ITHINK HE SOUNDS LIKE AN ARROGANT JERK,ANNIE DECLARES.INSTEAD OF RETURNING TOALPHAZ with my new gang of girlfriends, I fled back to my room and confessed the whole story to my best friend.Now we’re in our pjs, sitting on our beds with only our bedside lamps on.The dim light is perfectly suited to embarrassing confessions.
Yes, he was.But…In the spirit of excising every horrible memory, I admit,I found his overconfidence attractive.Maybe because I’m so inexperienced.When I get together with someone, I hope one of us will know what they’re doing.
I wasn’t even interested in him before, but now I am.Viktor’s bossiness gave me tingly sensations all over my body.I was tempted to go up to his room just to see what would happen, but then common sense intervened.
What should I tell Des and the others?It’s obvious that he’s not going to fall for me.Clearly he dislikes me—either because he thinks I’m too inexperienced, or because I elbowed him in the, uh, privates.Or perhaps because he thinks I’m a liar, which is actually true.
Let’s check the hockey roster and find out how old he is anyway.Annie pulls out her phone.Oh, he’s twenty-three.
We contemplate this.
Is four years too much of an age gap?I ask.It doesn’t seem that bad to me, but then my father is fifteen years older than my mother.
Annie gathers her knees to her chest and hugs them.I don’t know.But he’s right about one thing, though.You are young.We both are.
I nod and shoot a guilty glance at my phone, which I’ve turned off so I can get my story straight before Des interrogates me.She probably won’t know I’m even gone until the others report back.
Annie clears her throat.Okay, here’s what I think you should do.Just tell them that he said you’re too young.No need to share all the other stuff about ball-busting in the library.Maybe it’s a good thing.Now you can get into Alpha Zeta Mu without having to make out with some conceited hockey player.
All right,I agree.But I wish I could have at least kissed Viktor once.I have a feeling it would have been incredible.I turn out my light and burrow under the covers.Even in the darkness, I can still see his brown eyes assessing me before he realized who I was.It felt like he could look right into my brain.Or see right through my clothes.I shiver and close my eyes.
On Saturday afternoon, I return to the sorority house and spill my edited confession.He’s not interested in me,I conclude.
But Savannah said he was checking you out big time,Des declares.
Yes.You guys did a great job.He was definitely attracted to me—until I opened my mouth.Then he declared that I was too young and he didn’t want to have anything to do with me.
I’m starting to tire of restating the argument.Obviously the Revenge Squad doesn’t like the fact that all their work was wasted on one futile night.We’re all gathered back in the meeting room to strategize for what I hope is the very last time.They have to accept that I’ve tried but failed.Then I’ll get accepted to Alpha Z and I can tell my mom, and we’ll all live happily ever after.
Angelica sniffs.I told you this would happen.There was no way that Evie could pull this off.You can’t send a girl to do a woman’s job.
Highly insulting, but exactly what Viktor said.Now part of me wishes I had succeeded just to show Angelica I could.
Des sighs and contemplates me, or rather, the problem that is me.She shakes her head.Let’s give it one more try.There’s a frat party at Omega Rho Chi tonight.Vik will show up since there’s no hockey yet.But this time, one of us will go with you.She’ll be able to tell if he’s interested or not.
Who’s going to go?Jordan asks.
Des looks around.
Please let it be Mia, I implore mentally.Okay, if not Mia, as long as it’s not…
Angelica,she decides.
Oh no.
Then Mia is directed to give me an even hotter look tonight.We go off to her room.The party doesn’t start for a few hours, but it takes time to look beautiful.
Do you want me to go home and get something to wear?I ask, even though I’m not sure what qualifies as hot.
You can borrow something.I think you and Jordan are almost exactly the same size.What do you want to do with your hair?she asks.My hair is currently in a changeling state of half-straight and half-curly.
Maybe straight again?I loved that,I say.
She laughs.That’s how it always is.People with straight hair want curly, and vice versa.
She sends me off to take a shower and shave my legs.When I return to her room, she hands me a body lotion that smells like a field of wildflowers.I sit on her bed and apply it.Then she hands me another bottle.Put this shimmer oil on your legs.I got an outfit from Jordan.
There’s a tiny skirt and filmy shirt beside me.They look…inadequate.
