Page 5 of The Frathole

Ryan chews on his bottom lip, his confidence clearly waning. “Eh…but I get, like, a final warning or something?”

“Thatwasyour final warning,” Lance says through his teeth, pressing his hand against his head like he’s already getting a hangover.

“What does probation even mean?” Ryan asks.

“It means any more slips with the rules,” I explain, “and your ass is out.”

“Where would I go?”

“Maybe you can find a sorority that would adopt you.”

He takes a moment, as though he’s seriously considering it, so I have to interrupt any fantasy he might be entertaining. “That would be againsttheirrules, so that’s not happening either. I don’t know, get an apartment. Find a roomie or several. But you won’t be able to stay at Alpha Theta Mu.”

Ryan looks to Ty.

“Don’t look at me like I haven’t had your back.” Ty’s obviously frustrated, and I feel for him since I know he’s gone out on alimb for Ryan. “I have been here from day one, defending your ass, and I love you, but you keep pulling shit like this. And these guys don’t have to let us stay here. This is a favor. I’m sorry, but your reckless behavior is messing this up, not only for you, but for the rest of us.”

“So what does this mean?” Ryan asks.

“Probation lasts six weeks,” Lance explains. “During that time, no slipups or you know the consequence.”

“And after six weeks?”

“You’ll receive one warning before being back on probation, and as time goes on, you will earn back the right to have warnings.”

“Hopefully we won’t even be here by then,” Ryan says with a pout.

“Ry, don’t kid yourself,” Ty says. “Between insurance and getting contractors together, Sigma Alpha’s house won’t be up and running until next fall, after we’ve both graduated, and that’s if everything goes well.”

The room falls silent, and I notice Ryan’s never put the pillow back in front of his cock, so it’s just dangling there, that fat menace between his legs.

“Okay,” Lance says. “Now, please, everyone get back to their rooms. We can finalize this tomorrow, but I need to get some Tylenol and head to bed.”

“You heard my boyfriend,” Ty says. “Out!”

Like the protective partner he is, he ushers us out of Lance’s room, and I can feel the animosity from Keegan and Ryan.

Ryan’s miraculously quiet all the way back to our room.

“Will you at least help me with getting a new duvet cover on?” I ask. “I’ll need to wash the comforter too, but I can do that tomorrow.”

“Depends. Will I be violating any rules if I don’t?”

“Never mind. I’ll do it myself.” I retrieve the spare duvet from the closet while Ryan stands there, baring it all, his arms folded.

“I don’t get it,” he says, scratching at his blond locks that somehow manage to look messy, like a model’s on an Abercrombie billboard. “Everyone likes me but you.”

I set the spare on the window seat and pull my duvet off the bed. “Some people think the whole clowning-around bit is cute. I don’t.”

“Mr. Goody-goody.”

That’s a fact. I’ve always been the rule follower of Alpha Theta Mu. I know it annoys some of the guys, but I’m not ashamed that I care about the frat and want to ensure that everyone’s safe. And no one, not even Ryan, will make me feel bad about that.

“Yes, that’s me, Ryan. I’m the prick who keeps things in order around the house. I’m sorry it’s taken you this long to get that. And on top of finishing my BA and working part-time at the registrar’s office, I didn’t sign up to babysit your ass.”

“You’re a risk management major. You should consider me an internship.”

I don’t even acknowledge the remark, but he’s not wrong: Having Ryan in this house is certainly prepping me for the future.