The Pledge by Laura Ward, Christine Manzari Read Free Book Online

forget about the rush informational meeting. It’s Thursday at five o’ clock.”
    Alexis groaned and fell back against her pillows. “Are you really making us go? I am so not sorority girl material.”
    “Neither am I. I can’t imagine fitting in with a sorority.” The truth was, I wasn’t afraid that I wouldn’t find one that I liked. I was afraid of being excluded. I knew all too well what it was like to be the last pick in schoolyard selections. I wasn’t looking forward to the reminder of that humiliation at the college level.
    “Stop it. The Greek system will embrace you.” Julie threw her arms open wide. “Besides, you promised.” She air kissed us and closed the door behind her.
    “Are you sure about this?” Alexis lay sideways on her bed, facing me.
    “No, but I love Julie, and I promised to reinvent myself in college. No regrets, right?” Alexis nodded. “Let’s go together, and if we find out all the sorority houses suck, we don’t have to pledge.”
    “Can we also make a promise to do it together? I mean, choose a house we like and hope they like us both? Alexis flopped onto her back and stared at the ceiling. “I don’t want to do this without you.” Her face pinched, and she closed her eyes. “I have a lot going on back home.”
    She’d hinted before that her home life was not the best. I could only hope that she would trust me enough to confide in me one day. “Of course. I feel the same way.” I smiled at her, but deep down the violent thrashing of my high school insecurity reared its ugly head.
    Alexis was beautiful, and with a few wardrobe changes, she’d have no problem pledging a sorority. I, on the other hand, was another story. I couldn’t see how I could possibly be converted from geek to Greek. My nerdy roots might run too deep.
    “I’m so glad you’re my roommate, Taren.” Alexis spoke softly, her voice strained. “I didn’t have many close friends in high school.”
    “I didn’t have any.” I pulled at the end of my pillowcase, avoiding the look of pity I was sure to see in her eyes.
    “What do you mean? You can’t be serious.” Alexis sat up and pulled her knees to her chest.
    “My Aunt Claire has always been my closest friend.” I swallowed against the lump in my throat, guilty at the thought of my aunt. She was my only family, and she had sacrificed for me in more ways than I could count.
    “What about your parents?” Alexis tilted her head to the side, biting her lip as if bracing herself for my answer.
    “My mom died years ago. I never met my dad.” I wiped at the brimming tears in my eyes. My tears weren’t for my parents. Sure I missed having them in my life, but it was more. Talking to Alexis about my lack of friends back home brought back so many memories. Not many that were good. In fact, a few that were awful. More than anything, I realized how lonely I’d been. I hadn’t known how much I needed a friend until I met her.
    She jumped off her bed and hopped up next to me on mine. Slinging an arm around my shoulder, she hugged me to her. “Well, you and I are just going to have to become sisters then, aren’t we? We both really need that.”
    Sniffing, I rested my head on her shoulder and nodded. “Yeah, I really do need that.”
    ***
    “Jules, you just inhaled that pizza, and you have room for more?” I teased. Julie was attempting to conquer a mountain of FroYo sitting on top of a small cone. Contrary to popular belief, the dining hall food wasn’t all bad. I mostly stuck to turkey sandwiches or the salad bar. Tonight, however, we had decided we needed real, homemade pizza and frozen yogurt, so we ventured off campus to Route One.
    “Shopping burns calories for me. Then I get hungry. Shut it.” She glared at me before grinning. Then she went right back to her conquest.
    Alexis stopped walking in front of a coffee shop filled with students. “The coffee smells so good. Hold on a sec, I’m going to buy a cup.” Alexis walked into