Page 8 of Palm South University: Season 2

IT WOULDN’T BE A NEW SEMESTERat Palm South without an Omega Chi party. At least, that’s what everyone has been telling me all week. Since I bailed on Clinton’s twenty-first birthday party last Saturday, Skyler is dragging me to their house tonight and I know trying to get out of it is pointless. But, I feel more prepared tonight, less in a funk than I was last week. Classes are picking up and so far, I’ve been drama-free.

Knowing who will be at this party, I just hope I can stay that way.

“So is it weird doing interviews for the blogs and stuff?” I ask Skyler as we walk toward the O Chi house. Kappa Kappa Beta and Omega Chi are on opposite ends of Greek Row, but it’s a nice evening, cool without being too cold. The rest of the girls are already there waiting for us, but Skyler had a phone interview with one of the top poker blogs and couldn’t reschedule, so I stayed back with her.

“A little.” She shrugs. “Mostly I’m just annoyed by them.”

“Really? Isn’t it good exposure?”

“Sometimes. I mean, I like when they ask me about how I started playing or what my advice for new players is. But, most of the time, they’ll ask me about shit that isn’t relative — who I’m dating, what my diet is like, what lotions or hair products I use.” She shakes her head, worrying her bottom lip between her teeth. “It just sucks. Because I’m a female player, they’re less interested in my skills than they are in how I look.”

“Wow. That is shitty.”

She nods. “I mean, don’t get me wrong. I know that looks can be used as a weapon. When I walk into a room of guys who don’t know who I am, it’s easy to fool them into thinking I’m a novice. I can flirt them into folding or hanging on when I have a good hand. But still, I just wish they’d stop publicizing it all over and start taking me seriously.”

“They will one day, Big,” I assure her, and I really know it to be true in my heart. Skyler is fierce, and even though I’ve never seen her play a game of poker, Clinton talks about how amazing she is all the time. “You’ll see.”

“I hope so, Little Nug.” She winks at me just as we reach the Omega Chi house. We push through the front door without knocking and filter into the crammed house. It’s insanely noisy, screams and music filling every room. I kind of miss the quietness of our walk.

Clinton scoops Skyler up in a crushing hug when we reach the kitchen, spinning her around as she pounds her baby fists on his chest. They’re both laughing, and I can’t help but notice how truly happy Clinton looks. I don’t think I saw that big of a smile on his face at any point last semester.

“Skyler fucking Thorne! Keg stand. Right now.”

Skyler laughs as he lets her drop back to the floor. “Done. Where’s the keg?”

“Follow me,” he says with a grin. Before we can exit, Skyler is scooped up in another hug.

“Damn, Bear. Not even going to let me kiss my girlfriend before you go stealing her away?”

Adam presses his lips to Skyler’s as she giggles and I tuck my hair behind my ear, looking at Clinton instead. I am definitely not thinking about how good Adam’s hair looks, or how his t-shirt is tight around his bicep muscles, or how his body wash smells the same as it did when I laid in his bed before Winter Break.

No, I’m not thinking about any of that.

“It’s an O Chi party, Adam. Not Alpha Sig. My rules.”

“Fair enough,” Adam concedes, pecking Skyler one last time before smacking her butt as she scampers off. “Don’t let me down.”

“What? You’re not going to hold my legs?” she asks, eyes wide and playful.

“Good point. I’ll be right there.” He turns to me as Clinton and Skyler make their way toward the keg near the kitchen. “Hey, Cassie.”

I swallow a bit when he says my name, nothing but kindness shining in his chocolate eyes. He’s looking at me like he’s half-worried, half-expectant. Of what, I can’t be sure. “Hey.”

“Did you have a good break?”

“Yeah.” I don’t know why I’m making this so weird when it doesn’t have to be. “I’m going to get a drink.”

Without another word, I slip away and head in the same direction Skyler and Clinton had. Skyler’s hands are already braced on the handles of the keg but I snake my cup in, quickly filling it before wishing her luck and heading off to find the other girls.

Jess and Erin are dancing in the living room, but I’m not quite on that level yet, so I wave at them before continuing to peruse the house. When I spot Ashlei and Bo in the hallway that leads back to the bedrooms, I make my way toward them.

“I told you I’m fine. Please stop worrying about me. I’ve got it under control, I promise.” Ashlei’s words catch in her throat when she sees me approaching, but Bo is still watching her carefully with a concerned look on her face.

“Hey girls,” I say tentatively. “Am I interrupting?”

“No way, roomie,” Bo replies with a smile. She cut her hair over Winter Break and I have to say it suits her. Her dark almond eyes and high bone structure are on prominent display. I didn’t really get to spend much time with her last semester, but we’re rooming together in the house this year, so I look forward to changing that.

“We were just talking about you, actually.” Ashlei smiles and Bo waggles her eyebrows.