Social Anxiety

Chapter 6: Let the Games Begin

Everybody met in Barb and Hailey's dorm room for a planning session. They managed the cramped space, but Shawna didn't mind because Felicia sat next to her on the floor. She reclined against Barb's bed while reading the novel-sized packet Hailey gave them. It was an itinerary for Bid Night.

"Hail Storm, this thing is ten pages long!" Shawna said.

"Bid Night is an all-night event, so we have lots to do," Hailey replied.

"Hailey, promise me you'll let me sleep all day Saturday and Sunday," Barb said without looking up from the paper.

"Um, you have one thing to do on Saturday afternoon, but I swear I'll let you sleep through the rest of the weekend."

"Are you serious?"

"You're the Pledge Mom, so you must meet with the pledges on Saturday to explain some things."

"Fine!"

"Okay, what's this about poems?" Shawna said as she pointed at the packet.

"Oh, that's a memory exercise for the pledges. We're going to ask them to remember a lot of information, so it's good to stimulate their memory," Hailey explained.

"Stimulate their memory?" Barb asked.

"Memory is like a muscle. The more you work it out, the stronger it gets. We teach the pledges something simple, like a poem, and have them repeat it on command. It's a method they use in military officer training. Some of these poems came from them. Also, it's just fun to make them spout silly nonsense whenever we want to, especially in embarrassing situations," Hailey said with a smirk.

"Hail! You're becoming devious. I like that," Shawna said. "But I'm not a fan of these poems. Why don't we teach them dirty limericks?"

"What are those?" Barb asked.

"Here, check this out," Shawna said, straightening herself up before continuing. "There once was a young man from Gent. Whose dick was so long it was bent. With his blushing bride. Well, he got it inside. But then, instead of coming, he went!" Shawna said with a laugh.

Everyone stared at her for a moment. Keisha bit her lip to fight the laughter. Felicia appeared horrified and amused all at once. Hailey seemed contemplative. And Barb shrugged her shoulders and said, "Not bad."

"You know what? Let's go with it," Hailey said, much to everybody's surprise. "Save a list of those on your phone." Then Hailey's phone beeped as if it was listening. She picked it up and let out a long sigh. "It's the bid results. I'm afraid to look."

"Here, I'll do it," Barb said, taking the phone. She opened the email and read it in silence. Barb frowned as she did. "Only five people put us down as their choice, but it's the five we expected. Kennedy, Hana, Claudia, Tamara, and Chloe."

"Hey, we doubled our numbers," Felicia said.

"Yeah, we're up to ten. We're exploding," Keisha replied with a thumbs-up.

"Um, Hail. I know we need all the pledges we can get, but do you think it's a good idea to give Chloe a bid?" Shawna asked.

Hailey looked at her with an expression of confusion and a slight annoyance. "What do you mean? Are you worried she's a mole for Marla or something?"

"That's a possibility, but I thought more about the drama it will cause. You know Marla won't let this slide."

"Chloe told me to let her handle Marla. We'll be fine."

"Okay. If you say so," Shawna said and held up her hands.

"What time is it?" Hailey asked.

"11:45. Why?" Barb asked.