Chapter 6

When I returned to my room after my first class on Thursday, I found a note on my door.

It read, Paul, please find me when you get in. Signed, Cary.

I dropped my backpack on my bed—the other side of the room was still bare—and headed down the hall to Cary’s room.

“Hi, Paul,” he said as soon as he opened the door. “Your new roommate’s ready to move in. But Wade said he wanted to talk to you first. Do you have a few minutes?”

“Sure,” I said.

With that, he locked his door and we pressed the button for the elevator. Downstairs, we went behind the front desk and into a back hallway. At the end of the hall, Cary knocked on the hall director’s half-open door.

“Come in.”

Wade looked up as the door swung open. When he saw us, he stood.

“Thanks for coming, Paul,” he said. “We’re sorry for all the confusion with your roommates.”

“It’s cool,” I said.

“No, it’s not,” he said. “But thank you for being understanding. Please, have a seat.” When I did, he sat as well. “Cary told me that he explained about Terry,” he said. “And after Mr. Younkin was arrested yesterday, we felt it best to move his things before his parents came to claim them. Once again, I’m sorry for the confusion, and I’m sorry no one told you beforehand.”

“I’ll survive,” I said. “But thanks.”

He nodded and then picked up a folder. “Your new roommate is named William Vaughan,” he said. “But I understand he goes by ‘Billy.’ He’s been living on the seventh floor in Hess,” he continued. “That’s the Vault over there, so he’ll be very happy to be living with you.”

“Cool,” I said.

“He’s a theater major, and he’s from Knoxville. I met him earlier this morning, and he seems like a nice guy. I think you’ll like him.”

“To be honest, if I get to meet him, I’ll be doing better than the last two guys,” I said.

“We’re very sorry for that,” Wade said again. “Cary raised his concerns with me when your first roommate, Terry, missed the floor meeting. But by the time we had any information, he was already moving out.”

“It’s cool,” I said with a shrug.

“When’s your last class today?” Wade asked.

“I’m done at one thirty. I should be back here by one forty-five. Why?”

“When would you like me to tell Billy he can move in?” he asked.

“Any time after that, I guess,” I said.

“How about three o’clock?”

“Sounds great.”

“Does that work for you, Cary?” Wade asked.

Cary nodded.

“Okay,” Wade said. “I’ll call Billy and let him know. I’ve told him a little about you, and he’s eager to meet you.” Then he stood and reached across the desk.

I rose and clasped his hand.

“Thanks for being so understanding, Paul,” he said. “We try not to screw up like this, but events moved faster than we did this time. Once again, I apologize.”

“It’s cool,” I said.

“I’ve told the other RAs what’s going on with you and your roommate, so if you have any questions, feel free to ask either Cary or one of the guys at the front desk. And if you ever need to speak to me, for any reason, my door’s always open.”

“Thanks, Wade,” I said.

“No, thank you.”

With that, Cary and I left.

“He seems pretty cool,” I said to him as we walked down the hall.

“He is,” Cary said. “And he’s a lot better than the last hall director.”

“Oh?”

He nodded emphatically. “We had all kinds of problems last year. We haven’t had many so far this year.”

“Except my roommates,” I said.

“Well, except them, yes,” Cary admitted. At the front desk, he bid me farewell.

“See you at three,” I said as I walked toward the elevators.

“Well, I’ve got a roommate,” I said to Kendall later that night, as we talked on the phone. “He’s actually pretty cool. Meeting him was kinda anticlimactic, though. I mean, after two roommates that I never saw, I guess I expected something more when I met this guy. But it was more like five minutes of conversation and that’s it.”

“Is he there now?” she asked.

“Uh-uh. He and his friend went back to his house to get some more stuff,” I said. “Since he was living in Hess—and he wasn’t supposed to be—he didn’t bring a lot of stuff from home.”

“Ah, that makes sense. What’s he like?”

“Pretty cool, I guess. He’s a little shorter than me, but skinny. He’s got dark hair and ... um ... hazel eyes, I think. I don’t really remember.”

“You probably weren’t gazing adoringly into his eyes,” she said with a soft chuckle.

“Um... no. Anyway, he seems like a nice enough guy. At least I’ve met him, which is more than I can say about the last two guys. And he seemed happy to be living in Carrick. He was in the Virgin Vault at Hess.”

“Oh, bless his heart,” she said.

“No kidding. I don’t know if he’s got a girlfriend or anything, though. He’s good-looking, I guess, so I’m sure he does. Anyway,” I said, changing the subject, “what’re you up to tonight?”

“O. Chem. homework for tomorrow morning,” she said. “Yuck.”

“Yeah,” I said. “I’ve got Calc. homework, some reading for Am. Lit., and a boatload of stuff to go over for Joska’s class.”

“It sounds like you’re busy.”

“Yeah.”

“Me too,” she said. “So we’d better get to work.”

“Yeah.”

“I love you,” she said.

“I love you too.”

“Breakfast tomorrow?”

“Same time, same place,” I said.

“Okay. Bye.”

“Bye.”

When I walked back into the foyer, I hung up the phone but then decided to call Gina.

“Hey, what’s up?” I said when she answered.

“Not much. What’re you doing?” she asked.

“I was about to start my homework, but I wanted to talk to you before I got busy.”

“Oh,” she said. “Okay.”

“I met my roommate.”

“Cool. What’s he like?”

I repeated the description I’d given Kendall. As I talked about my roommate, however, I remembered that I hadn’t ever apologized for being a jerk about my room key.

“Listen,” I said, “I’m sorry for Tuesday, about the room key.”

“Whatever.”

“I was just mad ‘cause I’d been waiting for two hours, and I had to get to class, and ... well ... anyway, I’m sorry.”

“That’s cool. I didn’t realize it had taken so long. I had to go to the bookstore after class, and I met this girl who lives down the hall. When I left your room yesterday morning, I forgot my watch, so I didn’t know it had been so long.”

“Oh.”

“Anyway, it’s cool. Did you find my watch?”

“No,” I said. “Where’d you leave it?”

“On the counter, next to your hair dryer.”

The long phone cord stretched as I walked into my room. I rooted around on the counter, but didn’t find her watch. “Sorry,” I said. “It’s not here.”

“Great,” she said sarcastically.

“If I don’t find it, I’ll buy you a new one.”

“Whatever. Anyway, I’ve got to read for my Western Civ. class, so I’d better go.”

“Okay. Sorry about your watch.”

“Don’t worry about it.”

“I love you,” I said.

“Yeah, I love you too.”

Super, I thought when I hung up the phone. I apologize and then I end up feeling even more guilty.

But it wasn’t my fault she left her watch in my room. My unlamented former roommate probably took it as a souvenir, or to finance his coke habit. I wondered what else he might have taken. I was standing there brooding about it when T.J. came out of his room.

“Hey, Loverboy,” he said.

Don’t start with me, you little racist prick, I thought viciously. Then I bit back an equally heated reply.

“Can I use the phone, or do you have other girlfriends to call?” he asked. “Just kiddin’,” he added almost as an afterthought.

“Be my guest,” I said icily.

It took every ounce of willpower I possessed not to slam the door when I went into my room.

“Hey,” Trip asked as we walked back to the dorm after class on Friday, “what’re you up to this weekend?”

“Kendall, Gina, and I were gonna listen to the football game tomorrow.” UT was playing Southern Cal, in Los Angeles. Kendall and her roommates were having a couple of people over to listen to the game on the radio. “You wanna come?” I asked him.

“Do you think they’d mind?”

“I don’t think so,” I said. “But I’ll call and ask just to be sure.”

“Cool. And while I’m inviting myself,” he said, “would it be okay if Luke came too?”

“Probably. What about Jeff?”

“He’s doing something with his family this weekend,” he said. “I think it’s his sister’s birthday or something.”

“Oh, okay.”

“What about your new roommate? Billy, right?”

“Right,” I said with a nod. “I dunno what he’s doing. I haven’t really seen him much. I mean, he spent the night last night, which is the first time I’ve actually slept in the same room as my roommate, but I left before he got up. So I don’t know what he’s up to.”

“Oh.”

“What about Hector?” I asked, referring to Jeff’s roommate.

“He doesn’t spend much time in the suite,” Trip said. “He’s cool and all, but he’s got a girlfriend who lives in Hess. So he’s over there a lot. What about your suitemates, the good ol’ boys?”

“T.J. and Glen?” I asked, my tone dark. “Let’s just say that I probably won’t be spending much time with them.”

“That bad?”

“Kinda,” I replied. “T.J. just gets on my nerves. And I don’t think I’ve heard Glen say more than four words.”

“I know what you mean,” he said. Then we reached the dorm and he changed the subject. “Rush starts next Tuesday,” he said. “Luke really wants to go. I think Jeff does too. You up for it?”

“I dunno,” I hedged. “Fraternities are cool and all, but I just don’t know if I’ll have time for it. I mean, architecture’s a lot of work. You know that. And I want some free time with Kendall.”

“Who wouldn’t?”

“Exactly.”

“She seems pretty cool,” he said. “And smart, too.”

I nodded.

“Anyway,” he continued, returning to the original subject, “I think Rush would be fun. I’m like you, though, I don’t really think I’ll have time for a fraternity. But I wanted to check ‘em out and see what the guys’re like. I don’t wanna rule anything out without at least trying it first. And Luke’s really enthusiastic about it. C’mon,” he said, “you’ll have fun.”

“I dunno. I just don’t see the need. I mean, I can party without a bunch of Animal House rejects. You know?”

“They’re not all like that, I’m sure. But still,” he said, “you should give it a try. At least you can keep me company while I keep Luke out of trouble.”

“That could be a full-time job.”

“You’re probably right,” he said with a laugh. “But c’mon. You’ll have fun.”

“What’re the dues?” I asked, still trying to come up with excuses not to go. “I mean, joining a fraternity isn’t free, is it?”

“There’s a Rush fee,” he said, “but it’s ten dollars. I don’t know what the dues are if you actually join a fraternity, but they can’t be all that bad. I mean, I don’t brag about it, but I can afford it. If not, my dad’ll help me out.” Then he looked at me and sized me up. “I don’t mean to be rude, but you don’t look like you’re hurting for money.”

I shook my head in agreement, although I didn’t want to ask my parents for more money, especially to pay for something I wasn’t even sure I wanted to do. But I knew that they would help pay for a fraternity if it was more than I could afford.

“But we’re getting ahead of ourselves here,” Trip continued. “No one’s even asked us to join a fraternity, much less told us about the dues. So let’s just go and have fun.”

“I guess,” I said after a moment’s consideration. Trip honestly seemed to have the same attitude about fraternities that I did. But he also wanted to go, if only for Luke’s sake. And that’s what friends are for, right?

“Great!” he said. Then, “Have you got a coat and tie?”

“Yeah. Why?”

“It’s kinda formal,” he said. “You need to wear a coat and tie. I dunno why, but that’s the way it is.”

“No problem,” I said.

“Hey, Luke still wants to go shoot some hoops. You up for it?” he asked.

“Sure.”

“Cool.”

Back in my room, I changed into a pair of workout shorts and a loose-fitting t-shirt. Then I looked at myself in the mirror. Was I gaining weight? I’d been trying to watch what I ate, so I hoped not. I still needed to start a regular workout schedule, but I didn’t know when I’d have time. I need to make time, I told myself sternly.

Unfortunately, I had a lot of other priorities vying for my attention: Kendall, Gina, classes, friends like Trip and Luke, and more. That meant I had less time for myself, and less time to work out.

With a sigh, I looked at myself in the mirror again. Then I smoothed my shirt down and sucked in my stomach. For a long moment, I simply stared at my profile. Finally, I decided that I probably was gaining weight, even if I couldn’t see it. As I put on my socks and sneakers, I resolved to eat less and start working out again.

“You ready to go?” Trip called as he banged on my door.

“Yep,” I said as I swung it open.

Luke and Jeff were waiting in the hallway.

“Guys, I can’t play basketball for shit,” Jeff said as we left the dorm.

“Me either,” I echoed. “I mean, I know how to play and all, but I’m probably not very good.”

“Luke, why don’t you team up with Jeff?” Trip suggested. “And I’ll take Paul. Cool?”

“All right,” Luke said.

“Luke and I both played basketball in high school,” Trip explained.

“I thought you played baseball,” I said.

“I played both—basketball in the winter and baseball in the summer,” he said.

“What about you?” I asked Luke. “Did you play baseball too?”

“Mais, non. In the summer, I went to the movie theater. Baseball fields aren’t air conditioned.”

“You got that right,” Trip said. Then he looked at me. “Luke played football.”

“Cornerback,” Luke said. “But after football season, I played basketball to keep in shape.”

“Jeez,” I said. “I just wrestled.”

“You mean you rolled around with other guys?” Jeff asked. “Fuckin’ A. What are you, a fag?”

“I’ll show you ‘fag,’” I said as I lunged for him with a laugh.

Unfortunately, he darted out of my reach. Laughing and shouting, Trip and Luke ran after us. A minute or two later, we screamed into HPER like a band of marauding barbarians.

Several older guys—professors, probably—frowned at us, so we calmed down. Then we headed toward the back of the large building, to where the basketball courts were located. At the desk, we signed in and checked out a basketball using Trip’s ID. Then we waited for a court to free up. Since it was Friday afternoon, the place was busy, but a half-court eventually cleared and we ambled onto it.

“Okay,” Trip said, “two on two, friendly rules. No charging and no elbows. Check the ball to the other team at the top of the key. One point per basket. First team to twenty-one wins, but you gotta win by two points. Okay?”

We all nodded.

“You okay with being skins?” Trip then asked me.

“Not a problem.”

“Good,” Jeff said. Then he nodded at Luke. “‘Cause that hairy fuck should keep his shirt on.”

“What about you, you skinny dork?” Luke asked without heat.

Trip and I merely grinned at each other and stripped off our shirts. He was actually a lot more muscular than I’d originally thought. He didn’t have my bulk, but he wasn’t nearly as skinny as Jeff.

“Look at Mr. Olympia,” Jeff said as I tossed my shirt to the side.

“Don’t make me run after you again,” I warned jokingly.

“Yeah,” Luke said, “you don’t wanna hear him wheeze and whine like before.”

“I did not wheeze and whine.”

“C’mon y’all,” Trip said, interrupting Luke’s retort. “Shoot free throws to see who gets the ball first?”

“Mais, yes,” Luke said seriously, his comeback forgotten.

Trip dribbled the ball a few times, went to the free throw line, and promptly sank a basket. Luke sank his as well. They each took two more shots, until Luke missed one. Grinning, Trip dribbled the ball to the top of the key and passed it to Luke, who bounced the ball once and then passed it back.

With that, we began to play.

Trip and Luke guarded each other, while Jeff and I tried not to make fools of ourselves. Jeff was gangly and awkward, but he was having fun. I wasn’t much better, but at least I could dribble the ball without it ricocheting off my feet. Trip and Luke were both pretty good, and guarded each other like the skilled players they were. Jeff and I were mostly there for passing and the occasional outside shot (which we invariably missed).

Trip and I won the first game 21–14. Chagrined, Luke came back and walked all over Trip in the second game—scoring 20 of their 21 points—to win 21–8. The third game was a little more even, with Luke and Jeff narrowly beating us, 23–21. Trip and I won the fourth game, 21–17. (I even managed to score six points!) Trip’s height won out in the fifth game, and we beat them 22–20.

Laughing and joking, we picked up our stuff and returned the ball. Then we headed back to the dorm. As we walked, we talked about the games and how bad Jeff and I were.

“You didn’t do too bad,” Trip said to me.

“Thanks, man.”

“You did,” Luke said to Jeff.

“Shut the fuck up,” Jeff said. “I’m not good with my hands.”

“No wonder your sex life is suffering,” Luke said.

“Does your mother know your girlfriend, Rosy Palm?” Jeff shot back.

“You leave Rosy out of this,” Luke said. Then he raised his right hand. “Don’t listen to him, mon chèr. Mother likes you.”

“You’re disgusting, Luke,” Jeff said with a laugh.

Suddenly, Luke reached for Jeff, but Jeff was too quick. He dashed ahead of us, with Luke in hot pursuit. Trip and I merely grinned at each other and ran to catch up.

The football game was still on in the living room, but Kendall and I had slipped into the kitchen to get more snacks (which I studiously avoided).

“Trip and Luke want me to go to Rush with them,” I told her.

She stiffened. “Are you going to?”

“I was thinking about it.”

“Why?” she asked plaintively, turning toward me. “You’re not going to become like one of them, are you?”

“One of who?”

“A frat rat, that’s who.”

“Of course not,” I said.

“Then why are you going to Rush?”

“I thought it’d be fun,” I said with a shrug.

“It’s just one big party. All the guys want to do is get drunk and get laid,” she said caustically.

“I just wanna see what it’s like,” I said. “I don’t wanna join a frat.”

“Then why are you going?” she asked again.

“Luke wants to go. And so does Trip. Besides, I thought it’d be fun,” I said. Then I pulled her close. “Just because I go to a fraternity party—or even a bunch of them—doesn’t make me like those guys. I’m the same guy you fell in love with. Okay?”

She looked down and then reluctantly nodded. “I know,” she said. Then she wiped her eyes. “But those guys are all alike. They treat women like pieces of meat, Paul.”

“I’m sure they’re not all like that,” I said.

“You don’t know them, then.”

I started to argue with her, but then I Got It: this was one of her blind spots. When she got emotional about something, she tended to lose her objectivity. For a moment, I wondered why she got so upset about fraternity guys, but then I remembered Big Mistake Guy—the one she’d had sex with when she’d been drunk. From her meager description, I suspected that she’d been at a fraternity party with Bridget and Toni. I seethed as I thought about what he must have done.

“It’s okay,” she said, looking up, her eyes full of unshed tears. “You go and have fun.” Then she wiped her cheeks and smiled wanly. “I know you’re not like them. You’ll never be like them.”

Stunned by her vehemence, I simply hugged her tight and shushed softly in her ear.

“And if you do decide to join a fraternity,” she said when we separated, “I’ll just have to learn to live with it.”

“I won’t,” I said. Then I shook my head. “I really don’t have the slightest interest in joining a fraternity. I’m just going because Trip asked me to. And he’s a lot like me; he doesn’t want to join one either. We won’t do anything stupid.”

“Promise me you won’t,” she said.

“I promise.”

Then she hugged me tight. “I love you so much,” she whispered.

“I love you too,” I said. “Very much.”

After a few moments, we separated and she smiled. She was trying to look cheerful, but I could see the uncertainty behind her eyes.

“It’ll be fine,” I assured her. “I’m just going to have a little fun. Okay?”

“Okay.”

“Now, we’d better get back to the living room, before they send a search and rescue party after us.”

With a tentative smile, she nodded and began picking up bowls of snacks.

Rush.

Believe it or not, I was actually kind of excited about it. I really didn’t think I wanted to join a fraternity, but it wasn’t as simple as I’d made it sound to Kendall. I was sure that not all fraternity guys were like Big Mistake Guy. A number of them probably were like him, but certainly not all of them.

Nonetheless, I had promised to call Kendall when I got home, no matter how late it was. I think she just wanted to hear my voice and assure herself that I wasn’t turning into a dreaded frat rat.

Gina, on the other hand, was excited that I was going to Rush. She had talked to Bridget several times, and was enthusiastic about Sorority Rush. After talking to Gina, however, I realized that Fraternity Rush and Sorority Rush were two vastly different experiences.

For Sorority Rush, the girls—I mean women—all dressed up and gathered at the Panhellenic building. UT sororities didn’t have houses, so they used the large building for all of their functions. Once there, each sorority had a chapter room of their own, where they put on skits, played games, and basically promoted the sorority’s virtues.

The sorority members talked to prospective pledges, but from things Gina said, it seemed like the results were predetermined. Some girls literally applied months in advance. They even had to send pictures with their applications. (Gina and Bridget had taken a couple of Polaroids for Gina’s hastily prepared application.) Before Rush Week even began, the sorority members more or less decided who they wanted to extend bids to.

In reality, it sounded like a popularity contest—or a racket—but Bridget had assured Gina that she would definitely fit in with the Tri-Delts. And since Bridget was actually fairly important within the sorority’s hierarchy, Gina was excited about the prospect.

Fraternity Rush, on the other hand, resembled nothing so much as one giant party. Each night, from seven until ten o’clock, prospective members simply went from one frat house to the next. Each house had a sign-in book, which was usually staffed by a covey of attractive coeds. The coeds were actually the fraternity’s “little sisters,” girls from a loosely associated sorority. (Sororities had their Rush earlier in the evening, so the girls could go to the parties.)

After each night’s party, the fraternity brothers would get together and talk about all the guys who had signed the book (whether or not he was cool, whose younger brother he was, etc.). They would do the same on Wednesday night, getting a better feel for the guys who came back a second night. Thursday night’s parties were by invitation only, so prospective pledges had to check with a list posted by the Intra-Fraternity Council, to see which fraternities had invited them back.

In all cases, Formal Rush only lasted until ten o’clock. The parties afterward were the real attraction. Since UT was technically a dry campus, each frat house would hire an off-duty police officer to “guard” the house. The officer was actually insurance against the frat house getting busted for having alcohol on the premises. It was a useful pretense, for everyone involved.

At the end of Rush Week, on Friday, fraternities and sororities extended bids to prospective members. Since it would be embarrassing to extend a bid and have it declined, they were very, very selective with their offers.

On Tuesday, as I showered and shaved in preparation for the first night of Rush, I wondered what it would be like.

Would the fraternity guys be like me? Would they be party animals? Would they have wild, drunken orgies? Would they be jerks? What if two fraternities offered me a bid? Would I choose either (and disappoint Kendall)? Would I turn them down (and disappoint Gina)?

“Treacherous imagination,” I muttered as I cinched my necktie and straightened my collar. Then I put on my dark blue blazer, dusted some imaginary lint from the lapel, and studied myself in the mirror. “Time to go,” I said to myself.

“Yee-haw!” T.J. whooped as I opened the door. “Lookee here, Glen, Froggy went a’courtin’.”

To my surprise, T.J. and Glen were both dressed in coat and tie as well. Not surprisingly, they were just leaving their room.

“Are you going to Rush too?” I asked rhetorically.

“What’s it look like?” T.J. asked.

So much for being nice, I thought.

“Just kiddin’,” he said. “Yeah, we’re going. You too, huh?”

I nodded.

“You wanna walk down there together?” he asked. “We can hang out.”

“No thanks. I’m meeting some friends first.”

“Okay. Take it easy.”

With that, they headed out. T.J. could be a sarcastic son of a bitch, but his invitation had seemed genuinely friendly. I shook my head in puzzlement and then walked across the hall.

“Cool tie,” Trip said by way of greeting as I entered his room.

“Thanks,” I said. “My girlfriend bought it for me.”

“Kendall’s got good taste,” he said.

“I think so, thanks,” I said. In reality, I had meant Gina, but I reminded myself—again—to watch what I said when I mentioned “my girlfriend.”

“You ready to go, Luke?” Trip asked.

“Mais, yes.”

“Hey, Jeff!” Trip shouted across the foyer. “You ready?”

“I can’t get this fucking tie tied,” Jeff grumbled as he walked across the hall.

When I turned and looked at Jeff, I had to stifle a chuckle. His tie looked like it was knotted with a double-double Windsor knot. It was as fat as a fist and the tie itself didn’t even extend to his waist (since he’d used so much of its length in the knot).

“Give it here,” Trip said.

Jeff gratefully loosened the tie and lifted it over his head. Unfortunately, when Trip managed to get the knot untied, the fabric was hopelessly wrinkled.

“Here,” he said without hesitation, “you can borrow one of mine.” Then he opened his closet, glanced at Jeff’s pale yellow shirt, and selected a tie to match. “This should bring out the blue in your eyes too,” Trip said as he held it up to Jeff’s collar.

“‘Bring out the blue in my eyes’?” Jeff repeated. “Shit, dude, you sound like a fag.”

“You want the tie or not?” Trip asked.

“Okay, okay, I want it,” Jeff said.

“Then don’t give me a hard time about fashion advice.”

“Sorry,” Jeff said, chastened.

“It’s cool,” Trip said. “You want me to tie it for you?” When Jeff nodded, Trip put the tie around his own neck. Then he tied it with a few quick, practiced flips. Finally, he loosened and removed it, then handed it to Jeff.

When Jeff put it on, Trip helped him straighten his collar and adjust the knot.

“There,” Trip said. “That’s better.”

“Thank you, dear,” Jeff said.

Trip gave Jeff two playful slaps on the cheek. “You’re welcome, honey.”

“Get a room, you two,” Luke said. Then, “Come on, we’re gonna be late.”

“Okay,” Trip said. “Is everyone ready?” When we all nodded, he grinned. “Then let’s go.”

We joined a steady throng of guys who were walking from the dorms toward the fraternity houses. For the most part, they were dressed like us: blue blazers, khaki pants, light shirts, and patterned ties. We were like sheep.

“Just like sheep,” Trip commented, echoing my thoughts.

“But we’re party sheep,” Luke said. “I’ve been talking to this guy in my English class, and he says the Pikes, ΑΤΩs, ΣΑΕs, and Fijis have the best parties.”

“Cool,” Trip said.

“Yeah,” Jeff added. “Fuckin’ A.”

That night, we went to every house in Fraternity Park, from the Phi Sig house to the Lambda Chi house, thirteen in all. I signed guestbook after guestbook and tried not to stare at the exceedingly cute girls with the books.

The first night of Rush was mostly for prospective members to get acquainted with each fraternity. Some of the fraternity guys were really cool, while some treated us like dirt. For the most part, however, they were ordinary guys.

After Formal Rush ended, we made our way to the Fiji house. (The fraternity was actually Phi Gamma Delta, but no one ever called them that. I have no idea why.) Luke had really hit it off with some of the Fiji guys, and the rest of us didn’t care enough to go anywhere else, so we headed to “Fiji Island.”