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Thanks, Speed Friendship.
“Oh, it’s coming,” I say. “Forgot my bag at home, so my mom is dropping it off.” I admire her black dress. Our invitation stated (in bold) that we’re all to wear black dresses tonight. “You look amazing.”
Jessica pauses beside me, a duffel bag hung over her shoulder. “You staying overnight?” she asks. “I hear Initiation Night can get pretty wild.”
“Uh, yeah,” I say, lying on the fly. Can’t believe I didn’t consider that I would have to lie to everyone who asked. I’m such an amateur. “Definitely planning on it.”
She heads inside, and I exhale hard. Another lie down. Who knows how many more to go.
A familiar truck stops in front of the house on Greek Row. I straighten up, my gut twisting into a pretzel as my father hops out of the driver’s seat. He grabs my overnight bag from the back and strolls up the sidewalk, his eyes open wide as he scans the surrounding street.
“Dad?” I say.
“Hey, honey,” he says, his grin wide and proud.
“What are you doing here?”
He holds up my bag and shrugs. “You forgot your bag.”
“Right.” I eye the Delta Xi house across the street. A few guys on the front porch are already pointing and whispering with awe in their eyes. “I thought Mom was dropping it off.”
“She had a meeting with her new TAs, so I thought it’d be fun to drop by. Take a peek around my old stomping grounds.” He laughs as his head swivels again. “This place hasn’t changed a bit.”
“Yo, John Kirby!” a voice shouts from the top-floor window of Delta Xi. “Delta Xi!”
Dad turns to raise a fist, shouting “Delta Xi!” right back at them, his voice echoing down the street. I roll my eyes as I wait for him to, you know… give me my bag. And leave.
“Well, thanks, Dad,” I say. “I appreciate it.”
When he looks at me, his brow is tighter than before. “These guys being nice to you?” he asks. “The gals, too?”
“Yeah. Everyone’s been great.”
“Because we can go home right now,” he says, his eyes suddenly soft with fatherly concern. “We’ll go home, throw on our jammies, and watch cartoons.”
I laugh. “Dad, that’s?—”
“Dana, are you — oh!”
We turn toward the open front door behind me. Ms. Jaxx stands in the doorway in her own floor-length black gown, her blonde hair tied up in an elegant bun.
“Oh, hello,” she says, her painted eyes on my father.
“Dad, this is the Beta Kappa house adviser,” I say. “Ms. Ja?—”
“Sam?” Dad says, blinking.
Sam?
Ms. Jaxx grins even wider. “Johnny! It’s so good to see you!”
Johnny?
“You, uh… you, too,” he says, confused. “I didn’t know you were… still here.”
“Oh, I’ve always been here.”
“And now you’re in charge?” he asks, his concern at its peak now. “Of my daughter’s well-being?”
