I yanked and tugged as hard as I could on the sock that I was trying to wrestle away from Fang, but he had no intention of letting go.

" Don't pull to hard. " Casey told me, leaning over my shoulder. " You could hurt his little teeth. "

I looked over at her disbelievingly. " I was really a little more concern for my sock. His teeth are fine. My sock is tearing. "

I tugged a little harder this time, just as he was adjusting his grip which sent him tumbling head over paws across the rug. He righted himself with a disgusted snort and took off out the door to find a more willing playmate.

" Now, see what you did. " Casey chided. " You hurt his feelings. "

I held up my torn sock and showed it to her. " He hurt my sock. "

" We should really get him some toys to chew on, I guess. " she said, eying the offensive garment warily. " Next thing he'll go for is your shoes. "

I grabbed my Nike's from the floor and shoved them quickly on my feet. " Not if I'm in them he won't." I declared triumphantly.

Then I spied the pink heels she had worn the night before and I couldn't help the smile that tugged at the corners of my mouth. " It looks like he has already expressed his opinion of your shoes though. "

She huffed and grabbed her shoes from the floor, looking dejectedly at the gnawed on heel. " Crap, these were one of my favorite pairs. " Then she looked back at me. " I'm not staying over any more if you can't keep your beast in line. "

I couldn't help laughing as I dragged her to me and we both went tumbling onto the bed. " Are we still talking about the dog ? "

She had landed under me, laughing along and I looked down at her for a moment before kissing her. Shoving at my shoulder, she pulled away from me and sat back up. " I have a meeting across campus in thirty minutes.

" With whom ? " I raised my eyebrows at her playfully. " Should I be worried ? "

" With Sarah Beckman from National and you might as well be worried, I am. " she sighed.

I pulled her back to me, wrapping her in my arms supportively. " It'll be alright. You know she can't really tell you who you can date and who you can't. This is all just a bully tactic. "

She nodded into my chest. " But I really hate to be bullied. " Her voice was a muffled whine.

" Then don't let her. You just stand up proud and tell her that you are the best President the Sorority has had in years and she has no right to judge what you do with your social life. " I suggested.

She laughed. " I should just tell her that, huh ? Should I add a 'piss off' to the end of it ? "

" Well I'm not sure that would be wise. "

" Exactly. I have to placate this woman. I need to smile and nod and pretend I'm hearing every bad thing she was to say about the Kappa Tau house. I need to make her think that she is getting through to me. " She explained. " I have to make her think I'm listening to her. "

" Well, " I let her go and she stood, gathering the rest of her clothes and dressing. " Like you said, we are both really good actors. " I shrugged.

" Yeah, but I'm trying to retire. " She smiled. " I don't want to have to act anymore. " The smile slipped from her face. " I'm just so tired of pretending. "

She looked tired in that moment and I hated that the thing she loved so much was draining her so terribly. But I could see the strain in her face. Her eyes were shadowed, not near their usual bright vibrant green. Her cheeks were a little sunken as if she hadn't been eating enough in the last few days and her mouth was drawn down in a frown that I rarely saw from her.

" I wish there was something I could do to make this easier for you. " I said, coming to her to hug her again.

She pulled away suddenly and eyed me with a look that really got me worried. " Maybe there is something you can do for me. "

" What ? " I asked, after a moments fearful hesitation.

" Well, like you said, WE are BOTH really good actors. How fast can you be dressed and ready to go?"

Sarah Beckman was a stuffy, prim woman in her late twenties wearing a pink Chanel suit and a matching headband in her overly bleached hair. Her make up was over done and dramatic with lips a shade of dark red that did nothing for her much too orange complexion. She looked like an Avon saleswoman, or a walking add for cosmetics. Everything about her from her hair that didn't move to her perfectly manicured nails, to her three inch beige heels looked plastic to me.

Her smile, when she used it, looked more like a painful grimace or maybe like she had just smelled something foul.

I couldn't help but wonder why the hell Casey would want to be a part of any organization this woman was an authority figure in. I hated her instantly and did my best not to pull at the tie Casey had made me wear. It was one of two I owned, but she had immediately nixed the one with the little bottles of beer all over it. I was here trying to prove that Kappa Taus weren't all a bunch of scandalous barbarians. I couldn't believe she had chosen me to represent that particular concept. I was, after all, the model Kappa Tau.

However, at the moment, I could have easily fit in at the Omega Chi house. My costume was complete with tan dockers, loafers I had to borrow from Heath, and my official Kappa Tau Gamma jacket that only got dragged out of the closet about twice a year when I had no choice. I felt like an idiot.

Everything about the whole incident felt wrong. But I smiled and did my best to pretend to be all the things I was supposed to be, responsible, upstanding, dignified. Right now, what Casey needed was Evan Chambers and I was determined to do my best to be him for her. It was just for an afternoon after all. Surely I could pull that off.

" So, what are your plans for after graduation ? " Sarah asked me while once again giving me that look like she smelled something.

" I'm hoping for Harvard Law. " I answered with much more confidence than I felt.

" That's quite ambitious of you. I wasn't aware that members of your organization had such high aims."

" Actually, the Kappa Tau Gamma house has turned out it's share of very influential members of society. We have several very important alumni from this very chapter even. " I informed her honestly. Now this was something I could do. I was really proud of my Fraternity. Talking it up was easy for me.

" Really ? " she snorted. " Would I know any of them ? "

" I'm sure you have already done your research on our house. You no doubt know all about our past members. " I smiled back at her as I took a drink from the water glass in front of me.

" Yes, in fact I have done quite a bit of research on you Fraternity. The thing that concerns me most are all in the article that was released not long before Christmas. I understand that most of the incidents described in the article were about the Kappa Tau Gamma Fraternity specifically. " She informed me stiffly.

I leveled her with an unflinching gaze. " The article that you are referring to does not, in fact, mention any particular organization specifically. I believe that if any of the accusations the article makes could be substantiated, we would have been reprimanded personally by the Campus administration. We have received no such reprimands in regards to the article. Therefore I believe it's reasonable to assume that everything contained in the article was merely hearsay and there was no proof of our involvement. "

Mrs. Beckman's eyes widen for an instant but she hid it behind her water glass as she took a sip. " I suppose it is reasonable to assume so, yes. " she mumbled, setting the glass back down. " Will you excuse me for a moment ? I need to powder my nose. "

Casey was grabbing my arm before she was even out of the room completely. " Where the hell did that come from ? " she demanded.

" What ? " I shrugged innocently, trying to hide how extremely proud of myself I was.

" Have you ever thought about running for office ? " She smiled brightly.

" I have run for office. I'm the president of my Fraternity. Why is it that no one remembers that ? " I huffed. " I swear, I really do know a lot about politics. I know a lot about a bunch of things. Why is everyone so surprised by that. "

She looked at me with an exasperated smile. " Because you do what you can to make sure that no one remembers any of that. "

I finally let the smile explode across my face. " Yeah, I guess that could probably be the reason. "

She rested her hand over mine and squeezed it gently. " I can't believe you did all this for me. "

" Of course. " I shrugged again. " I'd do anything for you. " I paused to look at her for a moment. " So you think I did okay ? "

She laughed. " I think you were amazing. Better than I ever thought you could do. " She was staring at me with such pride and love on her face, my heart leaped.

She always had a way of making me do that. She always made me feel so alive. My heart pounded harder around her. My mind buzzed. She made me think. She made me feel. I felt like I could do anything as long as she believed in me. With her beside me, I was Superman. Nothing felt impossible or unachievable. She was like a drug to me and I was completely addicted to the way she made me feel. I only hoped that I made her feel the same way.

I felt myself slipping back into that crazy, mad obsessive love thing that she mentioned before, but I didn't care in that moment.

Right then I had a mission. I needed to charm this woman into believing that my Fraternity couldn't possibly be everything she had heard it was. I would worry about my obsession with Casey later. At the moment it was driving me forward.

I stood as Sarah Beckman returned from the restroom and resumed her seat.

" So I hope I have alleviated your fears as far as the Kappa Taus involvement in the things mentioned in the article. " I told her with my best dazzling smile. " I assure you we have never condoned underage drinking or cheating. It's against everything we stand for. "

She eyed me suspiciously. " I am very well aware of everything the Kappa Tau Gamma House stands for. I am not stupid or naive. I am an alumni of Cyprus Rhodes. I know all about your house. "

" Aw, but you only know how our House used to be, before I took over as President. I have done my best to instill strong moral fiber and traditional values in our members and I feel I've been very successful. We now donate more of our time to charitable activities than almost any other Fraternity on campus, for instance. " This was not an out right lie. We did do a lot of charity work, but mostly it was because we were forced to through violation and citations from campus security. Since our old friend, Officer Bob retired the year before, the new campus guards were tougher on us than most of the other houses. Of course, that was probably due to the fact that we caused them the most trouble with the loud parties and such, but hey, we had a reputation to uphold.

" Really ? " Sarah leaned in towards me. " I wasn't aware that the KTG's were that interested in charities. "

I nodded. " Oh, yes, Ma'am. We think of it as our duty to give back to a community that has given us so much. "

" I'm curious as to why you choose the KTG house instead of the Omega chi's when you pledged a house. I could see you as a very productive member of the Omega Chi's. "

" I choose the house that I felt needed me the most. The Omega Chi's are already the most influential, respected Fraternity on campus. I felt I could do more good at the Kappa Tau house. And I am proud to say that I feel I have done a lot of good since becoming President. "

She sat back and gave me the first genuine smile I had seen from her. Then she looked to Casey. " I can see exactly why you have chosen to fight so hard for your continued involvement with this young man. He is obviously everything a Zeta Beta girl wants in a companion. "

I felt my cheeks grow warm for a moment and blinked back my surprise. That had been much easier than I thought it was going to be. I was afraid for a moment that it was too easy, in fact. So I tried to remain cautiously optimistic.

" I am going to discuss the situation with the rest of the board of our National Chapter. I think perhaps we can all agree that this situation in no ways reflects poorly on us as an organization. " She was still smiling, but her eyes had drifted to me once again.

" I really want to thank you for all the support you have given me since I took over. I know I could not have done as well without your backing. " Casey told her sweetly.

" Well, your welcome. I believe that in order to get past this scandal we need a strong, upstanding, respectable leader and I feel confident that we found that in you. " She inclined her head slightly. " I think you are doing a wonderful job of making sense of all the chaos your predecessor left behind. "

" I am really trying to get everything back in line. " She agreed.

" I will let you know what we decide when a decision regarding this matter is made. " Sarah stood. " In the meantime, I wouldn't worry too much about it. I'm sure I can smooth this whole thing over for you." She turned to me. " Would you mind walking me to my car ? The only spot I could find was in the back of the lot. "

I nodded and stood, taking the arm she was offering me.

As soon as we cleared the restaurant's front doors, she turned to me. " So, you are planning on continuing on to law school ? "

I nodded again. " That is the plan. "

" Have you considered a career in politics ? You are an amazing speaker. Very articulate. "

I jumped as I felt her hand ease from my arm and touch my side. Then before I knew what was happening her hand went from my side, around the back of my thigh and landed just below my ass.

What the hell was it about me that made gay men and older woman attack me the first chance they got? I knew I had been charming, but I really wasn't expecting her to make a move like that.

" I have thought about politics. " I answered, trying hard to ignore her hand and keep the complacent smile on my face.

As we approached a silver Mazda, she stopped and turned to me. " This is me. I'm staying at the Hilton, in room 909. Perhaps if you aren't doing anything later, you could drop by and we could continue our discussion about your future. " She smiled.

" Is my dropping by going to make a difference to your recommendations to the National Board ? " I asked, bluntly, cutting to the chase.

She laughed nervously. " Why would you even think such a thing ? It didn't mean for it to sound that way. "

I smiled. " In that case, I'm really sorry, but I'm in love with Casey and I would never betray her like that. So I believe I will have to respectfully decline your invitation. "

She nodded and looked a little disappointed. " Actually, I think that says more about you than it would have if you had agreed. Thank you for being so honest. It's refreshing to find that in someone so young and ambitious. "

" Then, I'm happy to have surprised you. "

" What would you have said if I had told you my recommendations was at stake ? " She asked, almost as an afterthought as she got into her car.

I stepped back and thought about that for a minute. " I'm really not sure. Like I said, I love Casey and her happiness is the most important thing in the world to me. So I really don't know. Thank you for not making me have to make that choice. "

" Tell Casey not to worry about the National Chapter. I will do everything I can for her on my end. " She told me as she gave me one last smile and shut the door.

Casey was still sitting where I'd left her a few minutes before, but now she had her phone pressed to her ear. My mind snapped back to the night at her house and the conversation I overheard then. So instead of walking up and regaining my seat like I knew I should have, I eased up behind her and tried to drowned out the sounds going on around us.

" You have to stop calling me. How many times do I have to tell you that I want you to leave me alone? I'm done listening to you. " She was saying as I tried to remain as hidden as possible behind a half wall that hid the passage to the restrooms. A large plant was blocking her view of me and I watched her through its leaves, feeling like a jealous idiot.

" You have no right to try and tell me what to do anymore. " she continued into the phone. " You have no hold over me anymore. This whole thing is over. " She paused for a moment, listening. " I don't want or need your help anymore. If you really want to help me, you'll leave me alone and stay out of my life. " Again she paused, then her eyes widen and she looked stunned for a moment. " You can't be serious. Okay, I'll meet you but not until later tonight. I know a little place off campus. "

I took in a quick breath as she gave the person on the other end the address of my favorite off campus pool hall. I had grown to think of the miserable little dive as our special place. It was where I found her after the thing with Evan and Rebbecca. It was where I took her on our first date and many times after that when the stress of school became too much for both of us. I couldn't believe she was telling someone, I could only assume was Evan, about it.

As she snapped the phone shut she looked a little shaken and I gave her a moment to compose herself. I had no intention of letting her know I had overheard her this time. Now I knew exactly what I was going to do. I wasn't going to give her a chance to invent a bunch of lies about the phone calls.

Tonight I thought, I might like to grab a game of pool.