Rush List

The plan

"So what you're saying is that I'm going to be part of a frat" Nate says a bit too excitedly as Finn rolls his eyes.

"No" Finn says "what Kay is saying is that we're going to be on a journalistic investigation, which we are going to treat as seriously as the journalists we are" he looks straight to Nate.

"But also yes" Dalia chimes in "you will sort of be a part of a frat or at least the initiation process which is really what we need to get the information for the documentary"

When I explained the plan to Dalia after debriefing the fiasco that was both our dates she was hesitant at first. She didn't want to be involved with the frats anymore and much less keep uncovering all the other secrets they surely must have. But she knew we had to, we had to uncover everything. Our pain if anything at least would protect others.

"All we need is for you guys to rush QQK and get every detail about their rush events. After that you will be free to go, and we will have the documentary that will win us the New Voices contest" I say as a matter of fact.

"Okay I understand, but I do have one question," Nate says.

"Yeah?" Dalia answers and Nate hesitantly looks at her and slightly moves in his seat. "Why do you want to do this? Expose the QQK and their, what I'm sure will be from the stories I've heard, a not so pleasant rush experience. If your boyfriends are the President and Vice President?" He keeps his gaze directly on Dalia. Dalia looks to me not knowing what to answer, because yeah, why exactly would we want to take down the fraternity that our boyfriends lead.

"Because" I say and Nate doesn't move his sight from Dalia. I've only seen him that serious whenever he's analyzing some research for the paper, and I know he's analyzing Dalia, trying to see what he can uncover. How exactly do you fool journalists, whose entire job is to sniff out the truth?

"Because" I say again "the truth is" and Dalia's eyes go wide "we can't afford to finish school if we don't win the scholarship" Nate's eyes skint a bit, and I know he's not fully buying it. "And our boyfriends don't care, they actually hate the frat scene. Derek is the president only because his father made him do it. It was that or he wouldn't pay for college and Diego. Diego is there because Derek is there, he wouldn't leave Derek alone. But they both hate it, we all talk about it all the time. So honestly we are doing them a favor." I say as confidently as I can, trying to involve some sense of truth in the midst of the lie so it seems more believable.

"So they know?" Finn suddenly asks. I look at him just now realizing that he had a similar expression as Nate's but this one was directed at me. "They know you and Dalia are investigating their frat and planning on exposing everything?" Finn raises an eyebrow.

"Now Finn, what kind of a journalist exposes their story to the source? You know that if we told them we would be ruining the integrity of the story because their behavior would change." I say giving him the same stare back but with a slight smile.

Finn maintains my gaze for a few seconds and his expression turns into something I can't quite understand but all I do see is his lip slightly raising in the corner and then he looks at Nate "she's right, they can't know, which is why it also has to be us. They've never met us because they've never accompanied the girls to any of our activities" I wince at this, because he's right, and the fact he said it means everyone has noticed that our boyfriends don't care that much about us.

Nate looks at Finn "and you?" He says "are you sure you want to do this? You said you couldn't this semester afte-" Finn cuts him off and pats him on the shoulder "I'm sure, when have I ever taken something on that I can't handle?" Nate nods his head "okay then if Finn is in, I'm in, when do we start?"