Chapters 3 and 4 were originally written as a single story, but it was so long that I decided to post them separately.
Please enjoy!
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After spending 8 weeks pledging Pi Rho fraternity, "Hell Night" was just that: hell.
It wasn't that Derek couldn't handle whatever the Brothers threw at him. But after 2 months of undergoing an assortment of trials, 6 pledges--- roughly a quarter of the fall pledge class--- didn't have the intestinal fortitude or the endurance to survive Hell Night, the final night of pledging when the "neophytes" were finally accepted into the Brotherhood. 5 pledges didn't even make it to Hell Night.
But Derek easily endured.
While the other new Brothers entered the fraternity with immense pride and raucous celebration, Derek was more relieved than anything that the silliness was finally over. Sure, he had pledged Pi Rho on his own accord, but what he initially thought was a social organization about friendship and brotherhood turned out to be much less. He was quickly disillusioned by the foolishness and what he considered a childish popularity contest, and soon began to regret his association.
Sadly, the demeanors of most of the Pi Rho Brothers who had convinced Derek to join in the first place abruptly changed once he started pledging. Gone were the friendly, likeable guys; in their place now were these superficial buffoons who spent most of their times skipping class and partying. Even worse, the Brothers soon showed their true colors with the incoming pledge class. They were cruel and sadistic.
Though the term was taboo on campus, the physical abuse and mental anguish that the Brothers bestowed the pledges with could only be deemed as "hazing".
Derek was inflicted the most pain and suffering in his entire pledge class. Standing at a hulking 6'4", a former high school quarterback even though he was built like a linebacker, and so strikingly handsome that he could have any girl on campus, he was often the object of the Brothers' ire and jealousy. They picked on him ruthlessly for 8 weeks, and for 8 weeks they did everything to break his spirit.
Derek was above that, of course. He easily saw through their mind games. Besides, the young man had suffered much worse, including the death of his father and, like the rest of the world, a deadly pandemic.
While the other new Brothers reveled in finally becoming members of Pi Rho Fraternity, Derek realized with sadness that he had been wasting his time. He had considered de-pledging on numerous occasions during the past 8 weeks, but didn't want to give the Elder Brothers the satisfaction of thinking that they had broken him.
Better to make it through Hell Night, wait a bit, and then tell them all to "fuck off"
, the young man thought.
Derek looked around. He currently stood in the basement of the fraternity house. Along with the majority of the Pi Rho brothers, new and old, who were passed out on the cold cement floor, there were pizza boxes and empty cans scattered everywhere. The dank air also reeked of sweat, vomit, and other things that he didn't want to know. But the initiation party had ended long ago, and things were clearly winding down.
Unfortunately, Hell Night wasn't quite yet over.
One of the Brothers came bounding down the stairs into the basement. "The Elders want the neophytes to greet them," he announced to anyone who was still conscious. "They're waiting in the Penthouse."
Several bodies on the cement floor stirred, but Derek raised his hand. "I'll go first," he volunteered.
Better to get this crap over with.
The Brother nodded and led Derek upstairs.
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The "Penthouse" was simply the top floor of the fraternity house where the Executive Council lived and had renamed to inflate their own sense of self-worth. They kept it off-limits to all other members. Composed of 5 Elder Brothers, the Executive Council was consisted of the Fraternity President, Vice President, Financial Manager, Communications Director, and Alumni Liaison.
When Derek entered the lounge area of the Penthouse, he was immediately assailed by a miasma that made him lightheaded and queasy. He clutched the doorway momentarily to right himself. The Brother who had come to collect him earlier, however, didn't seem to notice the horrid smell as he gestured for Derek to enter.
Hoping that this night would end soon, the young man stepped inside.
Near the center of the Penthouse lounge was a battered wooden coffee table that had seen much better days. And huddled around it were the 4 lesser Executive Officers. They were bore spaced-out expressions and were either smoking a joint or rolling one. Marijuana was currently illegal in Florida, and Derek had never tried it nor did he have any desire to.
As Derek took in the scene calmly, he began to notice more items scattered on the coffee table and on the carpet around the Brothers: bottles of hard alcohol and multiple dimebags. It was a familiar scene. However, though the Elder Brothers were celebrating the initiation of a new pledge class, their debauchery seemed too over-the top.
He sighed inwardly. Was
this
what it meant to be a member of Pi Rho?
Derek and the other Brother stood patiently but the 4 Executive officers were so intent on their vices that they didn't even notice. As a new Brother, Derek was supposed to know his place and show the Elders respect. But he quickly grew irritated and was about to speak when a mocking voice cut the silence.
"Well, well. Look, boys. It's our star quarterback... Pi Rho's number 1 recruit. Welcome to the Penthouse, Derek."
Joel, the President of Pi Rho Fraternity, stepped out of an adjoining room.
Joel stood a whole foot shorter than the hulking Derek, and was wiry thin. Like Derek, he was a sandy blonde, but unlike the teen who wore his curly hair free and somewhat shaggy, Joel's hair was greasy and combed over with what appeared to be an entire bottle of gel. He wore a black t-shirt bearing the fraternity's Greek letters and its seal--- a shield surrounded by flames--- along with a silk robe, matching silk boxer shorts, black socks, and fluffy slippers. In his hand, the fraternity president held a large Cuban cigar.
What an idiot,
Derek thought irritably.
The teen poorly hid his disgust. Derek was naturally a kind-hearted soul who gave everyone the benefit of the doubt, but he couldn't recall disliking anyone as much as he did Joel. It wasn't just that Joel was spoiled and manipulative; he was openly disrespectful and cruel to
everyone...
pledge, fellow Brother, non- fraternity member, it didn't matter.
Joel's vicious cruelty was never more on display than during pledging. He verbally assailed the teen constantly to degrade him in a futile attempt to break Derek's spirit. Earlier in the evening, in the midst of Hell Night, Derek had found himself tied up and blindfolded, alone. Along with the verbal barrage from the Elder Brothers, he was also slapped and struck multiple times over his knuckles with a wooden paddle... hazing that should've been off limits, and hazing that Derek was certain was performed by Joel.
The teen absently rubbed his bruised knuckles as he recalled the night's events.
Then there was the perception, too, that Joel should've either failed out or been kicked out of college long ago were it not for the fact that his father was a major school donor who also happened to sit on the Board of Trustees. Even more troubling were the whispers that Joel had sexually assault a female student in this very fraternity house before Derek had arrived on campus. It was rumor that was apparently swept very quickly under the rug.
Derek had only discovered it recently, after he was well into pledging, or else he would've stayed away from Pi Rho entirely.
Joel reached into the folds of his robe, produced another cigar and held it out to Derek.
"No thank you."
The president froze as he waited with a hard expression.
"No thank you,
sir
," Derek amended stiffly.
"Much better, kid. Maybe you prefer the good stuff?" Joel reached into his robe again, and produced a bag of white powder.
Is this fool REALLY offering me cocaine?
Derek shook his head again and repeated, "No thank you... sir."
Joel shrugged, placed the item back into his pocket, and took another puff from his cigar, intentionally blowing the smoke at Derek. The teen somehow managed to keep his expression stoic and not let his emotions betray him. Joel then made a curt motion with his head and the rest of the Executive Council members, who were lounging around stone-faced, immediately rose and approached them. "These are happy times, Derek. A time to celebrate your acceptance into the Pi Rho Brotherhood. I'm sure you want a picture to always remember this day."
"Um, ok."
The Brother who had escorted Derek to the Penthouse collected his cellphone--- Derek tried not to appear
too
annoyed--- and dutifully snapped a picture. The lesser Executive Council members were holding bottles of whiskey and actively smoking joints while Joel had his Cuban cigar in one hand and the bag of cocaine visibly in the other as they posed.
The Elder Brothers were too wasted to care.
When Derek took his phone back, Joel pulled his hand to study the screen. "Wait, let me take a look... do I look presentable? Is my hair ok... ah, good. Now, come with me, kid," he addressed Derek in a condescending tone. "I want to show you something, one of Pi Rho's best kept secrets. Something we in the Executive Council wait until after Hell Night to show the neophytes."
Joel made a dismissive gesture to the Brother who had taken the picture. The Brother turned and left wordlessly as Joel headed down the hallway without further comment. Derek gritted his teeth and rolled his eyes as he trailed after the fraternity president, with the rest of the Executive Council following closely behind.
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Derek entered a large room at the end of the hallway. He could discern that it had once been actually 2 rooms that had their common wall torn down to create an overly spacious one. Displayed throughout the room on pedestals, shelves, and cases were various items and artifacts related to the heritage of Pi Rho fraternity, some dating back over a century. Also hanging on the walls were various plaques, awards, and portraits of notable alumni.
"Take a good look around, kid," Joel told him pompously. "You're a part of this now."
For a moment, Derek suspended his cynicism and appreciated the history of the fraternity that he had once held in high regard; for a moment, he felt proud to be a Pi Rho Brother.
