“Hi,” Vivi managed. It was the first word she’d said since her exchange with Zoe hours earlier.
The girl held something out—a sparkler, Vivi realized. “Thank you so much for coming tonight,” she said. “And I hope you don’t feel uncomfortable in your cute little outfit. Don’t worry about ignoring the theme. After all, not everyone can pull off a 1920s silhouette.”
Vivi’s cheeks flushed. “I didn’t think to pack for a cocktail party,” she said, reaching out for the sparkler.
The girl’s fake smile grew even stiffer. “A potential Kappa should be prepared for anything.”
“Oh, no, I’m not a—I mean, I wasn’t planning to rush.” It was a lie, of course. She would have loved to rush. But after having been here for all of five minutes, Vivi realized how delusional this whole endeavor was. The best she could hope for was to make sure this girl knew that Vivi recognized she was out of her league here.
“I see,” the Kappa said, pursing her lips.
“No offense to you all, of course. Kappa seems great. I’m just not . . .” Good enough, Vivi thought, cringing as she trailed off awkwardly.
“Usually when people say ‘no offense,’ they’ve just said something offensive.” The girl’s smile returned but her eyes hardened. “A word of advice? If you don’t plan to pledge Kappa, don’t waste anybody’s time. But if you are considering it, I wouldn’t leave this party just yet.” She spun on her heel, the white fringe of her dress swishing a wordless goodbye as she moved toward the back patio. Vivi stared after her, wondering how the girl knew Vivi had been about to bail and why she cared. Regardless, she decided to stay another few minutes, just to save face, and she trailed after the Kappa through the crowded front hall and out into the garden.
It was like stepping into a fairy realm. The yard was enclosed by a tall wrought-iron fence covered in ivy, and strings of tea lights swayed in the moss of the live oaks, suspended on wires Vivi couldn’t quite see. Hurricane candles stood on the small round tables scattered across the grass, casting a flattering glow on the faces of the unusually attractive guests. A line had formed at the bar, where a bartender was serving some kind of punch from a crystal bowl.
Her eyes fell on two impossibly beautiful girls dancing, laughing as they moved with the music.
“Kind of intimidating, aren’t they?” Vivi turned to see another striking girl next to her. With her wavy black hair, flawless brown skin, and enormous doe-like eyes, she was just as pretty as the Kappa who’d snubbed Vivi earlier, but the genuine smile on her face made her infinitely more approachable.
“Yeah, kind of,” Vivi said, surprised and relieved that even a girl who looked like Kappa material was nervous. “How did everyone know to pack for this?” she asked, looking around the garden.
“Rush is a big deal here. Serious pledges come prepared for anything. Some people even hire consultants to help them get through rush. My mom went to Westerly, so I kind of knew what to expect,” she said, gesturing to her own fringed dress.
“Do you want to pledge?” Vivi asked.
“Yes, if I get a bid,” she said wistfully, sounding like someone who was longing for the last slice of cake but was too polite to take it. “I’m not going to get my hopes up, though. Kappa’s the most selective sorority on campus, and the smallest.”
Even for a Greek novice like Vivi, it was clear that the sorority occupied a special place at Westerly. She hadn’t officially met any of the Kappas—the girl in the white dress hadn’t introduced herself—but they were easy to spot in the crowd. Unlike the would-be pledges, whose nervous shifting belied their wide smiles, the Kappas moved with grace and assurance. Vivi watched with unabashed awe as an Asian girl in a red beaded flapper dress stopped to take a dainty sip of her drink. Her shiny black hair was cut in a smooth chin-length bob, and her deep crimson lips looked like they belonged to a classic Hollywood starlet. She was easily the most glamorous person Vivi had ever seen in real life, but it was her composure that captivated Vivi. She observed the party with detached amusement, in no apparent hurry to find someone to talk to. As the perennial new girl, Vivi was accustomed to standing on her own, but it never got easier. She was always aware that people were watching her, wondering why she was all alone.
“I’m Vivi,” Vivi said, returning her attention to her new acquaintance. She extended the hand that wasn’t holding her sparkler.
“Ariana,” the girl said as she gave Vivi one of the two teacups she’d just accepted from a passing waiter. “Apparently Kappa is the only sorority that can get away with serving alcohol at recruitment events, so I’d take full advantage.”
Vivi took a casual sip, praying that she wouldn’t do anything to reveal that this was her very first drink. It was difficult to be a rebellious, hard-partying high-schooler when you had no friends and were never invited to parties. She braced for a burning sensation, but the pink cocktail was delightfully sweet. “Why does Kappa get to break the rules?”
Ariana shrugged. “I heard they get all sorts of special treatment.”
“Hi.” Vivi turned to see a black girl in a sophisticated, slinky blue dress smiling at them. “I’m Jess. Are you girls having fun?”
Vivi froze, unsure how to respond after her last encounter with a Kappa. Was she supposed to gush that this was the best party she’d ever been to? Or was it better to play it cool and act unimpressed?
“Absolutely,” said Ariana, who thankfully was able to talk to strangers without having a complete meltdown. “Y’all really went all out for this. Are the waiters wearing vintage suits?”
Jess nodded. “There’s a certain pleasure in forcing slovenly college boys to dress up,” she said, surveying the crowd. “Though I require only three things in a man: he must be handsome, ruthless, and stupid.”
“Pardon me?” Ariana said while Vivi laughed.
“Dorothy Parker, right?” Vivi asked.
“Sorry, it’s impossible not to quote Parker when you’re drinking cocktails out of teacups.” She gave Vivi a wink and excused herself.
“That was a little strange,” Ariana whispered after Jess walked away.
“But kind of great,” Vivi said with a smile. In seventh grade, she’d stumbled across a collection of Dorothy Parker’s poems and essays in the library, and for Vivi, it’d been almost like making a friend. She’d never heard anyone her own age mention Parker, and she certainly hadn’t expected her to come up at a sorority party, but the exchange turned out to be the first of many surprising conversations with Kappas throughout the evening. A white biochemistry major named Juliet told Vivi all about her research on love hormones, and then Vivi found herself in a fascinating discussion about Chinese politics with a history major named Etta and some of her classmates. It was a subject she knew little about, so she mostly listened, but she never felt awkward or out of place. Despite the fact that none of the older students knew her, they seemed perfectly happy to let Vivi join their conversation. By the time she found Ariana again, Vivi felt nearly giddy. An unfamiliar combination of relief and happiness filled her with warmth. Her first college party was a success.