The squad was hanging out on the lawn outside the library, sitting cross-legged on the grass beneath one of the big trees. It wasn't that cold yet so a lot of students were taking advantage of the fall season before winter started in December.

"Any progress with your cousin?" Jamaica asked Madeline.

The latter groaned, rubbing her forehead. "Ugh, he wants me to go to New York and propose to him – in person – why donating would be a good move for him."

"It's for charity," I said, like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"To Peter, even donating is an investment."

"Wow, your cousin is a cheapskate." Jamaica laughed. "How old is he, anyway?"

Madeline shrugged. "In his mid-twenties?"

We all stared at her, dumbstruck. This was the same man she raved on and on about owning multiple chains of hotels, restaurants, and different kinds of businesses imaginable? He was not even thirty yet?

"He's a really good businessman," was her only reply, after seeing our faces.

Jamaica's phone suddenly vibrated, and she let out a loud cry when she read the message. "They're starting to piss me off," she said, through gritted teeth.

"What's wrong?" asked Lilian, alarmed.

"Pledges from Zeta Theta are messing with us." Then, she exclaimed, "Three of our pledges quit!"

My eyebrows raised. Whoa.

Madeline sighed and leaned her head back on the tree trunk. "It's started."

The three of us looked at her.

"What started?" I asked.

Madeline took a deep breath, before explaining, "Every year, pledges from Zeta Theta receive something like a mission to make as many sorority pledges quit. Bonus points if the girls are from KPK."

Jamaica made a disgusted face. "They make it into a sport?"

"Yup," confirmed Madeline, nodding.

I scoffed. "What do they get out of it?"

She just shrugged. "Brownie points, I guess. I heard five girls who get the lowest numbers get kicked out."

"That's not fair," protested Jamaica, outraged.

I snorted. "When has life been fair?" I muttered under my breath.

"Aren't we going to do something?" demanded Jamaica, crossing her arms.

"Why?" I sighed, already bored talking about the Zits.

"Because they can't keep getting away with this unscathed!"

"Doing something will only attract their attention to us."

She raised an eyebrow at me. "Never took you for a wuss."

I rolled my eyes at that. Yeah, because wanting to avoid unnecessary fucking drama made me a coward.

Madeline shook her head. "She's not a wuss. She just doesn't care."

I tilted my head and smiled close-lipped at Jamaica.

She pouted and mumbled, "But they're our sorority sisters."

"Not if they quit," I said, shaking my head.

I wasn't willing to call them my sisters if they were willing to let some skanks force them into quitting just like that. Where were their fucking back bones?

When nobody spoke for a solid minute, Lilian broke the silence.

"Why don't we focus on our own tasks in the meantime?"

The four of us exchanged glances, then we started nodding in agreement. That was the best thing we could do right now. Worrying about something that we had no control over was a waste of time.

For the next thirty minutes, we tried to brainstorm ideas on how Madeline could convince her cousin to donate to the sorority's charity.

"Hey, you're pledging KPK, right?"

All at the same time, we looked up at the two brunette barbies who neared us. They looked casual enough, if not for their faces. They had the kind of makeup that was Instagram perfect. It was beautiful, but also looked photoshopped as hell.

"Yes," answered Jamaica.

The barbies exchanged knowing looks, and it immediately made me alert. I didn't like that.

"I'm Shirley," introduced the petite one with the olive skin. I would've found her cute, but she was sending bad vibes. "This is my friend Marion," she added, pointing a thumb to her taller friend. "Can we ask a question?"

Jamaica, ever the friendly one, nodded. "Sure."

"How does it feel being pretentious bitches?"

Ah, there it is.

Shirley's friend, Marion, tried to cover her giggles with her hand. It was obvious she wasn't trying hard enough. It was the annoying kind of laugh, too — screechy and high-pitched. I wanted to shove the anatomy book I was holding down her throat.

I pursed my lips. "Funny, shouldn't you know that answer to that?"

Shirley smiled. "If I did, I wouldn't ask you."

"Well," started Madeline, sending a pitiful glance in their direction, "I'd rather be a pretentious bitch than an envious asshole."

"Yeah," agreed Jamaica, looking them up and down. "Isn't it sad to spend the day wishing you're someone you can never be?"

I caught Lilian holding back a smile.

"Is that why you're here?" I asked curiously, turning my attention back to the photoshopped barbie. "You didn't get a bid to KPK so all you can do is this sorry ass attempt to – I don't even know what you're trying to attempt."

"Oh, please." Marion rolled her eyes. "We're quite happy with Zeta Theta, thank you very much."

Madeline burst out laughing. "You're a Zit? Now it makes sense."

"Can I just pop you away?" Jamaica wondered.

"Oh no, don't do that." I shook my head at my queen bee friend. "It'll leave a mark if you pop it. Just let it dry up," I paused and looked at Shirley straight in the eye, "and die."

She studied me. "Huh, you're not stupid." To be fair, she was really pretty with her smooth skin and wavy long hair.

Too bad I wanted to punch her in the face.

"We can't all be like you," I replied, with a sweet smile.

She glared at me, and finally got to the point. "Fine, what will it take for you to quit KPK?"

"You've gotta be kidding me," muttered Jamaica, shaking her head.

Damn, that didn't take long. We were literally just talking about this shit and it was already happening to us. So much for avoiding drama.

"Do I look like I'm making a joke?" deadpanned Shirley.

Wow, they really did make it into a sport.

I leaned forward with my elbow on my knee, and rested my chin on my palm as I watched her with a bored expression.

"You look like a joke, though," I told her. (Credit to Oz for always using that annoying line all throughout high school. It sure was handy today.)

Madeline snickered and looked away. Shirley looked like she was about to say something but then Scout showed up out of fucking nowhere in all his ginger glory.

"Hey."

He nodded to me and flashed a smile as he walked up to us. He had one hand against his chest, holding the strap of his backpack, while the other was shoved inside the pocket of his faded blue jeans. He looked so neat and fresh.

I was suddenly reminded of the kiss we shared just last week. Later that night, we ate pizza as if nothing happened. He wasn't even awkward about it. I wasn't sure why, but it made me more comfortable around him.

"We still up for Netflix and pizza tonight?"

"Yeah," I replied, my eyes traveling to Shirley who was staring at Scout.

Was that... Was that a hint of blush on her cheeks? It was weird how she was quiet all of a sudden. Holy shit, did she have a thing for him?

Scout followed where I was looking and saw Shirley. Being the polite bastard he was, he extended his hand and said hi. She shook her head and accepted his hand with a smile.

"Hello," she gushed. "It's nice seeing you again. I don't think you remember me, though."

He looked closely, and recognition crossed over his features. "Oh, hey! Yeah, I remember now. Shirley, right? We had the same campus tour last spring."

She giggled. It was clear to everyone that she was absolutely thrilled at the fact that he knew her. "Looks like we both ended up here, after all."

Scout chuckled. "Yeah, didn't wanna stay too far away from home."

"Same." She bit her lip and fluttered her lashes.

I caught Madeline's questioning eyes, to which I could only shrug in answer.

"How do you know Connie?" Scout asked Shirley, gesturing to me.

If I wasn't so focused on Shirley, I would've paid more attention to the fact that my heartbeat accelerated the tiniest bit when I heard Scout say my first name.

Shirley looked confused and startled as she tried to come up with an answer. I tilted my head as I waited for her to come up with a story. It was amusing.

"I... Um, I was asking her what kind of hair dye she uses because her hair looks so pretty."

I raised an eyebrow and almost snorted. That was the best she could come up with? Ha, okay.

"It's only the drugstore kind," I told her. "I don't think your hair extensions will be able to handle it very well. It looks too fragile."

The corner of her lips twitched. I wouldn't be surprised if she was strangling me in her mind already.

"Oh, that's too bad. Thanks, anyway!" She waved a hand goodbye at me and the girls, before smiling at Scout. "See you around."

"See you."

We watched the barbies, Shirley and Marion, walk away and enter the library. So much for a peaceful afternoon.

When Scout faced me, I knew from his expression that he knew there was more to it than hair talk but he didn't press on it. Smart choice.

"I'll pick you up at seven?"

I only nodded, not giving away any expression.

He grinned at me and turned to my friends. "Have a good day, ladies."

With that, he flashed me one last panty-dropping smile and left. I was watching him too intently that I didn't notice the others also had their eyes on him, not until Madeline gave out a long sigh.

"Your boyfriend is so dreamy."

I whipped around to face her. "Where the hell did that come from?"

She laughed. "Just saying."

"It's not official." I shook my head, and attempted to open my anatomy book. "We're only dating, so no labels."

Madeline looked skeptical, but thank God she dropped it.

"The nerve of that Shirley girl, though," said Jamaica, her brows furrowed.

"I don't like her," admitted Lilian, twirling the ends of her hair with her fingers. "She has negative vibes all over."

Jamaica crossed her arms. "Do you think she'll make us quit?"

Madeline laughed. "She can try."

"She already did," I pointed out.

Jamaica stretched out her legs in front of her, and started massaging them. "We don't look like easy preys, do we?"

"No," I answered, looking down on my open book even though I knew I'd read it again once I get back to my dorm. "I think she realized that when she approached us."

"What do we do?"

"Spread good vibes to ward off their bad ones," said Lilian, before picking up her apple and biting it off.

"Or we could do nothing." Unbothered, I flipped a page and studied the image of a female reproductive system. "They're all bark and no bite."

"So we're just gonna wait until they bite?" asked Madeline.

I raised my head and looked at her with a mischievous smile.

"There's nothing better than revenge."

_____________

I was so tired yesterday that I wasn't able to update before I went to sleep. But technically, it's still Thursday. Haha! My body clock is running on EST, so for me, it's still Thursday. :P

Anyway, for those who read Realize... Yes, Madeline's cousin is THAT Peter Sullivan from my book, Realize. Like I've mentioned before, all my stories are in the same universe and they're all interconnected in some way. That's why you'll get to see him again soon enough. ;)

What do you think of Shirley, though? Will she be that typical annoying antagonist or will there be more to her than her flawless makeup?

Next update: April 4 (Thursday)