✔ SLAPSHOT ✖ irwin au

thirty-nine.

k a r r i s

✖

Spending an entire Saturday with Sophie at her Sorority house was exactly what I needed at just the right time. Though we kept things very simple by lounging around, watching movies, and going to the campus gym to use the indoor pool, it was unforgettable. Of course, I checked in on my mom every few hours to make sure she was fine, and it seemed like she kept herself distracted with miscellaneous work.

Sunday morning, I met more of Sophie's sorority sisters. The girls of Kappa Iota were very diverse, yet incredibly kind. Together they cooked breakfast, made homemade peach mimosas— virgin ones for me, and set up a cute table scape on the table in the back patio.

"So Karris, tell us, after spending a short weekend at Kappa Iota, would you consider joining a sorority?" Mali asked as she poured herself another drink from the large pitcher.

"If it's like this one," I began, taking a moment to swallow my food. "Then I think I'm down. I always imagined sororities to be just a bunch of shallow, flawless girls."

"Some are," Sophie smirked. "The Delta's across the street are like that it's scary. They're all robots on that side, but that's what their sorority is about."

"Whereas this one," another girl chimed in, pointing to the Greek letters on her shirt. "This one is about embracing you and thriving off of it."

"Exactly what Valerie said," Mali leaned over to the girl with the deep skin and gave her a side hug.

Watching these girls interact with each other over breakfast was awe-inspiring to say the least. Their jagged pieces that made them each different, somehow became the perfect parts of a bigger, beautiful puzzle. Their friendship and sisterhood reminded me of the one I shared with Berkley, and I knew as soon as I got home, I'd apologize for letting a jealous green monster control my actions.

"There's another round of french toast in the oven," Mali announced, scooting back in her chair. "I'll go grab them."

"I'll come in and help you," I volunteered, reciprocating Mali's grin and followed her back inside.

"Thanks for helping," Mali said. "You really are a sweetheart— just how Sophie always described you as."

"It's my pleasure," I grabbed the oven mitt hanging from a cabinet hook and handed it over to Mali. "Sophie mentioned your last name is Hood, you wouldn't happen to be related to a Calum Hood, would you?"

Mali beamed, "my little brother! Do you two go to the same school? Know each other?"

"I think you already know the answer to that question," I challenged, pursing my lips.

"How could I not?" Mali stated with a defeated sigh. She paused her movements to look at me. "Your family has been in the newspapers all summer."

I nodded my head, "yea, but I know you knew of my family before the papers."

Mali stood stationary. The two of us gazed at one another for several seconds. She mulled over my words, contemplating a response. In the background, the muffled giggles of Sophie and the other girls filled my ears. If Mali and I didn't return soon, someone would interrupt, and there went my chances of figuring out the truth between my brother and Calum.

"Karris, how well did you know your brother?" Mali asked. She grabbed a clean spatula from the drawer and began loading the french toast onto a plate.

"I'd like to think I knew him very well. He was my twin after all," I shrugged. "But new information keeps popping up about him and now I have to wonder who my brother really is."