Page 17 of #PhiThetaForever

"Mission trip?" Darcy glances quickly at her as she hands her bag across to Candice.

"Yep. This summer. We're taking most of the sorority and fraternity to Haiti. We're going to be teaching the kids, helping with food and medical stuff. Thirty days. It's going to be an amazing trip." Sandra cracks her neck just as one of the fraternity guys hugs her from behind around the waist and smiles huge before kissing her cheek and running off.

That seems to be a thing with this group. Everyone is all hugs and love and just all-around accepting. Today is the first day I've really been able to just relax and not worry about classes or Declan's stuff, or anything really. It's been needed. Like really needed.

By 9:00PM, we are still going on the packaging, and everyone still seems in good spirits. We've packages almost 75,000 meals, which it turns out will be sent to places like Haiti. It's an amazing feeling knowing that even with everything going on in my personal life, I can still take time to do something good like this for others. This is what God means when he says to give to others. It's not just giving money like some people think. Give your time, your emotions, your help, your knowledge. Give what you have to give.

As I stand straight to stretch, strong arms snake around my waist and make me jump, twirling around. Declan smiles down at me, and before I can stop myself, I reach up and grab his neck and pull him down until his lips touch mine. My heart beats in my chest, a million miles a minute. His lips are hard and hungry, and for a moment, everything else fades away. There's something different in Declan's kiss, though I can't tell what it is. His hands grip my waist on either side roughly, and he's pulled me so close against him, his excitement is pressing into my stomach, making me shiver under him.

"They get any more into that, and there's going to be some very inappropriate activity during a charity event." Justus's voice is laced with amusement, but it snaps me back to the moment, and I slowly pull away from Declan.

He doesn't let my hips go, and we're both breathing like we just ran a marathon. "Hey, baby."

Finally, looking him in the face, my stomach knots. Declan always looks good to me, but his skin is paler than usual, his eyes are rimmed red like he hasn't slept in a day or two. I cup either side of his face and stare at him, trying to magically figure out what's going on. "Hi. I thought you weren't getting back until late?"

His smile brightens. "Yeah, well, we got in early. Justus said you all were here, so Jackson and I figured we'd come with him and surprise you. Plus, I wanted to see what your first Sorority event looked like. This is amazing, Lena. I'm so proud of you."

"Can you stick around, Declan?" Justus smiles at us as I turn around toward the table, reaching for one of several bags Sandra has sat in my basket to be sealed.

Declan stays behind me and drapes his arms around my waist, just loosely enough that I can work with him there. "Of course. Nowhere else I'd rather be tonight." He kisses my temple, and despite the knot still in my stomach, my heart warms at his words.

"We always do pizza back at the sorority house after this event every year. Fraternity pays. We watch movies and relax. Some people nap," Justus says with a chuckle. "This event can wear the members out. It's a nice way to unwind. We'd love to have you join us, especially since Lena, Darcy, Candice, and Jackson are the newest members of the sorority and the fraternity.

It's the most authoritative I've ever heard Justus. Obviously, he takes his job as President of the Frat chapter of Phi Theta Forever seriously. I'm impressed with him trying to include Declan, especially knowing Justus' own history with Sigma Nu.

"I'd like that, man. Thank you," Declan says, squeezing me for a moment.

This might just be the perfect way to show Declan that he doesn't need Sigma Nu. I glance up at Justus, and he winks at me before slightly nodding his head. I get the feeling he is thinking the same thing. Phi Theta might be the savior Declan needs.

19 Declan

Lena and I are lying together on a chaise lounge in the Phi Theta Sorority living room. It's well after eleven at night, and she's been passed out on my chest for over an hour. Most of the girls are asleep, and a few of the guys are too. It looks like a big slumber party in here. Jackson, Candice, and Darcy are sleeping on a futon mattress in front of the television. Several other members are in chairs and on the couch. Sandra and Justus are awake, whispering on the love seat next to us.

I tried to sleep, but I haven't managed a moment since Saturday night. These drugs keep me up for days, and it makes me irritable and jittery. I hate it. I can't even come up with a valid reason for doing this other than I don't want to mess up my chances of having Sigma Nu on my resume when I'm ready to move to the next step in our life. I haven't taken my hands off Lena since I got back, though. If anything, I want to erase the feel of another girl's hips from my hands. I can't believe I was so stupid.

Yeah, to some people, that wouldn't be a big deal. She danced on me . . . so what? But for me and Lena? Something like that is as bad as cheating. At least, it feels that way. Part of me wants to tell her because I really can't stand lying to her. But then I'd have to tell her about the drugs being part of the pledge events, and I don't want to upset her. She'd lose her mind if she found out about that. I don't plan to keep doing any of it after the pledge phase is over anyway.

"You okay, Declan? You look upset." Sandra reaches over and lightly touches my forearm.

The arm I have around Lena tightens a little, and I squeeze my eyes shut before opening them and looking over at Sandra. "Yeah. Just got a lot on my mind."

Justus sits forward and rests his arms on his thighs. "We're here if you want to talk about it. I pledged Sigma Nu once, so I know all too well what you're dealing with trying to get into that fraternity."

I'm surprised. Bo's never mentioned Justus pledging. As a matter of fact, he never says anything about the players who aren't part of Sigma Nu. He only deals with them on the field. Not in normal life. "I'm okay. I'll just be glad when this pledge crap is over, and I can go back to my normal life."

"You really think what you're doing now ends when they make you a member?" Justus gives me a stern look, and my eyes widen a little. "You're smarter than that, Declan. The booze and drugs don't stop being shoved down your throat just because you passed their bullshit tests."

Sandra nods her head sadly, glancing at Justus.

"Bo said I don't have to do it once the pledge phase is over."

Sandra scoffs. "Yeah, well, Bo shouldn't be making you snort blow up your nose just to be accepted to a fraternity either, but he is . . . and you are."

My mouth drops open. "How did you—"

"Like Justus said. We've both dealt with Sigma Nu. Plus, you look like you haven't slept in two days. Only one thing I know outside finals that keeps college kids, especially Sigma Nu boys, up that long."

"Look, I don't want to be doing this. But the connections they have can really take mine and Lena's life in a new direction after college."