of the part-ay!”
“I have a few dresses,” I said.
“Nothing in your wardrobe will do,” she said. “The theme is Freaky Friday, not Frumpy Friday, no offense.”
I scoffed. “Offense taken.”
She opened her mouth wide and sucked in a breath. “I’ve got it!” She raced over to her dresser and flung a black satin bra in my direction. I allowed them to land on the floor next to me. She came over to me with her lab coat and a pair of black boy short panties, handing them to me.
“What’s this?” I asked.
“Your costume,” she said, picking up the bra.
“I’m not wearing underwear to a party,” I said.
“I guarantee you that other girls will be wearing less, besides, you have the lab coat to wear over it.”
“A lab coat isn’t clothes,” I said, slightly mortified about walking down the hallway in this get-up, never mind a party!
“It has buttons,” she said. “Oh! And wear this.”
She lifted her plastic stethoscope over her head and placed it around my neck. “I’ll be the naughty nurse to your sexy doctor.”
I stared at the lack of clothes in my hands. Was I really going to do this? I scanned the room. It would be nice to walk around without tripping over Amber’s stuff all the time. I hoped she was right about other girls wearing less than me. A prime example was my roommate who didn’t hide any part of her curvy body. At least the lab coat would cover up most of my bare skin.
“Alright,” I said and tossed the clothes on my bed. “Now turn around so I can change.”
She preened at me and twirled around, jumping up and down squealing with glee. “A-K-A!” she chanted over and over until I started to do it too.
“Isn’t it the most beautiful house you’ve ever seen?” Amber asked.
That squeal made another appearance, coming from the back of her throat. If that was any indication, she wasn’t going to have a voice at the end of the night.
I supposed that was a good thing. Maybe I could actually get some sleep in my room for a change.
“It’s nice,” I said, downplaying my feelings. I didn’t want Amber to think I was actually impressed with the Victorian-style house that was in fantastic condition. The turret reached into the sky as if it were waving a large hand at me, beckoning me inside. The many shades of blue accented different parts of the house, and it even had the Victorian era fish scale shingles at the peak of the house.
Amber had been right about one thing, the girls passing us on the sidewalk toward the house were dressed in much skimpier clothing than we were. I secured the buttons hiding the rest of my “outfit”, making sure they were clasped tightly as we walked up toward the house.
“I can’t believe I’m here,” Amber said for the fifth time in two minutes.
“Me neither,” I said for an entirely different reason. My hands were damp and clammy, and I tried to swallow around the lump lodged in my throat.
We walked up the couple steps onto the porch where several shirtless guys were checking out the people entering. They had the letters, “AKA” written across their chests in paint. Two of them were in a few of my classes so they must have been pledges this year. I heard rumors about the hazing process in college Greek societies, and I wondered if they had been subject to any of that. Though they seemed happy enough tonight, getting the first glimpses of the girls coming to their party.
I let out a shaky breath. If I felt out of place already, I wasn’t prepared for going inside.
The lights were off, yet the main room was aglow with tiny twinkle lights all over the place. There were random strips of black lights that made the people standing underneath appear out of a nightmare, their green glowing teeth menacing in the dark. As “Freaky Friday” was the theme, they nailed the “freaky” part on the head.
“Come on,” Amber said, tugging me along. If she weren't there with me, I would have turned around and run back to my dorm. But with her by my side, I allowed her to bring me around deeper into the house.
We walked through the kitchen into the backyard. We stepped out onto a patio, the heels I borrowed from Amber scraped along the stone.
I stumbled over my feet when I caught sight of him.
“Oh my god,” I said.
“What?” Amber asked, leading the way to the keg.
I took a second look and made sure it was him.
“Alex Fuller,” I said, my cheeks burning.
“Who is Alex Fuller?” she asked.
“The President of AKA!” some guy yelled.
I ducked out of the way so that Alex wouldn’t look in my direction after being called out.
“You know the President of the frat?” Amber asked, her eyes sparkling.
“I don’t know him,” I said, gnawing on my lower lip. I peeked out from behind several bigger guys to see Alex standing with a group of his friends. He had that charming smile on his face, the one that said he was better than everyone else. Even though I usually didn’t go for guys like him, he was hard not to drool over. “He’s in my accounting class.”
“The senior accounting class?” Amber asked. “You really go all in don’t you?”
“I’m not in,” I said, unable to hide the smile from my face.
“You should go talk to him,” she said, nudging me with her elbow.
“No way!” I said. “He has no idea who I am.”
“Maybe you should introduce yourself.”
“I’d only embarrass myself,” I said. I was too shy to talk to him. Besides, I was way out of his league.
Chapter 3
Alex
The beer was cold against my throat as I took another swig. I surveyed my party and nodded my head. Another success. With the music pumping and the unlimited booze flowing, this was bound to be another fantastic night. Every girl that walked by drew my attention. Freaky Friday always brought out the best in campus creativity. The girls always went the extra mile which made their costumes short on fabric and long on bare skin.
Every single one of them looked my way as they passed. Whether or not they knew my status in the frat, my costume ma
tched theirs in many ways. I needed a distraction from failing out of business school, so I attached a lion’s tail to a pair of bright yellow briefs and wore a pair of furry ears. The ladies loved checking out my toned body as much as I enjoyed checking out theirs. I had my pick of the crowd; I just had to find the lucky girl.
“Another beer?” one of my pledges asked.
“Sure, Greg,” I said without looking at him.
Tonight they didn’t fall in with the theme of Freaky Friday. They were here to advertise our fraternity by wearing our letters on their bodies. When anyone took photographs, our name would be all over this epic party.
He handed me the red solo cup and scooted away, off to find another brother for a refill.
The two girls from my Cost Accounting class just came out of the house. I had invited them after class that morning. I quickly texted two of my brothers and let them know the girls were here. Their costumes left little to the imagination, and I knew I’d never be able to look at them the same again. They were on the hunt tonight, and I knew two guys who were going to have their hands full with them.
Typically, I’d picked a girl by now, but tonight something was off. That asshole Tarrington got into my head about failing class.
I finished off my beer and tossed the cup into the garbage can nearby. I needed something harder tonight. Something to take my mind off of that dumb class and get me in the partying mood. I didn’t see any pledges nearby, but that was okay. Maybe another stroll around the party would give me another look at the girls. One of them would have to catch my eye, or I’d pick someone random. I needed to get school out of my head.
I was halfway across the yard when a pledge came running up to me. Brian was his name. “Do you need a refill?”
“It’s about time,” I said, pretending to be annoyed. I had to keep up my reputation for the newbies. Deep down, I was a softie.
“Yes,” I said. “Vodka soda.”
He bobbed his head. “Right away.”
There were several empty chairs near the dance floor, so I made my way over and sat. With my vantage point, I was sure to find a girl for the night in the mass of gyrating bodies.
I was momentarily distracted by a curvy brunette when something landed in my lap. No, not something, someone.
I leaned forward, protecting myself as a head of blonde hair writhed around.
“Whoa, there,” I said, helping her sit up. She was light in my arms.
She sat up and looked at me, her blue eyes wide and frightened. I could see down the front of her lab coat. Underneath she wore only a pair of black panties and a bra.
Suddenly, my briefs were too restricting.
“Sorry,” she said, fumbling to move away from me. She was clearly too young and inexperienced to be here. Definitely a freshman.
“Here,” Freddy, one of my sophomore brothers, said to her. He tried to help her up with one hand while he thrust a solo cup into her free hand, beer spilling over the side. He drenched the front of her lab coat.
“Shoot,” she said, settling on my lap, attempting to wipe off the liquid.
I licked my lips, watching Freddy try to put the moves on this freshman girl. They were prime pickings for my brothers, but for some reason, I didn’t want him to have this one. There was something about her that I wanted for myself.
I wrapped my arm around her waist, drawing her close to me. Her skin was smooth under my hand, and I stroked the top of her leg as I told Freddy to get lost.
Wiping the boozy smile from his face, he walked away, his shoulders drooping. I felt no remorse. He’d have no problem finding someone else.
“Thanks,” she said, trying to sit up straighter. I held her against me still and reluctantly loosened my grip a little.
“Are you okay?” I asked.
She shoved her blonde hair away from her face, tucking it behind her ears. The tips curled up brushing against the bottom of her ears. “His dancing was a little too enthusiastic for my taste,” she said with a little laugh. “I’m sorry I tripped over your feet. Hope I didn’t break anything with these spikes.”
Even though I wore flip flops, she barely grazed my feet earlier. I wondered how drunk she was. Though, she didn’t have the same squinted eyes and slurred speech that most of the drunk girls got after several drinks. Was she just clumsy?
“It’s fine,” I said.
“Good,” she said, her eyes avoiding mine.
I released her from my grip completely, tilting her head up to mine with one finger. “Do I know you? You look very familiar. Were you at another party this year?”
“I’ve never been here before,” she said evasively.
I shook my head. Not from here, then. “On campus?” I couldn’t imagine that she was in any of my classes, she was clearly a first year.
She licked her lips, trapping the lower one under her teeth.
How I wanted to drag my teeth over those lips too.
“We’re in the same Cost Accounting class, I think,” she said.
She didn’t think, she knew. And so did I. Realization flooded my mind. The little blonde that sat in the front of the classroom. That’s where I recalled seeing her twice a week for the entire semester. In her sexy outfit, she looked much different than she did in class. My need for her grew as a plan formed in my mind.
Chapter 4
Lily
Alex’s blue eyes drew me in as he questioned how he knew me. I couldn’t believe that he didn’t recognize me, but why would a first-year student even appear on his radar? I tried to lead him into how he knew me, but I couldn’t hide the fact that I did know him. Did I appear too eager and desperate for him? I tried to move away from him, but I could barely breathe with his arm so close to my body. The heat radiating off of him in waves warmed my insides.
His chest was toned, and not an inch of fat marred his perfect body. Those little cat ears mixed with his physique made him look like a lion ready for the kill. Was I his prey? Admittedly, I didn’t mind.
A sharp pain cut through my hand and I looked down, not realizing I’d dug my fingernails into my palms. Could he tell how nervous I was? He probably thought I looked ridiculous in this outfit, though I noticed his eyes wandering down my lab coat. As much as my brain wanted me to cover up and run away, traitorous tingles danced across my skin. Never in a million years did I think that I’d speak to Alex never mind sit on his lap with him looking as if I was his next meal. The sensation was strange yet amazing at the same time.
“You’re the girl who sits in the front of the class?” he asked. “The one who gets all the high grades on the tests?”
My cheeks burned. There went my attempt at being likable by this hunk. Now I was back to being the nerd everyone thought I was.
“I do okay,” I said. “I’m Lily.”
“Alex,” he said as if anyone didn’t know him. “You’re a freshman? How did you get into a senior level class?”
I swallowed. I didn’t want to lie but telling him the truth would definitely make him think I was a bigger nerd. But I wasn’t one to lie. His blue eyes pierced through me, forcing me to open my mouth and reveal everything about myself. “Technically I’m a sophomore.”
His head cocked to the side. “Really?”
I dropped my gaze to my hands clasped in my lap. “I had enough credits to jump a class. So this is my first year, but I’ll graduate in three instead of four.”
I cringed on the inside, fully expecting him to make an excuse to leave. This was a party, not an interview. Studying all the time, I was really out of practice on how to communicate with people.
“That’s interesting,” he said. “I know you do well. Professor Tarrington always seems pleased when he hands back your work.”
“Well, math comes easily to me,” I said, digging my nerd hole deeper.
“What’s your average in the class?” he asked, raising his eyebrows.
My toes curled in my too-tight heels. “I’m averaging an A.”
“That�
�s awesome,” he said.
“Is it?”
“Sure,” he said.
“Thanks,” I said, still waiting for the ball to drop.
“Can I ask you something?” he said, taking my hand in his.
I tried to keep my eyes on his and not our intertwined hands. “Sure.”
“Would you be willing to tutor me?”
A weight settled in my stomach before exploding into an uncontrollable fluttering sensation. “You want me to help you in Cost Accounting?”
He cleared his throat. “Yeah. I’m failing, and I need your help. You obviously understand the curriculum.”
My jaw dropped. Did the sexiest guy on the planet really just ask me to tutor him in accounting? Meaning I would see him outside of class on a regular basis?
A choked sound escaped my lips, my mouth unable to form words.
They didn’t have to.
Alex leaned forward and covered my mouth with his. His hand reached out, cupping my cheek as his wet lips moved over mine. He tasted like beer. Normally, I wasn’t a fan of the drink, but tonight I absolutely was. His tongue snaked into my mouth, and my insides bloomed with pleasure.
When he pulled away from our too-short kiss, my eyes fluttered open.
He stroked a chunk of my hair, eliciting another wave of pleasure that cascaded from my head all the way down to the tips of my toes. “Please? I really need to pass this class.”
“Okay,” I whispered, feeling as if we were the only two people in the world. Did everyone have this feeling after their first official kiss? How could I say no to him after that?
The moment passed quickly, and before I knew it, the sounds of the party around us came back in full force. The deafening sound of the music hurt my ears, and the flickering lights from the DJ booth made my eyes water.
“Awesome,” he said, grinning. His teeth were so white and perfectly straight.
My gaze traveled back to his, and before I could take another breath, his lips were on mine again. That kiss was shorter, a peck almost, but definitely still as sweet as the first.
