SWNOVELS The Forbidden Freshman: Chapter 7
“I told you, the task is ridiculous. You can’t expect me to—”
“I expect you not to embarrass me,” Mom cuts me off, and I dip my chin, unable to hold my sigh in check. “Don’t go sighing in my ear. You are wasting this amazing chance by not being open-minded. Jarrod really went out on a limb for you over this. He got you into that school, he’s paying for your education, and Aimee has been more than gracious helping you out during rush and ensuring you got a bid.”
“Gracious?” I spit back. “This whole initiation thing is bullshit. I’ve done everything they’ve asked of me, but making some guy fall for me just so I can humiliate him? It’s too much.”
“Oh, stop being such a prude. It’s just a little fun. You have to show your commitment to these girls. Once you’ve done that, they’ll have your back for life. Believe me, it’s worth it.”
I grit my teeth, wishing for Rachel’s mom. Why couldn’t I have been born into that family? Yes, Ray lost her dad when she was fourteen, and it sucked. It was heartbreaking. He was the nicest guy on the planet, and he died without warning. I don’t know if Rachel will ever truly get over it. I don’t know if I will. Ty Beauford was like a father to me, too, and Ray and I cried buckets together after that awful day. But her mom was solid. She was there for her, for me. She stayed strong… unlike my mother, who fell apart after Dad left, then didn’t really pick herself back up again until Jarrod came into her life six years later. And then she became someone else all over again.
I’ve experienced three versions of my mother, and the only one I truly liked was the first one, but that’s probably because I was too young to know any different.
“Mikayla, you go back to that house and you apologize. You grovel. I don’t care what it takes, but you secure your place in Sigma Beta Mu.”
“But Mom—”
“You know what’s at stake here. I am marrying Aimee’s father, and I expect you to do our family proud. Megan expects it too. She’ll be joining you in less than three years, and I don’t want you ruining her chances of getting in.”
“I know, I just—”
“Jarrod and I made the conditions very clear when we agreed to pay for your education. It’s all in the contract.”
Fucking contract. Why the hell did I sign that thing?
“You want a degree. I want you to get this degree.” She lets out a sigh—one of those disappointed ones that always make me feel bad. “Really, Mikayla, you don’t need to make this so difficult. These conditions are in place to help you. I’m trying to secure your future here. Without Jarrod you’d be going to some little community college, but instead you have the opportunity of a lifetime at Nolan U. Don’t waste it.”
I huff and kick the bag at my feet, wishing I wasn’t dependent on Jarrod, wishing my father was still around so he could go to bat for me. But he’s not, so I signed that contract thinking it was for the best.
Shit. Double shit! Fuckity-fuck!
I clamp my teeth together, resisting the urge to scream.
“This is good for you, sweetie. Those sisters will teach you how to become a woman. I don’t think it’s asking too much to play along with a few silly games in order to secure a solid standing at Nolan U and have the support of these girls as you navigate college life. You don’t want to screw this up. Now, go back there and do whatever you have to.”
“I really—” Clamping my lips together, I swallow down my argument because I’m smart enough to know it will be a waste of air.
Jarrod has me in a headlock with that stupid contract, and as much as Mom is pissing me off right now, I really don’t want to upset and embarrass her. She’s put up with a lot of shit in her lifetime and… Dammit!
“Fine,” I finally mutter.
“That’s my girl.” She ends the call with a bubbling laugh while I sneer at my phone, slapping it against my leg and muttering, “It’s just so great that you get me, Mom.”
Squeezing the phone in my hand, I’m about ready to hurl the thing across the parking lot when a deep voice stops me.
“You okay?”
I spin around and notice Captain Hero still standing there. Seriously? The guy’s frickin’ relentless!
“I’m going! I’m going!” I flick my hands in the air.
“Need a ride?”
“No.” Lifting my duffel bag with a grunt, I haul it over my shoulder.
“Need me to carry that heavy pack for you?”
I spin and flip him the bird.
“So fucking rude, Shorty.” He grins, lifting his own finger to flip me off.
I can’t help a laugh and quickly turn away before he realizes how funny I think he is. How adorable that look on his face was and how freaking hot his body is.
He probably knows it already. A jock like that?
He’s probably got a girlfriend… or a harem of them. Or he’s one of those meatheads who figures that sleeping his way through the female population is a healthy way to spend his time at Nolan U.
I’m so glad I never learned his name.
If I see him on campus again, I’ll just walk the other way. Sure, he’s a bit of nice eye candy, but so not worth my time.
Right now, I have to focus on swallowing the last of my pride and doing what I must to secure a college degree from a prestigious school. My dream is to become a sports agent. I only have to spend four years here studying sports management and business. And then I should probably go to law school. Agents need a solid understanding of contractual law. But maybe I can work for a few years or do some internships before hitting up law school. The sooner I can be independent from Jarrod and my mother the better.
But if I want any chance in hell of seeing my dreams come true, I need to toe the line on this one, which is why I walk my ass back to Greek Row and climb the front steps of the Sigma Beta Mu house.
I knock twice and am relieved when Teah opens the door.
“Oh, you came back. Yay. I was worried about you last night.” She pulls me into the foyer just as Aimee and Fiona come trotting down the stairs.
“Well, well, well.” Aimee tips her head, her eyes gleaming with triumph. “Hello, Mikayla.”
“Thanks for calling my mom for me.” I say the words with a smile, wondering if she can taste the sarcasm dripping off them.
She gives me a simpering laugh as she descends the last two steps and comes to a stop in front of me. I look up at her while my insides writhe. A quick rebellion is forming in my stomach, but I squash it down.
Think of your future. You can do this.
Swallowing the acid taste in my mouth, I try to sound as genuine as I can. “I’m sorry for leaving last night. I guess I was nervous about trying to pull off this initiation and didn’t want to admit that I don’t think I can do it.” I spit out the speech I came up with on my walk.
How robotic does it sound?
I check Fiona’s and Aimee’s expressions. They’re both looking a little bored, but they seem to believe me, so I force out the rest.
“I really do want to be a Sig Be sister. So… please, give me a little more insight into this guy I’m supposed to destroy. Who is this Ethan Galloway?”
“I still can’t believe you don’t know him. You’ve been here for weeks. Have you been living under a rock this whole time?” Fiona pulls out her phone and starts searching for something.
“In fairness, hockey season hasn’t started yet,” Teah murmurs.
“Hockey?” My voice is barely more than a whisper as I think about the guys who arrived at the arena this morning.
Please don’t let it be one of them.
Shit!
Hockey guys?
“Here he is.” Fiona flips her phone around, and my heart sinks on the spot.
It’s not just any hockey guy. Dammit. It’s The Jock. Tall Man. Captain Hero.
I gaze at his picture. He’s decked out in his Cougar hockey jersey, a proud, cheesy smile on his face.
His handsome, gorgeous, chiseled face.
His cocky, confident, bossy face.
I quickly try to think of all the annoying things about him—like the way he woke me up and told me off this morning. The way he’s so damn persistent.
The way he laughed and gave me the finger.
My heart does a little hiccup, softening without warning.
No! Shit. Think about the bad stuff!
“I know it’s a little overwhelming. He’s hot property, and all the girls want him.” Teah grins. “But that’s your in. He’s a total player and will pretty much bone anybody.”
My mouth goes dry as an image of him naked on a bed suddenly pops into my mind. Tingles ripple through my downtown as I picture him thrusting into me, his body covering mine as he—
But I cut the thought off before I accidentally moan out loud.
“You don’t have to sleep with him.” Teah laughs, rubbing my arm. “The look on your face right now.”
Aimee’s eyebrow arches while I blink and order my expression to go bland, bland, bland!
“You just have to be a dick tease. Flirt with him enough that he’ll want you.” She smirks. “He likes a good challenge. Make him think you’re a guarantee, and just when he’s confident he’s got you in the bag, we’ll rip it away from him. I’m not exactly sure how I want to do that yet, but I’ll keep you apprised of the plan. For now, pretty up and put on a smile. It’s time to go meet your target.” She lightly slaps my cheek, then looks sideways at Teah, her face bunching like she’s just smelled a fart. “You might need to help her with this.” She points at my face, then does this little circle, indicating my entire body, before turning away.
I narrow my eyes at Aimee’s back as she struts off to the kitchen.
Teah takes my arm with a kind smile, and we wander back to my closet room.
Dumping my duffel on the bed, I stare down at the narrow mattress and wish I could flop back on it. That horrible night on the concrete was for nothing. I just want to crawl into bed, shut my eyes, and forget this whole thing.
But I have classes in an hour or two and…
Crapstick. I’ve got me some work to do with Ethan Galloway now.
“Here.” Teah reaches for my hair, untangling the tie and combing her fingers through my fine locks.
She fluffs about, and I let her. Then she starts rifling through my duffel bag and pulls out an outfit for me.
“Yes.” She puts a shirt aside. “No.” She wrinkles her nose at my cargo pants, then pulls out a pair of ripped jeans that are a hand-me-down from Megan. “Love these.”
Yeah, that’s right. I get hand-me-downs from my little sister because she’s a fashion diva and I apparently don’t know the first thing about looking stylish.
So I let Teah clothe me and do my hair, then bypass the dining room and head for Java Jean’s coffee shop.
I don’t really want to start my day this way, but I’ve got a mission to complete. And the sooner I get this over with, the sooner I can get initiated into this stupid sorority and focus on the future I’m fighting so hard to obtain.