Pi Alpha Nu

Catalina

The dining hall was like walking into a Michelin-star restaurant; the cooks working the line were flipping pancakes in the pan, wearing black uniforms adorned with gold-plated name tags. Different fragrances bombarded my nose, but a few triumphed over the others: hot maple syrup, sweet cream butter-rich buttermilk, and my favorite, freshly brewed coffee with notes of caramel. The tip of my tongue ran between my lips. I've officially died and gone to food heaven. I glanced around the dining hall, and my lips pulled downward. Breakfast was ready for the taking though the other students were still deep in conversation at their tables. Why was no one in a hurry to pile up their plates with delicious food? Their loss, my gain. I started toward the buffet counter laden with a gorgeous spread of pancake fixings. Eden tugged me back, shaking her head. "What the Hell, Eden? A girl is hungry."

"Pi Alpha Nu and staff get their plates first." I snorted, pulling my wrist from her grasp. "The fuck they do." Staff, okay. But the co-ed fraternity? That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard. "Those are the rules."

"Says who?" Well, this certainly wasn't included in Rockrimmon's welcome packet. Otherwise, I would have never applied here. No one got in the way of my coffee and pancakes.

No one.

"Them." Eden pointed to a group of students walking in from another set of doors across the hall. A group wearing matching gold embossed black blazers and a girl with striking green eyes, full pouty lips stained red, and a ponytail higher than Ariana Grande's was leading the pack. She held her chin up high, strutting to the beat of the music as if she owned everyone's soul.

"Who is that?"

"That's Amelia Bernard, President of Pi Alpha Nu, and a real class-A bitch."

"Hmmm." This isn't going to fly with me. I studied her for a moment. Someone like her fell into the category of Queen Bee. They usually ended up on my shit list because I was intolerant of injustice and bullies. And if memory serves me right, they always had a few loyal worker bees at their beck and call. I'd be adding them to that list too, in three...two...one. They didn't stray far. Bingo! "And who are they?"

"Well, the blonde on her left is London. The VP, upcoming YouTube sensation for makeup tutorials, and Amelia's personal makeup artist." She paused to sigh. "And the leggy brunette on Amelia's right is Sylvia; she's basically Amelia's bodyguard."

Sylvia looks more like a vampire, but okay. I arched my brows together. "I see. Well, fun chat, but I am getting my food now."

"If you still want to have a social standing here, I would advise against that, Catalina." Eden started chewing on her nails.

How scary could this Amelia be? "Watch and learn, my friend. Watch and learn." I strolled across the dining hall, closing in on the frat heads. The chatter around me began to die down, and a few people gasped. Professors were corralled around the coffee bar in their own little world, leaving the pancake station wide open. I didn't see a reason to wait. Reaching the counter, my eyes lit up. The pancakes were thick and fluffy, with that perfect golden ring around the outside. Yum! Just like Mom makes them.

Moments later, Eden walked up next to me, mumbling, "I have a death wish, I have a death wish," under her breath.

I put a hand on her shoulder. "Eden, it's going to be okay."

The cook operating the station finally acknowledged us and asked. "What would you like on your pancakes, ladies?"

More gasps sounded behind me.

I looked at Eden with a knowing glance. "See." I turned back around and said, " I'll have three pancakes with—"

"With a side of get out of my way. It's not your turn."

A shudder worked through my backbone, hearing the poison in her voice, and quickly realized the cook wasn't talking to me. He was talking to her. "Oh, dear Lord, please protect me," Eden sputtered as we both slowly turned to meet the low-lashed gaze of the one and only Amelia Bernard. London and Slyvia slipped in on either side of her like an orchestrated dance routine, mirroring her menacing stance.

Amelia's gaze skipped over Eden cutting straight to me. Arms crossed, she took another step closer, the stomp of her heel echoed through the dining hall. Now she was towering over me, tilting her head back and forth as her eyes trailed the length of me, taking note of my less-than-appealing clothes. "Do you not know the rules, Fresh Farm? No one cuts Pi Alpha Nu in line."

A muscle twitched under my eye. Rules?! It should be first come, first served after staff. Not Pi Alpha Nu above all. I didn't care if they had Alpha in their damn fraternity’s name; she wasn't the boss of me. "Amelia, is it?"

Her pupils dilated, and her red lips twisted into a scowl. "Yes, I am President of Pi Alpha Nu, and I run things around here. Don't you forget it, newbie." "Well, madam President. Your food rules suck big, fat elephant balls."

The other students were so on edge that someone in the corner fell out of their seat. Did this Amelia chick's reign of terror run so deep that no one has ever challenged her before? Her growl told me everything I needed to know. "I don't know who you are, Fresh Farm. But these are the rules, and they are here to stay. Now, get to the back of the line where you belong." She did a double-take. "And that's by the trash can."

Oh, Amelia, you and I are going to have so much fun. "Okay, I'll do it. Only because I know I am not trash. But maybe if you eat all that makeup on your face, you'd be as beautiful on the inside as I am."

"Why, you little—" Instead of more gasps, there was laughter. I figured with all the commotion, it was our cue to cut and run, for now. Defeating a tyrant was a slow and calculated process. I was just laying down the groundwork. I grabbed hold of Eden's hand; the poor girl was frozen stiff. We staggered around the mean girls, Amelia's jaw still on the floor, and bumped right into something solid. A tray went up into the air before it crashed into the ground as hot liquid splashed on my face, but mostly all over the muscular and tall man I just collided with. Real smooth, Catalina. I didn't want to slap Amelia. No. I wanted to slap myself for being such a klutz.

"Jesus Christ, my favorite shirt!" His deep voice rattled my ribcage, sending my heart into a frenzy. I reacted hastily, grabbing a napkin from the floor. "Oh, God. I am so sorry." I dabbed some of the coffee away from his shirt, then his cologne stilled me in place, and a tingling sensation overtook me. It forced my eyes closed, and I had this churning in my gut.

"Oh, yes, Professor!" I looked down to find the same naked man underneath me. We are on top of a desk, and I am grinding against him. He reached around and fisted my hair, pulling me closer. "Come for me, baby, so that I can come for you." The pressure between my thighs built as he pounded harder into me. Our lips smashed together, and my body shuddered, releasing a warmth that sent me screaming. "Professor!" His chocolate-brown eyes doubled in size.

"Sorry, I didn't realize you were in one of my classes. What is your name?"

Oh, no!

My hands zipped to my mouth, and my eyes darted all around me. Did I scream that out loud?! The vast space appeared to be closing in on me, and the laughter became deafening. "I gotta go." Before he could reply, I took off running with my legs burning from the strain. I had no idea what happened back there, but I wasn't sticking around to figure it out. Maybe my brother was right. Perhaps I shouldn't be so far away from home.