The Unconditional Pledge

26 Hannah

Jay's announcement over the speakers is so loud that I jump on the cold metal seat. Soon I can hear the students rushing out of the auditorium somewhere in the distance.

Fantastic, I think to myself. Drinks and a show.

After Nick said he had to go help the guys set up, I had grabbed a bottle of tequila hidden under one of the benches and settled myself on the far end of the bleachers. Maybe it's because of how drunk I am, but I can't stop thinking about how messed up everything has become. I think it's time to face it: I have feelings for Jay. Confused, inconsistent feelings, but definitely nothing that falls into the friendship category, although I'm certain it's not in the romantic category, either.

Another hard fact: I've never been attracted to Nick, or even thought about him that much, but after tonight, he hasn't left my mind.

I take another swig of tequila.

All of a sudden, the bleachers are filling up with chattering students in dresses and suits. No one seems to notice me, Hannah Greene, in a wrinkled dress hugging a bottle on the bottom steps. Everyone's excited to see what the boys have planned for this year. I catch sight of Ava surrounded by other girls in our grade, a jeweled crown on her head. Courtney's eyes meet mine. She tugs Ava away and hurries over.

"Han," Courtney says, plunking down on the steps. "What do you think you're doing?" She looks me in the eye. "God, how drunk are you?"

"Very," I say, swaying even while sitting.

She takes the bottle, then takes a swig herself. Ava puts her arm around me, and it feels so warm and nice that I let her. "Where's your date?"

"Nick's down there somewhere," I say, gesturing vaguely to the field.

Just as the words leave my mouth, everyone on the bleachers starts screaming in delight. The boys have joined us, all suited up again. Ashton, with his sleeves rolled up and sweat glistening on his neck, sits next to Courtney. Nick, running a hand through his dark hair in a last attempt to make it behave, wedges himself between Courtney and I. Finally, after the other boys have all made it up, I see Jay, his tie thrown over a shoulder and tuxedo jacket unbuttoned. At the sight of the Pledge master himself, the entire school cheers. He does an elaborate bow before sitting down on the seat alone, spreading his arms out.

The field lights suddenly turn on. After my eyes finally focus, I see a line of football players on the field standing on a makeshift wooden stage. They're all wearing our school's uniforms — except our football players are sitting on the bleachers, which means they're not students.

I can tell the rest of the school is as confused as I am. Everyone's silent, holding their breath.

"Hit it!" Jay yells, and music starts playing over the speakers, a slow, sexy beat with the bass boosted.

The players on the field start swiveling their hips seductively. One by one, they rip off their jerseys and toss them to the side, revealing glistening six packs that look hard as cement from the bleachers.

The crowd realizes what's happening before I do. Everyone's cheering and screaming so loudly that I flinch. The girls are jumping up and down, and the guys are bellowing, impressed.

The men on the field swivel their hips some more, then in one swift movement, rip off their tights, leaving them naked except for their underwear and helmets. They glide onto the floor, belly down, in perfect unison, and grind on the stage, to the absolute ecstasy of the girls behind me. After they stand back up, the music reaches a faster beat and the strippers start unabashedly thrusting into the air with their hips.