“Man, she’s a savage. I didn’t think she’d be that extreme.”
“Eh, I kinda did. She’s been shaking her milkshake in your direction for four years in an attempt to bring you to her yard. I knew she’d be pissed.”
Carter looked thoughtful for a moment. “That’s probably the least sexy reference to that song I’ve ever heard.”
“Being the least sexy is kind of a hobby of mine.”
He laughed and bumped his shoulder against mine. “Yeah right, princess.”
My face scrunched up. “Don’t call me that. I hate nicknames.”
I heard a throat clear behind us. “Is that so, Fifi?”
Carter and I whirled around to see Aamee standing behind us. I had no idea how long she’d been standing there, but judging from the smug smile on her face, I doubted she’d heard much. She’d have been plotting how to make my death look like an accident if she’d heard me tell Carter about her milkshake.
“Fifi?” Carter asked.
“Say it again and you can find a new psych tutor.” Then I turned my attention to the evil spawn masquerading as a sorority president. “Aamee, to what do I owe the pleasure?” My voice was saccharine and my smile so broad, I could’ve been portraying the Joker.
Lazarus’s campus wasn’t enormous, but it was big enough that the odds were against my running into the two people who caused my eviction. Fate seemed to be having a great time at my expense lately.
Aamee waved her phone in front of me and said, “I just wanted to come check in on the newest internet sensation.”
“What the hell are you talking about?” Had she been huffing glue? Surely there was a Zeta Eta Chi bylaw against that.
“You’re all over Instagram saying your English professor likes dick. I’m surprised at you, Sophia. You always seemed more open-minded and…proper than that.”
It took a few seconds for her words to fully sink in, but when they did, I would’ve sworn my heart actually dropped out of my body. “I didn’t say that.”
“Oh, I think you did. I have the video to prove it.”
“That’s not at all what happened.” And why the hell was someone filming me anyway? Though I knew the answer. Some students were too lazy to take notes and filmed the classes instead. I’d likely been caught on film accidentally.
“It kinda looked like what happened,” Carter added.
I shot my gaze to him. “You saw it too! Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I meant to. It’s how I knew where you were. Then I got distracted.”
“Jesus Christ,” I muttered. “I wasn’t talking about Dr. Cranston. I just had bad timing.”
Aamee took a step closer to me. “Whoever you were talking about, you didn’t sound as accepting as I’d expect a Zeta Eta Chi sister to be. I’m not sure we have any room for bigots in our house.”
The heart I thought I’d lost moments ago began pumping blood furiously throughout my body as anger took over. Pointing a finger at Aamee, I warned, “You better not twist this into something it’s not. I was talking to Emma. She’ll vouch for me. I wasn’t saying it to be negative. I was merely stating a fact.”
She scoffed. “Of course your little lapdog would vouch for you. But the video doesn’t lie.”
I wanted to yell at her that of course the video fucking lied because I’d lied in the video about Brody. Or Drew. Or… Whoever.
“I swear to whatever demonic god you worship that if you try to kick me out over this, I’ll—” I caught myself before I said something that would actually warrant me being kicked out of my sorority.
“You’ll what?” she asked.
“I’ll fight you tooth and nail on it,” I said, more calmly this time. “You’re letting your personal feelings toward me influence your actions as president. It’s unfair and an abuse of your position.”
“So says you.”
“You’re being ridiculous. My saying someone is gay isn’t even offensive.”
“It is when you say it like it’s a disease. And when you’re gossiping about a professor.”
“I already told you I wasn’t talking about Dr. Cranston.” I’d never wanted to hit someone as badly as I did in that moment. She was being deliberately obtuse, twisting the narrative to fit the plot she’d already created.
She cocked her hip and rested her hand on it. “Then who were you talking about?”
“How is that any of your business?”
“I doubt it was the business of your English class either, but it didn’t stop you from announcing it to them.”
“Oh really? Did you hear a name mentioned on that video?”
“I should sell tickets to this,” Carter interjected. “How would you girls feel about wrestling in pudding?”
I looked at him, bewildered. “Why are you still here?”
“Why would I leave? This is awesome.”
“Yeah, well, I’m done entertaining idiots today.” I pointed to Aamee’s phone. “Do your worst with that. You’ll be laughed out of the room.”
To emphasize a confidence I didn’t feel, I whirled around with purpose and walked directly into a firm chest. Two hands shot out to grab me and keep me from losing my balance. It wasn’t the exit I’d pictured, but I could work with it.
“Excuse me,” I said as I started to move around the person I’d bumped into. Before I made it a full step, I let my eyes drift up to see who it was. “What even is my life right now?”
“Hey, Sis,” Drew said. “Funny seeing you here.”
“Hilarious.” I eyed the cast of characters surrounding me. Each of them represented how terribly off course my life had drifted. When had my entire existence become a Shakespearean tragedy?
“Hey, Brody,” Aamee said, practically purring. It was gross.
“Oh, uh…hey. Gina, right?”
Aamee’s face looked like she’d just sucked on a lemon. Score one for Drew. I didn’t know if he’d intentionally dissed her or if it had been a legitimate mistake, and I didn’t care.
“It’s Aamee,” she corrected.
“She spells it with two a’s and two e’s. Wild, right?” Carter explained before extending his hand. “How’s it going, man? I’m Carter.”
Drew accepted the handshake. “Brody. Sophia’s older brother.”
Carter looked back and forth between Drew and me. “I can see the resemblance.”
I looked at him like he’d grown an extra head.
“We get that a lot,” Drew said.
“I don’t think you look anything alike. You could be a model, Brody.” Aamee moved closer to him and lifted her hand as if she was about to rub it down his arm. Or some other body part.
“Oh my God, stop flirting with him. He’s the one I was talking about in the video.”
Aamee jerked back and then froze in place, clearly surprised.
Drew, who still had his arm around me, turned his head so he could look down at me. “You were talking about me on video?” He looked nervous, which made me realize he was worried I’d been talking about his real identity.