alumni ➢ luke hemmings [DISCONTINUED]

1.2 ➢ A Kiss.

"Welcome to initiation, girlies. You've made it this far- now it's time to see what you can really do."

I balance awkwardly from one foot to the other, shifting my weight with as much patience as I can manage. Bethany's battling a hangover, and the two girls next to her holding the laminated pieces of paper don't seem to be as sober either- I'm not hesitant to admit that I'm a little worried.

Half of the dozen girls around me seem to be yawning, clutching their heads to steady their vision as they stare distastefully up at the front. Everybody went to the party last night, yet only a few came out with limited regrets. Fortunately enough, I'm one of them.

"I don't know how you're still alive," Chloe all but hisses at me, a yawn falling from her lips as she does so. For one of the most attractive people I have ever come across in my entire lifetime, the girl looks like an absolute wreck; messy hair, messy words, messy, bloodshot eyes. The after effects of a messy night, no doubt.

"I swear I saw you with a Tokyo," she then continues to mumble, referring to the drink I'd had clutched in my hand the entire night, right before she left and didn't get to see how a certain blond replaced it with something much safer. I don't tell her this, though, because I'm a little confused myself and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't the least bit concerned about his motive.

But if there's anyone to tell, it would be Chloe. Not only is she practically obsessed with the guy, but because Michael views Luke as competition and it just wouldn't be wise to confide in anyone else- Calum included; he boy can keep a secret, but from his best friend? Forget it. I might as well be announcing the news through a megaphone placed right next to Michael's ear if I so much as utter a word about it to the vice president of Sigma Chi.

"I had something else,"

"What did you do with that one, then?"

"Gave it to someone,"

"Hm,"

She doesn't look like she believes me, but that's okay. I'll tell her later. For now, initiation is the one thing on my mind; getting through it is a whole other story.

I've heard horror stories, of girls having to participate in strip poker and skinny dip right in the middle of the fraternity neighbourhood's outdoor lake, of loyalty pledges where even their Instagram accounts aren't safe and they're dared to post a fifteen-second nude bodyshot that a sorority sister takes for them. I've heard everything, from horror to fantasy to even cringe-worthy moments, and a shudder runs down my spine as Bethany's steely gaze lands on me.

Her expression turns soft as she gives me a smile, and I attempt to smile back, but I also look away. I haven't been paying attention to anything she's been saying for the past five minutes and I think that she can tell.

"What do you think, Sophia?"

What do I think?

What do I think?

It's not long before I realise that practically everyone's looking at me; all of the girls in their tired, yawning, bloodshot-eyes and vodka-breath glory. My eyebrows raise slightly.

"Uh," I begin, "What?"

"What do you think of the first stage of initiation?" she asks sweetly. There's a sense of bitterness to her tone, a fake tweak that makes me want to curl up into a ball and hide for the next few years, maybe even ten.

It's a minor inconvenience, but it's so sour that it may as well turn into a truck and slam right into my rib cage. "Uhm," there's a hopeful look on everyone's faces, and I can tell they're all wanting the same thing. The only problem is that I don't know what the hell is going on, and I'm far too much of a coward to ask in fear of getting scolded.