Dean's worry was starting to rise come Thursday morning when Becky still hadn't read either his or Alexa's texts. In the past, Becky was almost instantaneous when answering her phone unless she'd been drinking. One could assume that having damning evidence that their significant other was a no-good cheating piece of trash would garner a fast text or a call, but evidently, it didn't.

Dean sat on the edge of his bed, re-reading the string of texts he sent one of his female best friends.

Bex, check ur texts from Lex

Dude hurry

Bex?

Call me ASAP

Dean wondered if he should send another text to get Becky's attention. Then again, he'd already sent four and that didn't do the trick. Dean also knew, if he were Becky, that four texts in a row would piss him off and refuse to talk to whatever annoying entity was on the other end unless that person was either Alexa or someone in his immediate family.

Dean decided four would be enough for now and switched off his screen. Aside from Becky's relationship drama becoming his problem now, he had class and needed a shower. Alexa already left to student teach at P.T. Barnum, which left the unhinged "concussion artist" to find his own breakfast and get to class under his own will and hope to God his untreated ADD didn't distract him from the task at hand.

After a quick rinse and a bowl of cereal with a few hard-boiled eggs, Dean set about his trek across campus to his morning lectures. Dean decided to walk since he was low on gas and wanted to strengthen his knee as best as he could before the game on Saturday. During his jaunt, while he was saying a quick hello to whoever greeted him, Dean spotted Nirto's Coffee. Despite his impartial feeling about the morning brew the cafe specialized itself in, Dean vaguely remembered Roman mentioning a breakfast burrito that was to kill for and suddenly he found himself walking into the comfortably heated establishment.

"Y'all got breakfast burritos?" Dean asked the cashier. "My brother says there's one here that's, like, grounds for reckless endangerment if it was the last in existence."

The cashier slowly nodded his head, visibly concerned about Dean's comment, and punched in the order. Dean paid using his card and stepped back while he waited for his food. The bell above the door dinged. Dean was too focused on a sultry-slash-adoring text from his future wife to almost miss the orange-haired woman ordering her coffee in a thick accent.

"Bex!" Dean exclaimed with a grin. "There you are! I've been trying to get a hold of you since last night."

"Why?" Becky said, almost in a snapping tone.

Dean furrowed his brow. "What the hell was that? I'm just trying to tell you about-"

"About how yer tryna break me and Sonya apart?" Becky cut in, narrowing her eyes.

Dean didn't say anything.

Becky rolled her eyes. "Great. Another one of ya can't let me be happy." She grumbled.

"Bex, she's cheating on-"

"Are you really one ta judge that?" Becky shot back.

Dean chuckled dryly. "I don't know what the fuck your issue is, Bex, but-"

"I don' care," Becky said, cutting in again. "I don' care what you or Charlotte has ta say. I'm happy with Sonya. Leave us the fook alone."

Dean stared back at his friend, completely flabbergasted and unsure what words to say. Whatever Sonya had said to Becky had done its damage and apparently caused her to think irrationally, even with all the proof to prove otherwise.

Dean picked up his order and lifted his hands in surrender. "Fine, dude. Do whatever the fuck you want." He spat, shaking his head angrily.

Dean threw the front door open and stormed away, irritably biting into his second breakfast.


Also happening that Thursday morning, Zack was running late to his morning classes due to a hankering of "pre-breakfast whoopie" from his wife. The patriarch of the soon-to-be Ryder family was reluctant at first, but he decided he needed a little something too after Bayley teasingly and unfairly started to touch her husband under the blankets and whisper naughty things in his ear.

"Do you really have to go?" Bayley whined from under the covers, holding the quilt up to her chin with doe-like eyes to give off the impression that she was begging.

Zack chuckled. "Baby, you know I'd rather stay here and cuddle. But I gotta get to class or I'm in a world of shit." He told his beloved, giving her a kiss on the forehead as he stood up from the bed.

Bayley scrunched her face like she was upset, but couldn't help a smile from taking over right after. "Ok. But bring home some food when you're done!" Bayley requested. She quickly added, "Bring home something from Red Roosters! I really want some chicken nuggies."

Zack nodded, threw on a SU Football sweatshirt hoodie, then pecked his wife goodbye before leaving. Bayley watched her husband leave the bedroom, but wasn't sure what to do with herself until he came back; That was quickly resolved when she picked up the game controller from the bedside table and resumed the game she'd been playing before sex with Zack.

Ryder himself stepped out onto the front porch of his house. He took a deep inhale through his nose to get his brain back on track, but the unmistakable stench of the devil's lettuce caught his attention. Across the porch, on his section of the duplex, Sammy was puffing every now and again on a joint. Zack really didn't want to interact with the young man, especially after his choice of words about his fraternity. But, to be fair, Bayley would say something about Sunday scripture telling him forgiveness is the only way to make amends or something like that. Zack remembered having bought an "olive branch" present for his neighbors and ducked into his house to retrieve it.

A moment later, Zack rounded the front steps and carefully ascended the ones to his neighbor's house.

"Ya know they can take away your security deposit if they catch you smoking that," Zack said with a slight chuckle, trying to lighten the mood with a joke.

Sammy cocked an eyebrow. "I thought dope was legal in Connecticut?" He said, keeping the bud pinched between his lips.

"Medical use, yeah, but not recreational," Zack specified.

Sammy rolled his eyes. "I have cataracts," he muttered, turning his attention back to staring off into space.

Zack chuckled. "That's actually pretty funny..." He pulled two large plastic bottles from his hoodie pouch. "I got you somethin'. I'm saying sorry for snapping at you the other day."

Sammy eyed the two bottles silently. Seeing his neighbor so sedated made Zack feel uneasy, though he figured Sammy was only relaxed and not being obnoxious because of the cigarette.

"Whiskey and tequila?" Sammy asked with a chuckle.

Zack shrugged. "Yeah, man. Everyone loves tequila and whiskey."

Sammy stood from the patio chair he'd been sitting in. He took both bottles, setting them aside for now.

"Thanks, bro," Sammy said, extending his fist for a quick bump. "Sorry I've been a pain in the ass lately. I'm trying to do something useful this year to prove to some people that I'm not a complete fuck up. Which is why I'm trying to get the frat started. I dunno. It's got me stressed as hell, man."

"No, I get it, bro. It's all good," Zack assured. He looked at the letters hanging above the door; The capital "I" had apparently fallen off and the "C" was hanging on by a single nail. "Parents are on your ass about grades or somethin'?" He asked.

Sammy shook his head. "Nah, man. I just have a lot to live up to. I'm alright at soccer, but there ain't shit for that in this country. Fuckin' Ted bustin' my ass for not picking a major yet."

Zack furrowed his brow. "Wait... is your dad Theodore Guerverra?"

"Step-dad," Sammy glanced at Zack from the corner of his eye. "Why?" He asked.

"My dad is Eddie Ryder; They played with each other on the Chargers about fifteen years ago," Zack revealed.

Sammy snickered. "What are the fuckin' odds of that?"

Zack shook his head. "I don't know, man."

The revelation of their dads sharing a past made the tension between the two boys lift a little. Zack knew Sammy's step-dad a little bit, remembering a few cookouts or games with their dads playing on the same team. It was crazy that Zack and Sammy didn't recognize each other. Edmund and Theodore weren't best friends or anything, but Zack was sure he would've remembered the other player's kids. He did remember the center's daughter, but thinking about her only made Zack upset so he decided to leave that memory to die.

"What are you doing later?" Zack asked, breaking the brief silence.

Sammy shook his head, still staring out over his front yard. "Jack shit," he bitterly muttered.

"Why don't you come to the BPO rush party?" Zack suggested. "I'm not saying rush BPO, because I know you got your own thing going on, but at least come. I'm sure the 'Inner Circle' could use some good times, right?"

Sammy cracked a grin. "Shit yeah, we do. I'll tell the boys, alright?"

Zack slapped hands with Sammy. "Sounds sick, bro. We'll see you guys at eight."

Zack hurried from the front porch of Sammy's part of the duplex. With even less time to make it to class, but a sense of accomplishment in his chest, Zack jogged off to hurry to his morning lecture.


Dean paced around his kitchen trying to think. Having an over-active brain seemed to be his downfall as of late, and that didn't include his physical ailments in regards to his bum knee acting up again.

The front door opened. Roman and Seth, both visibly different levels of confusion and concern, made their way into the apartment.

"Took you fuckers long enough," Dean said. He gestured at the countertop. "I made some pancakes if you want any. I couldn't fucking stop freaking out over shit so I needed something to distract me."

The five or six dozen pancakes displayed on the kitchen island was alarming, though inviting. Seth politely declined but Roman took a short stack for himself.

"So what's the big emergency?" Seth asked his best friend. "You pulled us out of class to eat pancakes?"

"I'm not complaining," Roman chuckled as he dug into his food.

Dean shook his head. "No, it's about Becky and Sonya. I promised not to say shit, but I need to talk to someone; Alexa is at P.T. Barnum's and Zack and Bay are doing mom and dad shit."

Seth and Roman exchanged a look. Aside from a few times in the past, Dean usually wasn't very open about any personal problems he was having. When he did, Roman and Seth knew to take it seriously, so they listened to their friend to figure out what was wrong.

"What's up with them?" Roman asked.

Dean sighed. "Sonya's fucking around on Becky. So Charlotte had asked me to catch Sonya so Becky would break up with her."

"Why does Charlotte care?" Roman asked.

Seth closed his eyes and dropped his face in his hands. Roman glanced up from his plate, switching his focus between his best friends. Seth's reaction and the slight smirk on Dean's face basically told him all he knew.

"Wait, what the fuck?" Roman said.

"Charlotte... likes Becky, ok?" Dean explained. "Can we be mature about this, Ro? I know it's a fantasy of yours or whatever, but you need to focus here."

Seth sounded a single laugh. Roman shook his head, almost certain he was hearing Dean wrong.

"Charlotte... is into Becky?" Roman paraphrased, trying to wrap his mind around this reveal. "My ex-girlfriend, Charlotte? Five-ten, blonde..."

"Huge fake titties and a platinum credit card?" Dean added. He nodded, sighing a bit. "Yeah. Apparently, she and Bex tried hooking up a few times but Char isn't really sure if being into chicks is her thing."

Roman wasn't sure how to process this news. He was happy for Charlotte, of course, he was, but he felt this was somehow his fault, if any fault was even really at play here. Being the last guy a girl dated before she 'switched teams' may be a blow to some guy's pride, but Roman did feel happy for his girlfriend for figuring things out.

"So... she's bi now?" Roman asked.

Dean nodded. "That's what she said," he continued. "Well, not really fully switch-hitter. She just likes Becky. Still loves dick, so don't worry, Ro. You didn't convert her or anything."

"No, it's just weird," Roman said. "Not that I'm against her doing what she's gotta do. I'm just surprised she's suddenly into Becky."

"I'm as surprised as you are, man. But good for those two kids for doin' what they're meant to." Dean then continued his previous thought. "Alexa and I had proof that Sonya was cheating, but Becky told me to fuck off. Told me I had no right in saying shit and whatever."

"Why would she say that?" Roman asked. "It's up to her friends to say something if Sonya is being unfaithful, right?"

Dean nodded. "Yeah, but..."

Roman pressed his brow together quizzically. "What?"

"I... fucked around on Lex last Fall, ok?" Dean said, looking anywhere but his brother. "It's a long story, and I don't want to get into it, but it happened. Ok?"

Roman shook his head. "No. It's not ok. Does Alexa know?"

Dean sighed. "I was going to tell her, but then the thing with Adam happened so it felt insignificant."

Roman stayed silent. Dean knew Roman was most likely beyond pissed since he knew how his brother felt about cheating since that's all he went through in high school with Summer. Dean felt like he had a good reason for his infidelity, but he quickly shut himself up when he realized he was just about to try and justify cheating on his, at the time, pregnant fiance. Roman was furious that his brother was dumb enough to even consider the idea, forget about actually cheating on his fiance.

"So we're trying to break Sonya and Becky up because Charlotte wants to be with her?" Seth asked.

Dean nodded. "Kinda. I just don't want Becky to find out on her own. She doesn't deserve to go through that."

"But Alexa does?" Roman muttered, trying to focus on his food.

"What was that, gay girlfriend?" Dean shot back.

Roman chuckled dryly. "Drunken threesome in Mexico doesn't count?"

"At least I don't get squeamish around tits!" Dean fired back.

Seth stepped in. "Guys, relax. We don't need to kill each other over this dumb shit, alright? I think we've all done some fucked up shit since we got here. Let's just take a deep fucking breath."

Roman and Dean exchanged a look, then a quick 'sorry' under their breathes. Seth rolled his eyes and shook his head. The unspoken tension was settling down a little, but Dean still felt a little heat from his brother. Roman was still angry about learning that Dean cheated on Alexa, but he wasn't going to bring it up anymore.

"I'm not saying we burn the village down," Dean said, bringing the focus back to the topic at hand. "But we need to keep an eye out for Bex. She doesn't deserve this shit."

"Agreed," Seth put, nodding his head. "She's a sweet girl. Definitely doesn't deserve to be put through the wringer."

"Yeah," Roman added.

"Just... let it happen on its own," Dean said. "She'll realize we're not talking complete bullshit if she shuts up and listens. Maybe when we go back to Lake Walawalabingbang she'll have her shit together by then."

"We're going again this year?" Seth asked.

Dean nodded. "That's what Zack wants. Says he wants one more vacation before the kids show up. He doesn't want Bayley to go with us to Hawaii cuz she'll be super pregnant by then, which sucks but they stayed in a fucking castle for their honeymoon."

"Dean cheated, Becky's in denial, Bayley's pregnant, and Charlotte likes girls," Roman recited, slowly shaking his head. "There's so much shit going on. We should get a Netflix deal out of this."

"Or a multi-chapter series. Free to read online, of course." Dean chuckled.

Seth's focus went to the teddy bear Tessa gifted Roman with.

"The hell is this?" Seth asked, looking the bear over.

"Tessa bought it," Roman said.

Seth chuckled. "Awww, Roman! It's adorable!" He praised sarcastically.

"I hate you," Roman shot back, making Dean and Seth chuckle.

Dean looked at his brother. "We good, man? I know how you feel about shit because Summer fucked with you."

Roman shrugged. "I can't do anything to change the past. Just gotta kick your ass during practice so you won't do it again."

"That's... fair." Dean agreed.

"Well, I've got class to get back to," Seth said. "I'll talk to Becky if I see her. I won't bring Sonya up, but ya know."

"Yeah, me too," Roman added. "I'll see y'all at the rush party, right?"

Dean said, "I fucking almost forgot that was tonight. Yeah, should be sweet. I've got a few people to sign up."

The trio bumped fists with each other. The feeling between Dean and Roman had changed, but it wasn't enough to break apart their relationship. Roman was upset with his brother, but he wasn't about to turn away from family because of it. Seth swiped a stack of pancakes as he walked out the door. Roman stayed behind a little bit longer to chat with his brother and help with the absurd amount of pancakes still ready for consumption.


As anyone should know by now, one of the most important things about an active Greek fraternity on college grounds was their parties, more importantly, how successful those parties are. One of the first major parties of the school year was of course the Rush Party, where each House would try and recruit as many people as humanly possible.

Things were already looking up for ZBZ. Alexa and some of her sisters were preparing the house for the upcoming party. This party's success was just as, if not the most, important one Alexa needed to really prove if she knew how to run her sorority. Signatures and phone numbers was a good start, but she wasn't going to recruit very many people if she didn't put on a party that rivaled Rob Gronkowski's exploits.

Alexa directed a few sisters around the front room as they moved around furniture. The pint-sized brunette chewed nervously on one of the pull strings on her ZBZ hoodie. Labor Day was a major win for ZBZ, which was why they got a few curious looks in the quad. Of course, there were a dozen other sororities that the incoming Freshman girls could join, but rushing DXA or MNC wasn't going to help Alexa or ZBZ at all.

"How does that look?" Alexa asked the two sisters helping, Liv and Sarah.

"My back hurts," Liv complained, rubbing her lower back.

"We can take a break then," Alexa offered. She sighed nervously but knew she had no time to worry while she still needed to get ready herself.

Alexa moved into the kitchen. Cathy and Dana were sorting through the liquor they brought for the party while Raquel, a Freshman looking to pledge ZBZ and a friend of Dana's, walked in with a keg on each shoulder.

"How's everything look?" Alexa asked the three young women.

Dana nodded and spoke. "Should be good. We have enough booze here to kill a herd of elephants, so that should be enough for tonight."

"You guys are rockstars!" Alexa praised, before moving into the next room.

In the front foyer, Alexa almost didn't see a curious head poking into the front room and look around. Alexa beamed a toothy grin, immediately recognizing ZBZ hopeful Nikki Cross.

"Hey, you!" Alexa chirped with a smile, apparently startling the other woman. "You're pretty early, but I'm glad you could make it."

Nikki shrugged. "I wasn' sure when ta come."

"You're more than welcome to stay as long as you want," Alexa noticed a large plastic container in Nikki's arms. "Oh please tell me that's what I think it is."

Nikki managed a grin. "More of yer favorites, I hope."

Alexa accepted the container and popped the lid. She breathed in a happy sigh, pleasantly surprised by the sight of Nikki's world-class snickerdoodles. Alexa bit into one, moaned under her breath, then threw her arms around the equally tiny Scotswoman.

"Oh, you're the best!" Alexa praised. When she let go, she was a little surprised when Nikki was still holding on, but she didn't think anything of it when she quickly put her arms down. "How about I give you a tour of the house so you're familiar with it when you rush?" Alexa offered.

Nikki agreed with a nervous smile and a slow nod. Alexa brought the snickerdoodle along with the tour; She knew she probably should share with her sisters but she wasn't ready to part with her favorite treat just yet.

Alexa took Nikki through each part of the house, starting with the foyer and leading into the living room and kitchen. Alexa showed off the massive backyard and into the basement, which was in the process of being carpeted and furnished. Alexa brought Nikki to the chapter room, then upstairs to each bedroom.

"It's mostly just bedrooms up here," Alexa explained, leading Nikki down the hall. "There is a second bathroom and the attic, but we mostly use that for storage."

Alexa withdrew her room key from her lanyard and opened the secret door leading to the President's Suite. Alexa giggled at the confused look on Nikki's face when she stuck the key into the wall.

"I'm not really supposed to let people in here with me," Alexa said as she pushed the door open and let Nikki in. "But you brought me snickerdoodle, so I'm willing to make an exception."

Nikki ventured deeper into the bedroom, taking a look around as she peeled off her jacket. "Is this yer bedroom then?" She asked.

"Yep. The acting ZBZ President gets this bedroom," Alexa explained, nibbling on another cookie.

Nikki nodded. "It's nice. Very... erm, presidential."

Alexa giggled. "You are adorable, sweetie. You are going to fit right in with ZBZ."

Alexa sat on the edge of her bed, enjoying the treat Nikki brought. Nikki hesitated at first, but she worked up the courage to sit next to Alexa. Bliss didn't think anything of it, simply loving the snickerdoodle, but Nikki's head was swarming a million miles a minute.

"I've, uh, never done this before," Nikki told, glancing at Alexa for a moment but turning away when the brunette looked at her.

"I know it's your first time. No need to be nervous," Alexa mumbled through her mouthful of cookies. "Just be yourself and do what you're comfortable with. That's what ZBZ prides itself on."

Nikki nodded her head slowly. Alexa felt her phone buzz, just as Nikki licked her lips and leaned in.

A sharp knock at the door made Nikki's heart leap from her chest. Alexa set the container of treats to the side between her and Nikki.

"Yeah?" Alexa called out.

"Housekeeping!" Came a poorly imitated female voice.

Alexa playfully rolled her eyes. "It's too early for the BPO invasion!" She called out.

The door popped open and Dean wandered in. "I was just thinking we could... oh, I didn't know you had company."

"You remember Nikki, right?" Alexa asked, kissing her fiance on the lips. "She made snickerdoodle again."

"How could I forget?" Dean gestured at the container. "May I?"

Nikki nodded but stayed silent. Dean took the bin of cookies and bit into one of the delicacies.

"These are the best snickerdoodle cookies ever," Dean gleefully praised. "Great job, Nik. It's like pure heroin."

"Thank ya," Nikki said. She glanced worryingly at Alexa, but she was looking at her phone.

"What are you guys up to?" Dean asked the room.

"Just showing Nikki around before the party," Alexa said. "She's planning on rushing ZBZ, so I figured she could get familiar with the house."

"You'll like it here, kid," Dean assured with a wink. "SU and ZBZ are pretty sweet. Stick with Alexa, she'll guide you to success. Man, these snickerdoodles are fantastic."

"Right..." Nikki muttered, suddenly feeling very foolish and wishing she didn't come.

Alexa reached out and took Nikki's hand in hers. Nikki's cheeks flushed red, which went unnoticed by Alexa and Dean.

"Let's go meet some of your future sisters," Alexa suggested.

Nikki nodded and followed Alexa out of the room with Dean and the snickerdoodles in tow.


Zack knew his night was going to be short before he left his house with Bayley to go to BPO. His glowing pregnant bride insisted he was more than allowed to stay out late and get fucked up with his BPO brothers, but Zack assured his wife that he really only wanted to stay for a little while before heading home and spending the rest of the night with her. Bayley was a little worried that she was keeping Zack from spending time with BPO, but he kept telling her that it was ok so she didn't make a big deal out of it.

Zack held tightly to Bayley's hand in the kitchen of House BPO. He took his sixth shot of the night, feeling the alcohol go straight to his head and nearly knock him on his ass. He laughed it off after an exclamation of support and a strong slap on the back from BPO hopeful Otis.

"Are you having fun, honey?" Bayley chirped with a giggle, sipping from a bottle of diet soda that she was making sure didn't get spiked again like last year.

"I think I'm just getting old," Zack commented, causing his bubbly wife to burst into laughter.

Zack pecked Bayley on the lips. He let it hold for a moment, sliding his tongue in for a quick taste with his right hand taking a quick handful of her ass. Bayley's eyes shot open and she playfully slapped her husband on the chest. Zack chuckled with his wife close and kissed her forehead.

"Wanna get going?" Zack asked. "I'm kinda hungry and I know we have leftover chicken from last night still in the fridge."

"You mean my breakfast?" Bayley said with a sheepish grin.

Zack shrugged. "That's alright, babe. Just means I have some cooking to do. Bacon mac and cheese pizza sound ok?"

A certain twinkle in Bayley's eye showed that she was loving what she was hearing beyond just having her pregnancy craving food. Zack's brow lifted, then it settled and he snickered bashfully. It was something special that, even with the psychical proof of their experience in the bedroom, both Zack and Bayley still found the idea of intimacy a bit taboo that excited both of them.

Zack bid a quick farewell to his friends and BPO brothers. As Zack led Bayley out the door, he handed her the keys and told her to drive for him. Bayley politely declined and said it wasn't safe to drive with just one hand. Zack was confused at first, but then chuckled cheekily and hurried for the exit.

Zack unlocked his SUV. He swapped a quick kiss with his wife before rounding the vehicle to the driver's side.

"Yo, Ryder!" Zack looked up to find Sammy, his neighbor, approaching him. "You headed home already?"

Zack nodded. "Yeah, ya know, Bayley gets sick around beer now if she's around it too long. You guys made it, huh?"

Sammy grinned. "Hell yeah, man. This place looks like it rules. I already lost track of Santana and Ortiz. You gotta meet them one day."

"Rush BPO and I will," Zack promised.

Sammy bumped fists with his neighbor and headed back to the house. Zack briefly made eye contact with a tall blonde man staring at him, seemingly through him, until he turned and followed Sammy into BPO.

Zack slid into the driver's seat of the car. Bayley kept to her flirty promise of keeping only one hand to herself as Zack started to drive home.


In hindsight, when Alexa texted him about an impromptu meeting between BPO and ZBZ, he should've figured that was code for "mid-party happy time". The moment Dean showed up to the ZBZ chapter room, fully expecting to talk business for some reason, he was hurriedly pulled deeper into the room and made to sit on one of the sofas by his tiny fiance. A few mind-numbing minutes later, Alexa was gulping down her helping of Dean and aided him in pulling his pants back up. One more quick embrace and Alexa hurried Dean out of the house.

Dean walked out of the ZBZ house to return to his fraternity. He didn't expect to get flack for stepping out for a minute, especially since he now had a few points to add to the scoreboard. Dean loved Alexa dearly, and walking away from BPO for a little while was one of the smaller things he'd do for her.

BPO was just a few short yards away. Thinking about shots, beer pong, and having a good time with his brothers, Dean's mind had been so focused on returning to the festivities that he almost didn't notice a slow-moving car rolling past his Greek home. Dean glanced at the open passenger-side front window, but the car peeled off and raced away before Dean had a good look at who it was. Strange, definitely, since if it was just a group of students checking the place out they wouldn't have sped off when Dean noticed them. As Dean thought the situation over, he recalled briefly seeing a rear window decal. Sometimes he wished his photographic memory wasn't as good as it was, because he all but could've sworn the back decal was the Greek letters belonging to Alpha Kappa.

"Mother fucker," Dean muttered to himself with an annoyed eye roll. A Greek rivalry wasn't something he needed to experience, nor thought he'd ever go through during his collegiate career. But, here he was dealing with a group of English pricks that were actively trying to get under his skin.

Dean took the front porch steps two at a time. He nodded at Mr. Bootiesworth and accepted a shot from his silver tray. With the alcohol and loud music threatening to steer his train of thought away from his current task, Dean waded through the sea of students in different levels of intoxication. He made it into the kitchen, then spotted one-half of the people he was looking for.

Dean nudged Sami's shoulder with his hand to get his attention.

"You seen Kev?" Ambrose asked his president.

Sami shook his head. "No. He said something about checking the breaker and took off. Why what's up?"

"AK was scopin' the place out," Ambrose said, trying to be heard over the music.

Sami nodded. "Alright. Thanks for the heads up, Ambrose. But you can relax a little. You did good. There's a lot of people coming up to me and Kevin about rushing here. I guess you're not a complete piece of shit."

Dean furrowed his brow. "Wait, you're not worried about Alpha Kappa?"

Sami chuckled. "What are they gonna do? Hijack the DJ booth again? We'll just kick their ass again if they show up."

"Well you got a point, Mr. President," Dean said.

Still, Ambrose kept on his toes just in case this was about to blow over. It most likely wasn't since the car-full of people took off so quickly after getting spotted. Dean let his BPO brothers pull him back into the party, but he kept his eyes open just in case.


Saturday afternoon, everything was already looking up for SU's Titans going into their game against LIU's Sharks. Along with online streaming and radio station coverage, the game was being broadcast on sports channels all across the East coast. It was one of the many perks of being an Independent team moving up in the ranks the next season. Brooklyn, New York was as stunning as a town as ever. The entire city block surrounding the university was decorated and ready for Saturday's game.

The Titans drove up the night before, along with the cheer squad. When room assignments were called out, Seth hoped an error would occur and he'd end up bunking with Storm or at least close to her room so they could spend some time together. In the end, Storm bunked with Coach McCool while Rollins got to bunk with Zack. Dean drew Breeze, and Roman ended up with Braun. The cheer squad parted for their own part of the floor away from the boys on the team, but not before captains of each side came together to agree on a meeting time for the rooftop party, which had become a tradition in itself in recent years.

But unlike the year prior, Dean didn't drunkenly re-discover Alexa's room and Seth didn't go to bed with a cheerleader. In fact, the boys on the team were well-behaved and in bed before eleven. They were all determined to repeat their success from last year and give Coach Graves his first national title. With spirits high, SU expected nothing less than to go into LIU's territory the next day and come home with a huge "W".

With everyone drinking lightly and keeping the law-breaking debauchery to a record low, nobody could understand how SU was trailing 21-7 going into the final quarter. Cutler was playing his heart out and trying to get his team into the end zone, but little mistakes were costing his team in the long run. SU's defense was failing to keep to their zone coverage and prevent LIU from simply throwing bombs deep down the field that wouldn't be contested unless the safeties and corners dropped back deep. The only time SU managed a touchdown was after a fluke interception from Kingston and a quick QB sneak by Cutler just as the game went into overtime. Graves was fuming, Coach Jones on a higher level of fury.

Dean listened to Coach Jones in his helmet. After the threats of bodily harm and colorful language, Jones gave out the play call he thought would be best to stop LIU from making it past the fifty-yard line.

"Eagle, Razor, Blizzard," Ambrose repeated, reciting the play to his teammates.

The defense broke the huddle. Ambrose took his spot behind Roman. SU's residential 'Concussion Artist's' assignment for this play was to watch the QB and decide how to play based on the opposing player's movements; If the QB dropped back to pass, then Ambrose would move into pass coverage. If the QB started running, Ambrose had the all-clear to run the fucker down and bury him in the turf.

"HUT!"

LIU's QB dropped back. The frustration surging in Ambrose's heart this far into such a one-sided ass-kicking made him see red, and red meant someone needed to pay. The QB took the smallest step to scramble and Ambrose charged him like a bull. Ambrose ducked his head into the QB's sternum and drove him back. The ball popped free and rolled into the backfield. Dean took a step to regain his footing and chase the ball, but a sudden wave of heat in his knee brought him back down to the ground. Thankfully, Joe was quick to land on the fumble and bring the ball back to SU.

"FUCK!" Ambrose screamed, clutching at his knee. He tried to stand again, but his knee buckled and he was back in the dirt.

A murmur fell over the crowd once the surrounding fanbase realized what was going on. Ambrose was one of the tougher players on SU's team, so to see him hurt and on the ground was a shaking sight to see.

Dean pushed all his weight on his good knee to try and stand again, but then tried to take a step and fell to his side.

"Easy, Ambrose!" Sandow instructed, getting one of Dean's under him. With Reigns under his other, the two lifted Ambrose on the back of Sandow's cart.

The crowd applauded Dean as he was carted off the field and back to the locker room, but he never looked up at anyone. He kept his head down, equal parts pissed off and terrified about what this injury possibly meant for the rest of the season.


With only a handful of minutes left to go, Graves was running out of options. It seemed that LIU had a response to every play call he could think of. If SU went "four out", then LIU had every man locked down. A "dive" up the middle and every lineman was stuffed and prevented Jimmy from gaining any ground.

"FUCK!" Graves screamed, throwing his clipboard against the water cooler.

Cutler went under center. He dropped back, hoping to God someone got open. After a quick fake to Apollo, Cutler threw a wild pass over his shoulder to Rollins. Seth, with the luck of the Irish flowing through him (even though he wasn't Irish in the slightest) caught the ball with the tips of his fingers and broke free from a tackle. A wild scramble up center field ended with Rollins being taken down at the seven-yard line.

"Jesus Christ, same play," Graves screamed into his headset.

Cutler gave the call, nodding his head at the lucky Sophmore before they lined up. Cutler called the cadence, then dropped back. Instead of faking to Apollo, Cutler immediately shot the ball right into Seth's chest. Rollins caught the ball, capped it, then fell with a tackling linebacker just past the goal line. SU's fanbase went wild as the score got a little closer in the closing minutes of the game.

Rollins jogged off the field. Graves slapped his players on the helmets as they ran by. He grabbed Rollins by the shoulder pads before he got too far.

"I want you in next series," Graves told the young upstart. "You and Dillinger. Don't fuck this up, got it?"

"Yes, sir," Rollins promised.

Seth pulled off his helmet to take a quick drink of water. A few of his teammates slapped him on the back and offered a quick congratulations. The last to approach him, after booting in an easy extra point, was the sly smirk of Storm.

"'Bout time you showed up, Rollins," Storm quipped.

"I have some good motivation," Rollins shot back. "Better late than never, right?"

Storm lifted her helmet high enough to flash her teammate a grin and a wink. Rollins hid his smile with a cough and turned his focus back to the game.


SU's defense had seen better days. With Ambrose out for an unspecified amount of time, Breeze was now calling plays and Bobby Fish was in place of Breeze's old spot.

Aside from the bombs into the endzone that gave LIU their twenty-one points, the defensive line hadn't budged in the slightest. Braun and McIntyre were two powerhouses that refused a gust of wind to penetrate the outside. Roman and Joe, though they were silently competing with each other, hadn't let anything through the middle unless Roman checked a lineman into Joe and accidentally gave room for the running back to break for a few yards before ultimately being taken to the ground.

Roman was putting on a good show, but it was far from his best. With six tackles and one forced fumble, some may think Roman was having an off day. To be fair, he was, letting Joe's bullshit get to him. Even with the sounds of Bayley, Tessa, and the cheer squad encouraging them to tear LIU limb from limb, Roman couldn't shake the cobwebs from his brain.

LIU called the play into action. The QB stepped back and propelled a ball towards the sideline. McIntyre, with his freakishly long limbs, managed to pluck the ball out of the air and run for a few yards with one of the receivers on his back like a damn bookbag.

The offense quickly ran back onto the field. Cutler called for a quick snap, then shot the ball right to Rollins. Seth bobbled the ball for a quick heartbeat, but he brought it close to his chest. Unlike before, the defense was able to crowd Rollins and bring him down before he had a chance to break out. Cutler called for a huddle.

Graves thought over his decision, then spoke into his headset. "Dillinger and Rollins switch sides. 'Shark Bait' on first sound."

Cutler confirmed the call to everyone else. He took his spot in "shotgun" then yelled out. The moment the ball hit his hands, Cutler threw the ball over to the sideline right into Dillinger's hands. Dillinger ran a few yards, then turned and rifled the ball across the field into Rollins' hands. With nothing but daylight up the sideline, Rollins broke through one defender and dove across the goal line to bring the score to a workable 21-20. With a thudding kick from Storm, the score was deadlocked at 21 apiece with less than two minutes to go.

LIU burned off enough time by the end of their possession to make hope dwindle for SU. They booted a field goal for three points with only thirty-two seconds left. Try as they might, with all of their tricks out in the open, Cutler threw one more "hail mary" to Woods down the sideline. The Junior caught the ball with both feet barely making it in-bounds. With no time left, Storm kicked in a smooth field goal to send SU home with a close comeback win. The final score sat at 24-21, giving SU the season opener win against LIU.


Hospitals. Why did it have to be a fucking hospital? But that was the deal: If Dean was able to make it from the bus to his apartment without any pain, then he was off scot-free. Dean took two steps from the bus and his knee buckled, all but guaranteeing he was going to be spending some time with a doctor. Roman and Braun helped Dean limp to his trusty Highlander, then Alexa hopped into the driver's seat and took off. Dean assured his teammates that he'd keep them updated and to "keep a cold one ready" for him at Roadies.

Dean and Alexa waited for the doctor in one of the observation rooms. Dean insisted he could walk, but Alexa forced him to use a wheelchair. The nurse took Dean in for x-rays and asked him about any pain he was experiencing. Dean undersold the agony he and his knee were in, but it was clear he wasn't being truthful when the nurse asked him to extend his knee and Dean nearly screamed out.

"Think I'll get a lollipop?" Dean asked his fiance. Upon the nurse's insistence, Ambrose laid back on the observation table to relieve some stress on his injured joint.

Alexa sat beside her future husband. She flashed him a smile, though Dean could see the worry through her mask.

"I'll buy you ice cream if you be a good boy for the doctor," Alexa teased.

Dean chuckled. "Neopolitan or no dice."

Alexa rubbed her hand over Dean's non-affected knee. "Deal." She promised.

Finally, the doctor arrived in the room. He was a tired-looking older man, maybe in his early forties. Dean could tell he'd been through some shit or just needed a nap.

"Good evening. I'm Dr. Richards," the doctor told the two young people. He gestured at Dean. "You must be the football player. I was just watching your game not too long ago."

"Always glad to meet a fan," Dean joked.

Dr. Richards started placing Dean's x-ray results over a light board. "You've been having some knee troubles?" He asked over his shoulder as he looked over the photos.

Dean shrugged. "Yeah, you know how it is. Football and stuff, it's been sore a little."

Dr. Richards nodded. "Right. How long has this been an issue for you?" He asked.

"'Bout a year," Dean figured. "Last year, I felt a pop during a game. Seemed fine, so I just iced it whenever it hurt. Took some Advil or got shitfaced if it hurt too much."

Dr. Richards turned back to Dean. He examined the troubled part of Dean's leg, pushing slightly and feeling for any swelling.

"Well, it's definitely swollen," Richards concluded. "Which doesn't surprise me."

"Why's that?" Dean asked, sharing a worried look with his fiance. "The trainer told me that it was probably just sore. I mean, I can walk on it so that means it isn't torn or anything, right?"

"Not necessarily," Dr. Richards returned to the x-ray photos. He pointed to the pair on the left of the screen. "Do you see this line here?" He asked, outlining a part of Dean's knee.

"Yeah?" Dean said.

"That's your ACL," Dr. Richards pointed to the next pair of pictures. "Do you see the line in this photo?"

Dean shook his head. "I don't see anything. Is that normal?"

Dr. Richards shook his head. "No. That's where your ACL should be. Your right knee doesn't have an ACL right now."

Dean's stomach dropped. He sighed and dropped his head against the backrest of the table.

"I'm impressed you've been able to go this long without it," Dr. Richards said.

"How long do you think it's been gone?" Alexa asked.

"I'd say a week or two," Dr. Richards said. "It's a miracle you've been able to walk around with little to no difficulty."

Dean fought back tears with a chuckle. "Right. So, what now? You cut it off? Take me out back and put me down?"

Dr. Richards lightly shook his head. "Nope. We schedule you to come in for surgery and fix it. We have a few donors coming in so we should be ready for you in about four or five weeks. We'll schedule it with you before Thanksgiving. I'm gonna get you a knee brace and crutches, as well as a prescription for the pain..." He paused to look at Alexa. "Please make sure he uses the brace and the crutches. He really can't be putting any more stress on the joint until surgery."

Alexa nodded her head and promised to do so. Dr. Richards left a moment after that.

"Babe?" Alexa rounded the table to her fiance's side. Her heart broke when she noticed that he was silently muttering to himself with tears in his eyes. "Baby, it's going to be ok." She assured, scratching her fingers over his chest.

"My season is completely fucked," Dean spat, only angry at himself for not coming in sooner to get his knee checked out.

"But you have two more after this," Alexa reminded, keeping her voice calm and soothing. "You'll be healed and ready to go by next season. I know it sucks, but it's better than missing more because you wouldn't come in for surgery."

Dean sighed, letting some tears roll down his cheeks. "Yeah. You're right." He muttered, still furious at himself.

Alexa kissed Dean's cheek, then whispered in his ear. "I love you so much. I'll make you feel better when we get home, 'kay?"

Dean chuckled, which made Alexa giggle as well. "Can't really do much if I'm not supposed to use my knee for anything." He said, looking his woman in the eye.

Alexa shrugged. "So that just means you let me do the work." She cooed.

"For the next year?" Dean quipped. "You're going to wait on me hand and foot and ride my dick for a year?"

"Are you complaining?" Alexa giggled.

"Fuck no," Dean stated. "I'm just saying... thank you for distracting me from this with your sex talk."

Alexa pecked her lover on the lips. "You're welcome. You know I'd do anything for you, babe."

"Anything?" Dean muttered.

Alexa winked one eye closed, then briefly lifted her shirt to flash one of her breasts. She was still in her sports bra from cheering during the game, but Dean still smiled brightly and felt a twitch in his pants.

"We'll get through this," Alexa promised, kissing Dean on the cheek again.

"Thanks, baby. I don't know what I'd do without you," Dean kissed Alexa's forehead and pulled her in for a hug. A sudden hand rubbing his cock made Dean jump and Alexa laugh out loud, but Dr. Richards returned before things could escalate.


Still riding the high from winning the season opener against LIU, Seth and Toni hurried up to room six-oh-five of Sammartino Hall. The two were still going out to Roadie's with the team, but Seth wanted to change and Toni suggested they pre-game a little.

Seth told his teammate that he'd be back in a flash. It had hardly been a minute by the time he'd picked out a suitable outfit for drinks with the football team. When he thought back on this moment later in life, Seth still never understood how quickly Toni worked, because when the upbeat young man returned to the living room his blonde teammate was waiting for him in, a smirk to challenge his grin, Seth's stomach hit his shoes and blood rushed his core when his brain spun as it tried to process the image of Toni standing in his living room in her underwear.

Seth's brow twitched. "H-hey..." He sputtered, unsure how to process what he was seeing.

Toni chuckled dryly. "Get back in there, Seth. Best if you don't speak, yeah?" She said, her words seductive and sweet.

The next thing Rollins knew, somewhere between clothes thrown, kisses exchanged, and hair pulled, he was lying flat on his back trying to catch his breath. Toni was in a similar state, tiredly brushing her hair out of her eyes with her chest heaving as she took in rapid intakes of air.

Rollins let his head roll to the side, locking eyes with Toni as she did the same. Each young person taking in the other's naked body for at least the dozenth time in the span of a few heated minutes. Was it the best sex they had? Most likely not, but it's what they needed and neither party was left disappointed. Toni's gaze lingered on Seth's toned midsection, as well as his limp cock, then traced his person back to his eyes; Seth was simply staring at Toni's bare chest, lost in fantasy land, until he caught Toni's eye.

"Not a soul..." Toni told, still trying to catch her breath.

Seth nodded. "No one..." He agreed, finding the urge to continue the fun suddenly grip his body.

Toni had the same idea, pushing herself up and laying over Seth. The only sound to soundtrack the madness was Toni's light moans and the sounds of their lips smacking and pulling at each other. Seth threw his hips to the side, making the duo roll and changing spots with his teammate. Seth kissed his way from Toni's mouth to her core, staring up at her as she watched him and scratched her fingers through his hair.


Isolation was the worst feeling in the world, especially after all the bullshit she'd been through during the week.

Charlotte didn't care about anything. Her world was falling apart and there's nothing she could do to keep it together. Her friends claimed they cared, but they were all too busy with their own lives to follow through on talking to her. Charlotte felt like an attention-seeking child when she thought that way, but her more abrasive side wondered where her so-called "friends" were. She didn't go to the game or to the party, though she knew there was no point in trying to connect anymore with people.

The only thing that could keep Charlotte's attention for more than six seconds was her father's trial. A national news channel had full coverage and, though it wasn't the biggest criminal trial to be broadcast nationally, meant that a lot of people, both online and in-person, had an unwarranted opinion about Ric's terrible decisions.

Despite her hate for her father's business ethics, she did feel bad for the old man. Ric was pushing sixty-five and facing upwards of thirty years in a federal prison, which meant that, if he was found guilty, he was most likely dying behind bars. Charlotte's self-pity wasn't totally selfish; She knew that much when she started sobbing when Ric arrived at the courtroom to begin the legal hearing.

"Apparently it's a good week to feel bad for the Flairs," Charlotte thought bitterly, polishing off a bottle of cheap beer from a case she picked up after her workout that morning.

Becky's bullshit and Ric's karma catching up with him: What a wonderfully awful combination to really fuck up Charlotte's weekend. Selfishly thought or not, Charlotte didn't deserve this. She lived the life of luxury because of Ric's exploits and she was forever grateful she knew the taste of Chardonnay and caviar. Charlotte didn't think she was above anybody morally, especially after the start of her semester, but maybe that sweet wine and crisp delicacies were bitter in hindsight because they were bought with money taken from good people that now suffered for Ric's actions.

"You're such a fucking idiot," Charlotte muttered with an eye roll. Ric was talking to the judge now, probably begging for his life or explaining why millions of dollars hadn't been accounted for.

Charlotte had the television volume off and her Bluetooth speaker blaring some kind of sappy pop shit she didn't normally listen to. She wanted to be drunk, hell, maybe even high like she was in Cabo. Charlotte wanted to feel anything but sorrow or pain for once.

As for Becky, other than the ZBZ party a few days prior, Charlotte had no idea where their relationship stood. "Fucking shambles" seemed like a good label, but Charlotte wasn't sure if that was a strong enough phrase.

"Should've just let her fuck you," Charlotte hissed, staring at her reflection in her bottle of beer. Angry, scared, and heartbroken mixed with some kind of unearthly desire for sexual contact with her ex-best friend made Charlotte's head spin. Granted, she probably only felt the latter because she hadn't been cherished since Labor Day, but the feeling still stood and Charlotte's stomach filled to near critical mass with butterflies the more she thought of that little red-headed shit.

A knock came at the door. Charlotte, at that moment, wondered if Kai En Tai's was still delivering. In that moment of thought, Charlotte realized she was slowly succumbing to the effects of the alcohol. A small smile crept across her lips, the knowledge of the beer taking over soon sending her a surge of happiness.

KNOCK KNOCK

Charlotte sighed. Her one-woman expedition into drunkenness would have to wait for whoever had the audacity to interrupt her. Charlotte threw open the door, ready to give the intruder an earful. The fire in her throat died when her eyes locked with the ice-cold stare of a certain sun-kissed Freshman who she wanted to tear the head off of.

Sonya's eyes silently scanned around the apartment as she bumped past her rival.

"First apartment in the building named after your dad. Typical." Sonya taunted, her saunter leading her to the living room. She smirked at the newsfeed live from Ric's trial. "Doesn't look good for daddy, huh?" She asked, her words twisted with sarcasm and hate.

Charlotte pointed at the door. "Leave. I won't tell you again." She ordered, the anger threatening to send her over the edge.

"Not until you get it through your thick fucking skull that Becky doesn't want you around," Sonya spat, sizing up the other woman with her eyes. "How many times do I have to tell you to stay the fuck away from us? Are you really that stupid, or do you think you can do whatever you want because your daddy's name is on the building?"

Charlotte's hands balled up into fists at her sides. "Sonya, I'm warning you-"

"Shut the fuck up," Sonya snapped, lightly shaking her head. "Shut the fuck up. You aren't going to do shit to me, so drop the tough guy act. I'm so sick and tired of you bullying me around like everyone just has to do whatever you want. You're not the center of the universe, sweetheart! You aren't the good guy here!"

Charlotte chuckled dryly. "Oh really? Should you be talking? You cheated on Becky a week after you got together!"

"When she started talking to you again," said Sonya, shockingly with tears in her eyes. "Everything was fucking perfect until you started calling her in the middle of the night and texting her non-stop. I have to fucking sit there while my girlfriend is crying about another girl! Do you know what the fuck that feels like? Not even a full month together and she's already looking at other women."

Charlotte didn't respond. She was reluctant to admit it, but Sonya was making a good point. She wanted Becky, but Becky wasn't hers to try and have.

"I fucked Shayna because I didn't know how long it was going to last with Becky," Sonya cried, gritting her teeth as she spoke. "I didn't know what to do about you and her, so I went to Shayna. I didn't know what was going to happen to my relationship. Are you happy to hear that, you fucking bitch? God! You're so caught up in your own bullshit that you still think you're the good guy here! How the fuck can you live with yourself?"

"Then break up with Becky-"

"I can't!" Sonya screamed, finally breaking down into tears. "I love her too much. I can't give up on her. Why the fuck can't you just leave us alone?"

Charlotte stared back with a frown.

"ANSWER ME!" Sonya suddenly screamed.

Charlotte flinched. Before she had a chance to respond, Sonya was tearing across the room and tackling her to the ground. Sonya's MMA training came into full effect as she pummeled Charlotte into the ground with hard fists and elbows. Sonya kept swinging, trying to get all her anger out in the only way she knew how at this point. Charlotte held her arms up to try and block as much as she could.

Finally, with tears and cries escaping her shaking body, Sonya stood from the floor. She held her right hand against her chest when a sudden sting rushed through her knuckles.

"Don't make me come back," Sonya warned, staring down at Charlotte. "Don't. Do you understand me?"

Charlotte cradled her head, fearing another attack from Sonya. When her door slammed, Charlotte found the strength to stagger to her feet and rush for the bathroom. Charlotte keeled over, luckily catching herself on the sink. With wide eyes, Charlotte was able to survey the damage in the reflection of the mirror; Her right eyebrow was split open and her bottom lip was starting to swell. A bruise was on the corner of Charlotte's eye, which meant she was more than likely going to have a black eye.

Charlotte wanted blood. Everything in her brain told her to chase Sonya down and beat her to within an inch of her life. The more civil part of her brain begged Charlotte to file a complaint with the administration and get Sonya kicked out of school, but that would most likely lead to losing Becky for good... if it was even possible to win her back at this point.

"CUNT!" Charlotte screamed at her front door.

Fetching her keys and a washcloth, Charlotte traveled to her car. She needed to go to the ER just in case this was worse than it looked. Sonya would have to wait because there was no chance Charlotte was letting this go, but she still got in her car and headed for the hospital.