Letters by Her [Book 2]

Chapter 3

The girls could hear music pulsating out of the fraternity house before they could even see it. "Can you hear that?" Ashley giggled. She looked stunning in denim cut-offs and a designer white T-shirt. Dusty felt self- conscious in the dress she'd borrowed from her new friend, despite numerous assurances that she looked gorgeous.

"It's loud," Dusty mused. She didn't recognize the sound, but Ashley seemed to and was already humming along.

"College is meant to be loud," Ashley said. "It's meant to be loud, crazy, and mad!"

"And educational," Dusty added.

"Yeah, I guess a bit of that too." Ashley laughed. They rounded a corner and saw the fraternity house, where the party was already in full swing. Dusty was amazed by what she saw.

The house itself was easily as impressive in grandeur as her old home had once been. The entire street consisted of giant houses set back on immaculate lawns, all adorned with various Greek letters stating which sorority or fraternity resided within. People swarmed in and out of the party house like ants, the front door permanently left open.

Everyone seemed to be holding plastic cups of what appeared to be beer and were dressed relatively casually. "Apparently, before school starts, there is always one massive party on campus," Ashley imparted her knowledge to Dusty, having to raise her voice over the music as they drew closer to the house.

Girls were dancing drunkenly on the front lawn as guys smoked and laughed nearby. It seemed similar to the parties held at high school, which Dusty had avoided, yet she didn't feel as distant from it all as she had then.
Perhaps because she was now her true self she could partake and enjoy the whole experience.

Entering the house, the girls were absorbed into the heart of the party. All around them were students dancing, mak- ing out, and generally having an amazing time. A guy who Dusty had never seen before passed a drink to both her and Ashley.
Dusty went to take a sip from it, but Ashley stopped her. "Sniff it first," Ashley instructed.

"Why?" Dusty shouted over the noise.

"It might have a roofie in it."

"Can you smell those?"

"I can," Ashley answered.

"Living in L.A., it's kind of an essential skill to have if you want to party on Sunset." Dusty nodded as Ashley smelt both drinks before nodding and giving her approval.

Having never really drunk beer before, Dusty had no expectations. She'd once taken a sip of her father's unattended drink when she was younger but thought it tasted horrid and failed to see the appeal. Taking a delicate sip from her plastic cup, she noted that the taste hadn't improved since she had last tried it.

"It tastes better by the fourth or fifth one." Ashley laughed, taking long gulps from her own drink. The girls wandered deeper into the house. Dusty was surprised by how nice it was inside. It was really homey, with a large kitchen and comfortable living room. She had no idea that students lived in such comfort.

"So this is a fraternity house?" Dusty asked as they stood in the kitchen, coyly watching the party unfold further ahead of them. It was quieter at the back of the house, so they could talk more easily.

"Yeah, Gamma Delta, I think."

"Umm." Dusty drank more of her beer.

"It's basically an exclusive club," Ashley explained, sensing that Dusty didn't know much about the Greek system.

"Are you going to join one?"

"A sorority, well, yeah." Ashley nodded. "I'm a legacy. My mom was in Kappa Pi. You should pledge with me; it'd be fun."

"I don't know."

"Seriously, it's awesome. My mom always talks about her sorority days and her sisters."

Dusty thought of her own mother back in their trailer in West, which felt a million miles away from the plush fraternity house she was currently standing in. Dusty looked around, taking in the mahogany furnishings in the kitchen, the tiled floor beneath her feet.

She felt like she was finally where she belonged, no longer restricted to the bottom rung of the social ladder. "Sure, why not?" Dusty smiled.

"Great. I'm sure they'll love you. Did you cheer or anything in high school? They love to take cheerleaders."

"I was head cheerleader at my high school."

"Fabulous. Then they'll definitely take you." Ashley beamed. "Now let's go have some fun."

****

Three beers later and Dusty started to feel a bit worse for wear. The music had blurred into one long, monotonous song, and all around her were people either drunkenly swaying or passionately making out. She'd lost Ashley.

About an hour or so ago Dusty had headed upstairs to go to the bathroom. The liquor in her system meant that it took her longer than it usually would have, and by the time, she returned to the living room where they'd been sitting together, Ashley was gone.
Since then Dusty had wandered the house, half looking for her friend, and half just meandering around in a drunken stupor.

Just when fatigue was calling for Dusty to return to the comfort of her bed in her dorm room, she spotted the back of a familiar-looking head in the middle of making out with someone. Her manners dulled, Dusty tapped the head on the shoulder, and Ashley turned to look up at her friend.

Ashley giggled at having been caught making out with a guy. Dusty briefly glanced at the guy; he was blond with blue eyes and chiseled cheeks. He was cute. "Dusty, this is Brad," Ashley offered by way of introduction. "He's a lacrosse player," she added.

"I'm going to head back," Dusty said, her speech slurred.

"Okay, yeah, me too." Ashley untangled herself from a disappointed-looking Brad and stood beside her friend. "Want me to walk you girls back?" he offered with a spark in his eye.

"No, we're fine," Ashley answered with certainty.

"You sure? Campus is quite a walk from here."

"Maybe next time." Ashley threw him a flirty smile.

"Okay, well, you've got my number." Brad smiled. Ashley gave him a small wave and then pulled Dusty out of the house into the cool night air. On hitting the fresh air, Dusty felt extremely sick.

"Oh, wait, no you don't." Ashley propped an arm around Dusty to hold her up. "No being sick. Not on your first night, it just won't do."

"I can't believe you were making out with that guy." Dusty laughed as she hobbled against her friend.

"He's hot, isn't he?" Ashley grinned.

"I'm tired."

"Me too."

"I like being a schudent." Dusty was struggling to pronounce her words.

"Yeah, me too. I think we're going to have a lot of fun together." Ashley smiled.