Bad Rep (Bad Rep #1)(43)
Author: A. Meredith Walters

“Okay, let’s do this,” I said with more determination than I felt. Gracie pumped her fist into the air. I didn’t miss the look she exchanged with Riley but I pretended not to notice.

“Good luck, Mays. If you need me to beat someone up for you, just let me know!” Riley called out as we left the apartment. I shook my head but couldn’t help but feel a little warm and fuzzy at the support I was receiving from my friends. It made me feel like perhaps I could come out of all this with my skin intact.

Chapter Fourteen

Our ride to the campus was quiet. We didn’t talk at all. Which I was fine with, I didn’t know what to say anyway. Vivian pulled into the parking lot outside of the Chi Delta house and for the first time since I had pledged, I didn’t want to go inside. This place that had been a source of happiness for me, had now become something much more sinister.

“Come on, Maysie,” Gracie said softly, getting out of the car. Not being able to put it off any longer, I got out and followed my friends up to the front door. We had five minutes until the meeting started so I hoped most of the girls would already be in the chapter room.

Clearly luck was not on my side tonight. Big surprise. We walked in and it was like the sound evaporated from the room. At least twenty of our sisters were in the common room. Every single one of them stopped what they were doing and looked up as we entered. Not one of them said anything. They glared at me as though I had walked in with a scarlet A branded on my forehead.

My palms began to sweat and my heart started to palpitate uncomfortably in my chest. Gracie reached down and took my hand in hers. I looked at her gratefully as she pulled us down the hallway toward the meeting room. Milla stood in front of the door, not letting us enter.

“What the hell is she doing here?” she hissed, giving me a once over and sneered. I straightened my back and looked my “sister” straight in the eye.

“I’m here for the sisterhood meeting. Isn’t that why you’re here, Milla? For the sisterhood?” I goaded. We had a thirty second stare down before Milla looked away, her lip curling in disgust.

“Move, Milla,” Vivian grit out, shouldering passed the other girl so we could make our way into the room. I wanted to train my eyes on the floor, not wanting to look at anyone. But I couldn’t. That would be acknowledging my shame and I wouldn’t do that. Not here.

My eyes fell on the head of the table, where Olivia held court. She looked stunning, as always. Nothing let on to the emotional turmoil of the last 24 hours. Her black hair was shiny and perfect. Her skin fresh, her eyes free of the black circles that ringed mine. She looked…happy?

Olivia raised her chin as I made my way to my normal seat, flanked by Vivian and Gracie. Our eyes met and I could see the anger there. Her lips quirked in revulsion before she looked away. I swallowed thickly and sat down. This was going to be a long evening.

Ten minutes later, the rest of the sisters had filed in and we were ready to start the meeting. All eyes rested on Olivia Peer and waited for her to begin. Slowly, she got to her feet and slammed the gavel in her hand down onto the table. “I call this meeting of the Beta Pi chapter of Chi Delta to order,” she said with authority.

The first part of the meeting ran like any other. Details of upcoming mixers. Discussions about the Fall Ball. Ideas for increasing our philanthropy efforts. The president of our new pledge class gave a rundown of their meeting minutes. Maybe this wouldn’t be as bad as I had feared.

“Now, I think we need to talk about rush week and what we can do to improve things next for spring.” Olivia announced. I blinked in surprise, sharing a shocked look with Vivian. What we needed to change? Rush had been a roaring success. No one could deny that. We were able to recruit every girl we had wanted.

“We’ve had some complaints that our themes were trite and cliched. That leadership was somewhat lacking. I think we need to take a look at the way things went and whether this was how we want Chi Delts to be perceived by potential pledges.” Olivia didn’t look my way, but her words were meant for me alone.

So this was her plan. To make me look even more like an idiot in front of our sisters. I had already been branded the slut, why not the moron who couldn’t chair a rush event as well? She wanted to tear me down so far that there was no way I could ever climb up again.

Looking around the room, most of the girls were nodding, refusing to look at me. I noticed there were a few that looked unhappy with our president’s announcement. “This is bullshit,” Vivian growled under her breath. Because of course this wouldn’t just affect me, this would impact Vivian as well.

“Well, I really wonder if maybe we need some new blood handling rush for the spring. Come up with some new ideas,” Milla suggested sweetly, not shying away from looking at me. She was enjoying this. Stupid bitch. Vivian gripped the arms of her chair and sat forward.

“We had the highest turn out for the fall than any other year. Every single girl we offered bids to, accepted. Our skit kicked ass. I don’t see what the problem is,” she said sharply, staring Olivia and Milla down.

I hated that there was a division happening there. These girls had pledged Chi Delta together. Vivian, Olivia and Milla were always together. And now they were split apart. Because of me.

Olivia flicked her hair back and waved her hand in dismissal. “Don’t get so defensive, Vivvie. It was just a suggestion. I know a bunch of us had concerns over doing the same things again. Thought we’d shake it up a bit. It’s nothing personal,” she said innocently, smiling our way. I ground my teeth together.

“Not personal my ass! You know exactly what this is about. If you want to address your beef with Maysie, then do it on your own time. Do NOT bring the rest of us into it. And don’t you dare sit there on your throne and think you can tear me, Maysie or any of us down!” Vivian had gotten to her feet and looked prepared to do battle. I was shocked to see perky Vivian seething with anger.

I had a feeling that these thoughts spewing from Vivian’s mouth like vomit had been festering for a while. I should say something. I couldn’t let Vivian fight my battles for me like this. But right then I just wanted to disappear.

Olivia narrowed her eyes at Vivian then turned her steely gaze on me. Her face relaxed and she started laughing. Milla joined in, followed by most of the sisterhood. Vivian’s face was a scary shade of red. “Oh, Vivian. Chill out already. I think you’re reading too much into things. But since you brought it up, I think we should address the huge elephant in the room.” Olivia stopped laughing and turned to look at me.

I withered a bit under her stare. “Everyone knows what happened last night. Everyone on campus knows what happened last night. But none of that matters.” Olivia’s words were clipped. “Maysie, what you did was wrong. More than wrong. It was a complete violation of everything our sisterhood stands for,” she admonished me harshly and I felt like a little child. How could this girl make me feel so horrible? Oh, wait…because I was so horrible.