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Chapter 17


Everyone always told me: “Kayleigh, you’re so dedicated.” “Kayleigh, you’re so helpful.” “I can always count on you, Kayleigh.”

But they were wrong.

I would be there in a flash for a shopping buddy. I had any color of eye shadow anyone possibly needed. I knew several men in any of the fraternities, and I always knew when the best parties were going down.

I would be there with every datebook committee, even if it wasn’t mine. I sat in the chapter room for hours to make sure everything ran smoothly. I welcomed our newest members with open arms.

I was a shoulder to cry on. An ear for listening… A hug when it was needed. I could say any comforting word and mean it. And I was always there to laugh with.

“I can always count on you, Kayleigh.”

That’s what they always told me… But there was that one time they couldn’t count on me… and my grief has never let me forget that.



Friday, April 13, 2012
8:30 p.m.


Kayleigh pulled the door open to the Tri Delta house. It was surprisingly quiet for 8:30 on a Friday night.

“Is something wrong, Pearl?”

“Oh… no… sorry, Daddy. I was just thinking it was weird how quiet the house is…” She held her phone out in the entryway for a few seconds before putting it back to her ear. “See? It’s silent.”

“No screaming collegiates?” He laughed. “You’re right; that is cause for concern.”

“Daddy…” she whined. “Be serious.”

“I’m sorry, Pearl. Now what were you saying?”

“When school’s over, I’m bringing Brad down to see you all. He wanted to know when a good time was.”

“The Kappa Sig from Mississippi?”

“Yes, Daddy. He’s very nice; you’ll love him!”

“But he’s a Kappa Sig.”

“Well, yes, but you can’t blame me, or him, for the Pi Kapps getting kicked off campus before we came to school. I had nothing to do with it, and neither did he.”

“They just didn’t stop themselves from getting caught,” her father chuckled.

“Daddy!”

“I thought you’d be happy to hear, my Little Bro is coming to visit about the time you’re out for the semester. He’s bringing his family with him, and his son’s a Gamma Iota in Louisiana.”

“Not that I don’t appreciate it, but we were discussing Bradley Lee, the Kappa Sigma from Mississippi.”

“Were we now? Because I believe my precious Pearl was just about to tell me how much she wanted to meet a Gamma Iota.”

“Daddy…”

“Well, even if you don’t want to meet him, they are coming out.”

“It’ll happen when it happens…” She peered into the dining room and was surprised to find it empty, without a book in sight. “Anyway, we can talk about Brad tomorrow. Can I talk to Mama?”

“She’s been down with a headache all day.”

Kayleigh frowned a little. “It’s not pregnancy complications, is it?”

“I think she’s just tired.”

Kayleigh shook her frown off quickly. “How about Chris?”

“He’s out being a star soccer player as usual.” Her father chuckled.

“He would be doing that, wouldn’t he?” Her phone gave a small beep. “Can I call you back later, Daddy? I have another call coming in.”

“Of course, Pearl. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”

“No promises.”

“Tomorrow.”

“Yes, yes, tomorrow.”

She looked at her incoming call. “Hey, Bradley Lee.”

There was coughing in the background.

Kayleigh cringed as she heard vomiting. “Brad?”

There was another cough. “Sorry, Kayleigh. I was trying to call for a couple minutes without you answering.”

“Sorry, I was talking to my Daddy.”

“How’s the family?”

“My mom just has a headache… but they’re fine. You sound worse than when I left you.”

“Unlike in most cases, the fresh air didn’t do me any good.” He forced a laugh.

“Are you laying down?”

“Yeah…” He paused. “It seems like a couple of the other brothers have the flu too.”

“Well, we do live in Greek mansions… It happens.”

“Not as bad as the dorms.” He forced a laugh again.

“Maybe worse…”

He started laughing again, followed shortly by vomiting.

Kayleigh cringed a second time. “Brad…”

“Kayleigh…” The voice was faint from within the door next to her.

Kayleigh stared at the door with two handmade dolphin nametags. One read Kayleigh Shane, and the one underneath it read Samantha Anne.

“Kayleigh?”

“Yeah, I’m here…” She hesitated as she pushed open the door lightly.

The shock came when she opened it on her roommate vomiting into a trashcan.

Kayleigh turned away and cringed. She’d dealt with vomiting people countless times before. But there was just something different about vomiting because you were drunk and vomiting because you were sick. When someone was only drunk, it seems like there was less agony involved.

“Kayleigh?”

Kayleigh tottered between running out of the room and talking on the phone with Brad in library or running to the bedside of Sammy and smoothing back her platinum hair.

“Brad, do you think you can take care of yourself?”

His response was a small chuckle. “You tucked me in so tight, I think I’ll be here for days.”

“And if you run out of water, a brother can get it for you?”

“Not everyone is sick… just a few of the other guys.”

“Okay. I’m going to call you back in a half hour, then.”

“Exactly a half hour?”

“Exactly a half hour.”

“I’ll be by my phone.”

“I tucked you in so tight, where else are you going to go?” Kayleigh laughed.

“I love you…” Brad mumbled.

Out of surprise, Kayleigh dropped her phone. She hurriedly picked it up off the floor. “Brad?!?” There was no answer. She stared at the phone for a moment before shaking her head. “It hung up when it hit the floor…”

“What did Brad say?” Samantha asked weakly.

Kayleigh threw her phone and purse on her desk and sprinted over to Samantha. She sat on the edge of the bed and smoothed back her hair from her face. The ends of her long hair were dripping with vomit. “Don’t worry about it…” Kayleigh quieted her.

“Gossip always makes me feel better.” Samantha gave her a weak smile.

Kayleigh stood up lightly. “I’ll be right back. I’m going to get a washcloth to clean your face.”

“In the bathroom…” Samantha started.

“I know, in your drawer.”

Kayleigh left the room and hurried to the bathroom. Upon entering it, she found two sisters in an open stall. One was throwing up; the other was holding back her hair with a sickened look on her face.

“Jamie, is Alison okay?”

“She’s just a little sick… I tried to take her to the health center, but they say they’re booked…”

“Sammy has it, too.”

A worried look crossed Jamie’s face.

“And some of the Kappa Sigs do…”

“Does Brad?”

Kayleigh nodded.

“Have you heard anything about Matt?”

“In TKE?”

Jamie nodded with concern.

“I haven’t, but I can call him… Or you could call him…”

“He only met me once…”

“It’s a nice gesture.”

“Kayleigh!”

Kayleigh grabbed the vermillion washcloth out of Sammy’s drawer. She smiled to herself. She had called it purple once, and Sammy had replied, “No, it’s vermillion.”

Alison looked up at Kayleigh. “Call Zack for me…” Her head started to droop as her eyes closed.

Kayleigh put an arm on her shoulder. “Alison, stay awake for me while we get you to bed, okay? Let’s call Zack…” She turned to Jamie quickly. “Can you help me carry her?”

Jamie gave her a small nod, and the two girls picked up their sister lightly.

“Where are we going?” Alison asked.

“Try to walk, Alison. We’re just taking you to your room.”

Alison’s steps were slow and labored.

“Is Zack at home today?” Kayleigh continued.

“I saw him in Econ…”

“Okay, we’ll call him when we get you settled.”

The two girls got Alison safely into bed. She started to close her eyes slightly.

“Stay with me for a little while, okay, Alison?”

“Call Zack…”

“Yes, we’re going to call Zack…” Kayleigh turned to Jamie again. “Can you go check on the sophomores?”

“Yeah!” Jamie nodded.

Kayleigh pulled out her phone.

“Hey, Kayleigh.”

“Zack, are you at home?”

“Yeah, I’m just getting back from dinner. Orlando is a ghost town…”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, the waiter said they’ve quarantined the university, and no one was around, except for Josh, Christian, and me… well, and a few other people…”

“And the medical center is full…” Kayleigh whispered.

“Damn. What’s up otherwise?”

“Alison wants you to come over.”

“Why didn’t she just call me herself?” He started laughing. “It says something when your own girlfriend has your mutual friends call you.”

Kayleigh turned to Alison again.

“Zack…” Alison mumbled.

“Shit! Alison’s…?” There was running in the background. “I was just walking up to Sig Chi. I’ll be right over!”

“Zack, where are you going?” a muffled voice replied in the background.

“Tri Delta!”

“Do you need help?” a second muffled voice asked.

“Yeah, sure!”

“Zack…” Kayleigh started.

“You’re not going to yell at me about boy hours, are you?”

“No, it’s only just before nine.” Kayleigh swallowed. “I was going to say thank you.”

“No problem! Be right there!”

“I’ll have someone let you in the back door.”

“Thanks!”

Kayleigh ended her call and stroked Alison’s hair. “Zack’s coming soon with Josh and Christian…”

“Okay…” she whispered quietly.

“Can you stay awake for him?”

“Yeah…”

“Will you be okay if I go back to Sammy?”

Alison gave a weak nod.

“Okay, you better. I’ll be back later.”

“Okay…”

Kayleigh shut the door lightly.

“How is she?” The girl was pulling her auburn hair into a bun.

“Zack’s coming for her, Megan, so…”

“How long ago?”

“He just started running from Sig Chi…”

Megan crossed her arms. “So if he ran through Sig Ep’s parking lot…”

“He should be here now.” Kayleigh nodded.

“I’ll go get him then.” Megan headed for the stairs.

Kayleigh walked back to her room lightly and opened the door. “Sammy…”

“I’m here…”

Kayleigh laughed as she saw Pretty in Pink flash across their television set.

“Don’t judge me…” Samantha whined. “I watch it every time I’m sick.”

Kayleigh sat on the bed. “I know, I know…” She ran the washcloth through the ends of Samantha’s hair. “Sorry that Ricky is abroad right now…”

“The only thing I hate about Ricky being abroad is that I can’t go to Sig Ep’s formal.” Samantha laughed weakly. “Tell me what Brad said.”

Kayleigh swallowed as she kept running the washcloth through Samantha’s hair. “He said… ‘I love you.’”

Samantha used all her energy to sit up. “And instead of saying it back, you dropped your phone?!” She flopped back on the bed.

Kayleigh folded up the washcloth and put the clean side against Samantha’s forehead. “Sorry, Sammy…”

“Well, are you going to call him back?”

“Well, I’m calling him around nine-ish, but what do I need to say?”

“Tell him that you love him!”

“Do I love him?”

“Just because he’s not a Pi Kapp…” Samantha shook her head weakly. “Kay, you’re absolutely smitten with him… so much so that you’re willing to tell your Daddy that you want him to meet and approve of a Kappa Sig.”

“I guess. I’ll call him… and I’ll say it back… unless he thinks I didn’t hear him…”

“He knows you heard…” Samantha waved her hand in front of Kayleigh’s face. “Shh, shh, shh. This is my favorite part.”

“What is?”

“Andie’s meeting Blane at TRAX.”

“Isn’t that a little far into the movie.”

“I paused it right before you came in to throw up…”

“Even though you’ve seen this movie like ninety times?”

“Even though I’ve seen it like ninety times… Now, shh!”

The two girls laughed, albeit one more weakly than the other. Sometimes it was okay to watch movies you’d seen ninety times and laugh together. Because when college was over, when could you laugh together, curled up in bed, again?

***