On His Face - Tabatha Kiss Page 0,82

asks.

“I’ll be right there.”

“Because I’m, like... really sorry.”

I hang up as a rock forms in my throat. We should have come clean sooner. I knew we should have, but the taste of the forbidden was just too sweet. For both of us.

I shake it off as a rush of adrenaline tingles my fingertips.

I need to go save my boyfriend.

From my brother.

I hear the chanting before I even reach Greek Row.

People have surrounded the Delta Xi house. They’ve practically blocked the street. I try to squeeze through them, my ears throbbing with the loud chants of Delta Xi.

“Heidi!”

I spot Jenna on the curb across from the house, bouncing up and down and waving her hands to get my attention. A stubborn gaggle of Beta Kappa girls block my path, so I plow through them to get to her.

“What’s going on?” I ask. “Where is Drew?”

Jenna points. “Over there,” she shouts. “On the lawn.”

Laughter and applause rise from the center of the circular crowd.

What are they doing to him?

Jenna hooks my arm and charges forward, butting elbows and forcing people aside to get me through. As we inch across the street, my mind comes up with worst-case scenarios and my heart aches even more. Are they hurting him? Are they making him go through some horrible hazing ritual?

We stop at the front of the crowd.

Drew.

He’s kneeling in a plastic children’s pool, surrounded by water and soil. He’s holding his arms out to the side with a few leaves in each hand, his skin painted green with body paint. They smeared his face with red paint, too.

There’s a sign around his neck; wild scribbles with black ink.

I betrayed my brother.

Seth sits beside him in a lawn chair, smiling gleefully and looking oh-so-damn proud of himself as he urges on the crowd.

I spot Brick standing on the porch, watching over everything, not doing a damn thing to stop this crap.

“Brick!” I stomp up to the porch.

His eyes flick in my direction. “Stampy,” he greets me.

I stop on the stairs with Jenna. “What’s going on? Why are you doing this to him?”

He looks forward, big and proud. “Any Delta Xi man who breaks Delta Xi law will be punished to the full extent of Delta Xi law.”

“And that means holding him against his will?” I ask. “That’s called kidnapping.”

Jenna crosses her arms. “I’m sure my mother, the federal judge, would love to hear about this,” she says, vague and threatening.

Brick glares at her. “Relax, ladies,” he says. “He can leave whenever he wants.”

I blink. “He can?”

“Yeah.”

“So...” I pause, confused. “He’s doing this on purpose?”

He shrugs. “Yeah.”

“Why?”

Again, he nods with pride. “He’s a Delta Xi man,” he simply says.

I frown.

The fuck is this?

“Well, I’m getting him out of here,” I say. “Come on, Jenna.”

“Wait...” Jenna squints at Brick. “This is the full extent of Delta Xi law? This? Publicly shaming him like a puppy that pissed on a rug?”

I tilt my head, seeing her point.

“What? Did you think we’d beat him?” Brick pivots to face us. “This isn’t the 50s. We have rules. People have rights.” He scoffs. “Stop watching so much TV.”

I hop off the porch and beeline toward the pool. “Seth!” I shout, too angry to care about witnesses.

Seth stares at me from his lawn chair. “Oh, good,” he says, sarcastic. “You’re here.”

I dig my heels into the grass. “Let him go,” I say.

“How about... no?”

I extend my hand to Drew. “Drew, come on,” I say.

Drew doesn’t move. He silently looks at me and shakes his head.

“Drew,” I repeat. “Come on. Let’s get out of here.”

He looks down.

I grit my teeth. “What did you do to him?” I ask Seth.

“Go ahead, Drew,” he says. “Tell the lady what you are.”

Drew raises his head again. “I’m a pretty little rose,” he answers.

“That’s right. He’s a pretty little rose, and he needs his sunshine. Stay out of his light.”

“Drew,” I plead with him. “This is stupid. You don’t have to do this.”

“No,” Drew says, refusing to move. “I’ve done my brother wrong and I will pay my penance.”

“That’s right!” Seth says from his lawn chair. “It’s called having honor and integrity.”

“He’s right.”

He points at Drew. “Shut up, Drew. Flowers don’t talk.”

Drew bows his head, going silent again.

I exhale hard at Seth. “You want to work this out, then let’s work this out. Like adults. Not children.”

Seth scoffs. “You sit around sketching pictures of dicks all day and then call me the child? Come on, little sister.”

Jenna tilts her head, seeing his point.

“Seth, can we please just