Sunday Fun Day
We had just returned from summer break in my sophomore year of college when it happened. I was living off-campus at the Alpha Phi sorority house and studying psychology with a minor in English lit. My grades were shit, but that was because I preferred partying and skipping classes. I knew I needed to buckle down, but I was having way too much fun.
It was Saturday night, and we were throwing a party at the sorority house, me and thirty-five of my sorority sisters. Misty's cousin was hooking us up with some beer and liquor at wholesale prices, and Lisa's boyfriend, the aptly named DJ Dropout, was supplying the sound rig. It was certainly starting to look like we'd have one hell of a rager on our hands.
"Hey, Kat. Do you know if that hottie from Pi Kappa is coming tonight? You know, the one with the motorcycle. Donny, right?" In addition to being my pledge sister, Katherine Rycroft was one of my best friends since our first year.
"Somebody's got a little crush," she teased. "It's only your sophomore year. You can't go crushing on the first hot guy that comes along, Jess." Growing up with two older sisters, she was well-positioned to help me navigate the social landscape.
"I know, I know," I groaned. "But he's just so damn hot, and maybe I didn't mention, but he has a motorcycle." Kat was right. I was picky, but when I crushed, I crushed hard. Why would I want to limit myself when there would be fraternity boys crawling all over this place in just a few hours?
"Trust me, Jess. If you want to get laid tonight and you don't, then it's your own damn fault."
"Oh, thank god! For a minute there, I thought I might wake up a virgin tomorrow." We both had a good laugh.
"Quit daydreaming about dick and come help me get this beer into the coolers." We had at least eight large ice chests to load with beer and seltzers before the ice got delivered.
It was nine o'clock when people started showing up. DJ Dropout was dropping some sick beats, and the drinks were flowing. Kat and I hung together for most of the evening. She introduced me to a few of her girlfriends I hadn't met before, and she even introduced me to some gorgeous hunks from the lacrosse team. It was nearly midnight, and I had just about given up on Donny making an appearance when I spotted him on the back patio. I headed out to intercept him before he could get picked off by one of my slutty sorority sisters.
I made my way through the kitchen and walked up behind him. "Hey, you. I wasn't sure if you were going to show up tonight."
He stopped in mid-sentence and turned to see who the mystery woman sneaking up on him was. "Oh, hey... Jessica, right?"
"Good memory. You're Donny, right?" I pretended not to have imagined wedding invitations with names emblazoned on the front.
"The one and only." His brilliant green eyes and dimples were making me hot. "So you're an Alpha Phi girl?"
"Guilty as charged." My body language made it pretty apparent that I was interested. "How about you?"
"Me? No, I'm not Alpha Fi." His playful sarcasm said he was either flirting or just being an asshole. I wasn't sure which yet.
I gave him one of my patented eye rolls. "Very funny. So who are you hear with?"
"A few of the boys from Sigma Alpha Epsilon." Ah, yes, good old SAE, they were known for their legendary parties. I was beginning to see the makings of a professional player.
"I see. I hear you guys hook up with all the prettiest girls. Is that true?" I gave him my best interrogation stare-down while I took a sip of my drink.
"Well, there certainly are some beautiful women here tonight, so I guess we'll find out." His mischievous smile made me want to take him on the patio right then and there with everyone watching.
"Yo, Donny. We're setting up some beer pong. You in?" One of his meathead frat buddies was trying to steal him away from me.
"Yeah, I'll be right there." He shouted back before turning his attention back to me. "Well, if you'll excuse me, I'm gonna donate part of my liver to defend our beer pong title."
Goddammit!
"Okay, well... break a leg."
Break a leg? What the fuck, Jess?!
"We should catch up later." He gave me one last smile before heading off to join the guys.
I headed back into the house and tried to enjoy myself while I waited for Donny to resurface. The party was still in full swing, but all I could think about was whether he was into me or might slip out the back to avoid me. Before I knew it, it was one in the morning, and I found myself stressing over the possibility that Donny wasn't coming back.
Finally, I decided to take a walk outside to see if I could find him. After checking the patio, the garage, and the front side of the house, Donny was nowhere to be found. Frustrated, I headed back into the house and up to my room. Nothing could have prepared me for what I would see when I opened my bedroom door. Kat and Donny were sitting on my bed and making out.
"What the hell, Kat?!!" I couldn't believe that I'd just been stabbed in the back by one of my best friends!
They pulled away from each other, startled by my entrance. "Jess... it's not what it looks like."
"Wow, could you be less original?!" I wanted to punch her in the face as hard as I could. "But please, I'd love to hear how this isn't you making out with my crush in
my
bed." Donny was silent.
Kat jumped up from the bed, grabbed me by the arm, and attempted to lead me out of the room. "Come talk with me outside for a minute."
"What if I don't want to talk?!" I growled back.
"Just come talk to me for a minute... please." She stepped out into the hallway and waited for me to follow.
I couldn't imagine what she could possibly say that would make me hate her less. "You've got two minutes to explain, and then I want you the fuck out of my room."
"I know how this looks, but there's something you need to know. Donny and I were hooking up before you met him." She ran her fingers through her auburn hair, clearly affected by the weight of the secret she'd been keeping from me. "It was nothing serious, so I didn't say anything when you started talking about him."
"Why didn't you just tell me? I would have understood."