act i. brutal
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CHAPTER
SEVEN:
CUPID'S CHOKEHOLD
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[ OCTOBER'S
p.o.v. ]
The time dwindled by like a snap to the fingers, and I didn't have to look at the clock to feel like the seconds were slipping by my grasp. It was then when I realized the library was closing up when the lights started turning off on the other side of the vast room, as well as the lack of people that had been here previously-not like there hadn't been many here to begin with anyway. I, on the other hand still found that the library was a reliable place to be if I needed to be away from distraction.
Speaking of distraction, as soon as I finished up catching up reading on recent chapters with the stack of textbooks on the wooden desk, I sighed staring at the cavernous tower of books that'd take up my time the rest of this semester. As soon as I sat there aimlessly, packing my textbooks away, I couldn't help but think of Luke, the thought of him invading my brain suddenly.
Just as I was going to take my phone out, it vibrates and ring with that cheery iPhone tone, Cassidy's name popping up to a video call.
"Hey, Cassidy." I accepted the call with an answer.
"Where are you?" Cassidy looked closely at the screen.
"Um, I was at the library for a bit just wanted to do some content feeding before anything'd be assigned or what not. I'm headed back to the dorms now though."
"Perfect. How do you feel about heading to a fraternity party tonight?"
"It's a Tuesday."
"Oh, it isn't anything new. A bunch of parties usually happen during opening weeks anyway because classes are mostly in the middle of introduction at this time, soooo yeah. And kappa alpha psi guys don't usually give a fuck, they'll throw parties whenever they damn well please, honestly." Cassidy waved off, chuckling. "So what'd you say? All of the girls in our sorority are down to go."
I exit the library, walking the rest of the way down the concrete walkway, post lights guiding my way as the sun had dropped slowly until it had turned into a subtle evening sky.
I tried to think of the next best excuse to opt out of going to this so called fraternity party, for the reason I'd be running into Luke yet again, though I couldn't seem to think of one. "Fine. I'll go." I sighed, giving in.
"Oh!" Cassidy shrieked, playfully scrunching her nose. I laughed. "Well hurry your butt and get over here!"
Now what the hell was I going to wear?
I stared at my wardrobe, pursing my lips in thought. Since it'd be a party, I guess I'd wear something nice, though something absolutely low-key. Skimming through the clothes once more over, I decide on a black silky strap corset top and high waisted black skinny jeans. After I threw the articles of clothing on, I threw on some small hoops, ruffling my hair in the mirror.
"Kelsey?" I looked over my shoulder, at the girl who had been finishing up applying makeup at her vanity mirror.
"Yep?" She glanced over.
"How does this look? It's too much, isn't it?" I sighed. "I'll-"
"No you actually look stunning, October. Don't worry about it." She waved off. Kelsey had worn a tennis skirt and a knitted vest crop top, her hair tied up in a bun.
"You girls ready to go?" Cassidy swung by, leaning on the door frame, raising her eyebrows. "Because we're going to miss out on jello shots, and that's a shame. Jello shots rule." She pouted, setting her hands on her hips, rings adorning her frail fingers.
As it turned out to be; the kappa alpha psi fraternity that didn't stray quite far from the kappa alpha theta sorority household were quite literally like the Capulet's and the Montague's of the iconic literary piece 'Romeo and Juliet.' The way that Cassidy, (who was indeed the president of this sorority) described her tragic end to a relationship with Calum from that fraternity. Of course, minus the part where Friar Lawrence totally caved into second-degree murder.
Anyway, it seems like a valid reason for Cassidy to have such a high guard on herself, around the fraternity.
When I walked alongside Kasey and the black haired girl, the rest of the girls following behind us in lively conversation and bountiful giggles of excitement as I glanced over my shoulder, then back over at Cassidy.
"So, just curious as to why we're showing up to this party if you know who kinda had a falling out with you?"
"Because Calum Hood is nonexistent to me. And he'll just have to face it, my girls are all I need." She shrugged, tugging her red veil sleeves over her palms. "Plus, a little party never hurt nobody—quoted by an anonymous genius."
Kelsey snickered. "I think that was totally Miley Cyrus."
Cassidy laughed, holding a hand to her mouth.
"Or Barbara Streisand."
"Who?" Cassidy quirked a brow, our voices soon getting drawn out by the loud music coming from the fraternity house.
"Never-mind." I mumbled, observing the scenery that was indeed a college party at its finest. There was a couple rolling over on the grass, sucking faces not paying much attention their surroundings, groups of friends with red solo cups in hand, and a cup pong table setup on the wooden porch where I had seen Luke and Calum with two other unfamiliar boys, and two other girls at the other end of the cup pong table.
Instantly I rolled my eyes, crossing my arms when one of the drunk girls had scattered the cups off of the table, laying down as she hiked her dress up as high as it could go over her waist, in fits of laughter.
"You gotta do it man! You said you would!" Calum yelled over the music, bumping shoulders with Luke who had then knocked into the boy with bleached hair next to him.
"That's right, I won Lester! Now you have to take a body shot on me." She slurred, clearly past drunk probably after an intense get-at with the cup pong.
"It's Luke, but that's alright." He smirked, tilting his head at the girl.
I glanced at Kelsey who had widened eyes, her jaw dropped. "Holy—"
Luke had poured liquor onto the girl's belly button, hovering over just as Cassidy cleared her throat quite exaggeratedly.
"The kappa alpha theta sisters have arrived, frat-whores. Yes I'm talking to you, Calum, Luke, bloodhounds. Kudos to the whole setup by the way." Cassidy snidely smiled. She then glimpsed at Calum, a look that resembled thin ice within her eyes. "JELLO SHOTS BABY!" Cassidy drawled her voice out, raising her arms high in the air as the girls jeered following her in.
I frowned at Luke feeling conflicted by him. I remarked in the name of a kiss with a fist, "What she said, Lester."
Walking in there, surrounded by all the liquor the earth really had to offer, I intended to get drunk. So drunk, that I wouldn't remember this night but the drink that had my stare in a choke-hold. I could feel eyes of people I didn't know, so many that I wanted to find a place where I could find comfort. So I walked further, until I found Cassidy and Kelsey in the kitchen.
"Hey, October. Just the girl I was looking for." Cass chided, smiling at me. She motioned at the jello shots of all the colors within the rainbow's realm aligned on the glimmering countertop. "Kels and I can't finish these on our own, so figured you'd help out."
"Yeah." I exhaled, chuckling. "Yeah, no I'm totally down. Now?"
"Yes, now." Cass laughed, as we glanced at Kelsey who counted us off on three with her fingers.
As she did, we had all grabbed a jello shot, taking each with a delicacy. I had taken about five of the jello shots until the three of us collectively cleared the counter of jello shots, one by one.
"Oh fuck." I cursed, feeling the rush from the alcohol in those jello shots instantaneously hit me with an inviting hazy atmosphere.
"Oh!" Cassidy yelled, Kelsey thrusting her fists to the air as she screwed her eyes closed.
I fell into fits of giggles, holding a hand over my mouth as Cassidy had dragged both of us into the enormous living room where a crowd had been moving to the beat of the loud music. The three of us had slowed down to a stumbling halt. Cassidy fought back the urge to laugh at the cringeworthy sight. Kelsey blinked with a doe-eyed twinkle at the Scorpio bassist.
"Hi guys we're Rush Monks. We hope you like this one." A computer science major said into the mic. A clash of mediocre chaotic guitar chords and loud drums amped the room as I slightly ducked, startled at how loud it had gotten.
Recovering as the song had miraculously crash-landed, I lean over to whisper something into Kelsey's ear.
"He was so checking you out."
"Who?" Kelsey wondered.
"The Scorpio four-string plucking." I replied, quirking an eyebrow, as if speaking the most obvious.
"You know what, I'm going to go talk to him." She said bravely. Caught with my lips agape, speechless, Kelsey darted through the crowd of moguls, knocking into people accidentally and earning a couple of 'what the fuck's?'.
"And she's... Going to talk to him." I muttered mostly to myself. I glanced over at Cassidy who watched skeptically, like the Sorority Cupid she was.
"Not happening." Cassidy chuckled, shaking her head, pouty gazing my way.
"Why are you such a god?" I chided her teasingly, tilting my head with sass as I flicked my blonde hair over my shoulder. I placed a hand on my hip.
"Because apparently, this sisterhood wouldn't be without one. Speaking of, you broke his heart yet?" She looked over at Luke who had floated about the room a distance away, hair slicked back and leather adorning him.
"You're really not joking are you?" Our eyes hadn't left each other's, Cassidy shaking her head again with a snide smirk.
"I don't make the rules. Apparently, men that objectify women only inspire me to go at great lengths for the house. You've got lots to learn October, and fratboys that objectify sorority girls isn't the only thing to look out for on this campus. I love you, as a sister bound by blood would. Sworn by the meows. If that was merely the most miniscule amount of trust I heard in your words for Luke, things aren't going to be good for you. We make campus safety interactive and fun, it's what sorority house leaders do, but for what it's worth, get your head out of the skies. Luke's a fuckboy."
"Yeah, whatever." I said, as we both had walked over to the granite counter top to sit by it. "Um, hey Cass?"
"Yeah?"
"Do you want another drink?" I asked her.
"Grape jello for the win." She chuckled.
The song that Rush Monks were playing came to a close as the whole house cheered them on and nearly tore the house down doing so.
"This one's our newest song called Mini Skirt Of Death." The lead singer then introduced the next song into the mic. He counted it off by four, as a more sultry tune began to play, slow, forgiving, then transitioning into a more hard rock and fast-paced guitar riff. He sang about the girl in a mini skirt of death.
"Got that right." Cassidy said as we both laughed.
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