The New

***Edit--Somehow the last sentence got deleted, before I posted this. I mean, it isn't a big deal-but it bugged me, so I've added it back. Sorry for the previous awkward ending! :)***


Lunch with Mark was flawless, as expected. I asked him about his night at the Theta house and he said it was fun, but he was nervous about pledgeship. I assured him that he’d be fine and that it couldn’t be too bad because no chapter wanted to risk getting shut down for hazing.

After lunch, he invited me over to his room for a bit. “Why is your roommate never around?” I had been visiting Mark for a week now, and still no sign of his roommate aside from his bed and clothes in the closet.

“He’s got this girlfriend that’s still in high school. He literally goes to class, comes here to get his books or drop off the ones he doesn’t need, then he goes to her house or his parents’ house in town and hangs out with her. She doesn’t want to come here because she’s scared, I guess?”

I looked down. It made me think of how little thought Ken gave me during his first semester. I mean, yeah, we’d text occasionally throughout the day, but he never did much more than that. He certainly didn’t try to come home on the weekends to see me. He claimed he had fraternity stuff to do every weekend, but even I knew that was a bit farfetched.

“Well, that’s nice he goes to see her.” I said finally. I didn’t really want to start to feel bad about Kenny, but I did. I knew he had a new girlfriend. I hope he is happier with her, I suppose. I don’t know. I have this weird ambivalence towards him. I want him to be happy, but I also just couldn’t care enough. But occasionally, like this moment, I get bogged down in the idea of him.

He sat on the bed next to me. He lay down and pulled my back into his chest. “I wish we didn’t have stuff to do today.”

I sighed as he rubbed my arm. “Yeah, it’d be nice. And what sucks is it’s only going to get worse between school, pledgeship, and whatever else.”

“Well,” he kissed the top of my head, “I promise that I’ll try to make time for you. And I’ll tell Leslie to take it easy on you.”

I coughed in surprise. It was supposed to be a laugh, but it came out weird. I didn’t know what to do. I didn’t really know if I wanted Beta, and he was talking about it like I was already in. It was hard. “That’s quite the gesture considering I don’t know if I have a bid yet.”

He laughed. “You’re a definite Beta Nu. Don’t even sweat it. Leslie told me she really likes you. I told her we have that in common.”

I spun around. “You mean that?” I looked at him in earnest.

He looked kind of shocked. “Of course I like you!” He seemed kind of hurt.

“Good.” I kissed his cheek. “I like you, too.” He pulled me into him and rested his chin on the top of my head.

“Seriously,” he spoke softly, “I know you’re nervous around me a lot. And I know you get worked up and worried, but you don’t have to. I’ll let you know how I’m feeling.”

I pulled myself closer to him. “This is just new, you know?”

“I think the fun overtakes the new, don’t you?” He then kissed me. We had the laziest sex I’ve ever had. We were just content to be near each other, there was no rush, no sense of hurry, just pleased to be with each other.

After I found the ability to leave Mark in his bed, looking expertly handsome, Yvonne and I got ready for our third night of Rush. I was only invited to three parties that night. Delta Alpha didn’t ask me back to Skit night, but I wasn’t distraught over the loss. Yvonne had Chi Tau, Beta Nu and Delta Alpha left. We were both talking about how up in the air we were. As we finished getting ready, she walked out to sorority row with me. "Let the games begin.." she whispered weakly as the grand houses came into view.