time; she refused to become the star of the viral video “Girl Spends Seven Full Minutes Befuddled by Milk Dispenser.”
She showered quickly in the communal bathroom, then returned to her room to grab her phone and ID card. At the last minute, she plucked the Kappas’ invitation off her bed. Perhaps if she read it again after coffee had kicked in, it’d make a little more sense. As Vivi pulled on a pair of sweatpants, she could almost feel the look of derision Zoe was shooting her way, but she didn’t care. Vivi didn’t own an outfit that would impress her stylish roommate and it was pointless to waste time pretending otherwise.
As she stepped out of her dorm, an elegant brick building covered with ivy, Vivi felt some of her anxiety melt away. She actually lived here, on one of the most beautiful campuses in the country. It was going to feel like home soon, she just knew it.
“So you’re the Kappas’ next victim, I see?” Startled, Vivi turned to see a girl in tight black jeans and a shredded black shirt sitting cross-legged in the grass. She raised an eyebrow meaningfully at the lavender envelope in Vivi’s hand.
Instinctively, Vivi tucked the envelope into her purse. She wasn’t sure how this worked. Was she allowed to tell people she’d been invited? Or was it a secret? She went for noncommittal. “I don’t really know much about it yet.”
The girl gave Vivi a penetrating look that made Zoe’s stares seem friendly by comparison, then smirked and rose to her feet. “Be careful with them,” she said, almost more to herself than to Vivi, then sauntered away.
That was weird, Vivi thought as she continued toward the dining hall. Maybe the girl was jealous? Kappas were selective, and lots of people had been at that party vying for bids, which made Vivi wonder all the more why they’d chosen her. She hadn’t been dressed properly and didn’t know how to dance well. The Kappas she’d met had been nice to her, but they’d been welcoming to everybody. What about Vivi had caught their eye?
Zoe’s right, she thought for the first and possibly last time ever. Don’t ask why. Just be glad something good is finally happening to you.
Before she had time to grow nervous about entering the dining hall alone, Vivi saw Ariana waving at her from a few yards away. “Are you going to breakfast?” Ariana asked. “Thank God. I was afraid I was going to have to sit by myself.” She bit her lip. “Sorry, I mean, it’s fine if you’re meeting people. I don’t want to force you to eat with me.”
“That’d be great,” Vivi said with a smile, relieved to learn that even girls like Ariana had the same concerns she did.
“How are you holding up after last night?” Ariana asked as they climbed the stone stairs. “I think I had one too many of those teacup cocktails; my head is pounding.”
“Nothing a little coffee won’t solve,” Vivi said. Then she hesitated for a moment, thinking back to the envelope she’d tucked into her purse. “So I found something on my dresser this morning . . .” For a split second, she regretted saying anything, in case Ariana hadn’t received a bid herself.
But to her relief, Ariana gave her a broad smile. “You got a bid? Me too. Exciting, right?” Ariana’s face fell again almost immediately. “Oh God, what am I going to wear? They didn’t give any guidelines. Do you think it’ll be dressy, like the cocktail party? Or more, like, business-casual, maybe . . .”
Vivi felt her own panic growing as Ariana rattled off possibilities until the jingling of a phone stopped her midstream. “Shoot.” Ariana paused on the dining-hall steps and frowned at the screen. “My roommate locked herself out. Can I get a rain check on breakfast? I’m sorry to ditch you like this. Will you be okay?”
“I’ll be fine,” Vivi said. She prayed it’d be true.
“You’re the best. Oh, let me grab your number—I can text you later.”
Vivi recited her phone number, then watched Ariana bound off, curls coming loose from her bun and bouncing back and forth atop her head. A few seconds later, Vivi’s phone buzzed with a new text. ARIANA RUIZ’S NUMBER! Vivi smiled as she slipped her phone into her pocket. She might have to face eating alone, but at least one friend prospect was looking up.
She took a deep breath and continued up the wide steps. The large stone