Greek Secrets: Sisterhood and Scandals

The Under Study

The AllSing crowd buzzed with anticipation as Olive stood backstage, trying to steady her breathing. The AOII chair had been unrelenting, insisting they perform despite the patchy turnout from other groups. Olive felt the mounting pressure like a weight on her chest, but that wasn't the worst of it.

Kendall hadn't shown up.

It wasn't just that she was missing—it was why. Olive had tried texting her all day, asking where she was, if she was okay, but Kendall hadn't responded. Finally, one of the other KD girls let it slip: Kendall had left campus. She'd gone home early for Thanksgiving break—the same trip she'd begged Olive to join just weeks ago.

The invitation had felt monumental at the time. Kendall wanted Olive to meet her family, to see the little town she grew up in, to share a part of her life she hadn't shared with anyone else. Olive had hesitated, terrified by the idea of what meeting Kendall's family might mean, what it might reveal about their relationship. She'd told Kendall she wasn't ready.

Now, as Olive stood under the blinding stage lights, her heart ached with the bitter irony. Kendall had gone without her, leaving Olive to step into her role at the last minute.

"Olive, you're up," Bethany barked, pulling her out of her thoughts.

Swallowing her nerves, Olive stepped onto the stage. She knew the routine—it was burned into her memory after weeks of rehearsal. But performing wasn't her role; it was Kendall's.

The music started, and Olive moved into the choreography, hitting every step with precision. Her voice carried through the room as she sang Kendall's harmonies, her mind racing with thoughts of the girl who was supposed to be standing beside her.

Each move felt heavier, each note harder to hit, as Olive pushed herself to keep going. She had no choice. AOII didn't tolerate failure, and neither did Olive. But inside, she felt raw.

When the performance ended, the applause was polite but lacked energy. The crowd wasn't what it used to be, and the absence of groups like ADPi and AXO had drained the event of its usual excitement. Olive forced a smile, bowing with the rest of her group before retreating backstage.

Her phone buzzed in her pocket. For a moment, hope flickered in her chest—maybe it was Kendall, finally reaching out.

But it wasn't. It was a photo from one of her AOII sisters showing Kendall at her parents' house, sitting around a table filled with food, her little brothers smiling at the camera. Olive stared at it, her throat tightening.

Kendall had told her she wanted Olive to be a part of that scene, to share in that part of her life. Now, it felt like Kendall had erased her completely.

Olive shoved her phone back into her pocket, biting the inside of her cheek to keep the tears from falling. Thanksgiving break hadn't even started yet, but for Olive, it already felt like the season was over.

TO BE CONTINUED...