BAD REP(144)

Then Jordan turned to Olivia.  “And you.  How could I be so wrong about someone?  I thought you were better than this,” he said with obvious disappointment and Olivia's eyes brimmed with tears.  But Jordan wasn't done.  Finally he turned to the table full of his brothers.

“And the bunch of you can seriously f*ck off.  I told you I was done with Pi Sig.  Well I'm done as of right now.  Fuck the lot of you and your hypocritical bullshit.  You sit around spouting brotherhood.  You don't know the first thing about being a brother.  Or being a man.  Because a real man sure as hell would never have disrespected a woman the way each and everyone of you have disrespected Maysie.”

Jordan climbed up onto his chair and addressed the rest of the room.  “And if the rest of you can't do more with your lives than talk shit about someone you don't even know; then maybe you need to look a little closer at yourselves and ask what kind of person does that make you?  And if I hear of one more person saying something derogatory about Maysie Ardin, you'll need to take it up with me.”

You could have heard a pin drop, the room was that quiet.  My eyes widened as Jordan climbed down and looked at me.  “I'm sorry Maysie.  I should have done that a hell of a lot sooner.”  And with that he picked up his bag and tray and left.

I looked back down at the table where my former sisters were sat, looking shell shocked.  Well, damn.  “Okay then, have a nice day,” I said and turned on my heel and left.  Gracie and Vivian followed me outside.

“That was the most amazing thing I have ever seen!” Vivian shrieked, hugging me.  Gracie was grinning from ear to ear.

“You freaking rocked!  I wish I had half your courage!  And, god, the way Jordan stood up for you in front of everyone?  That was the most romantic thing ever,” Gracie gushed.

I smiled wanly, scanning the quad, looking for him.  But he was gone.  And I knew he may have stood up for me, but that didn't change the way things were between us.  Not a damn thing.

Chapter Twenty-Nine


“I know he's off tonight. It's safe to go to Barton's.  Not that you should be avoiding him like you're in middle school or something,” Riley snarked, pulling me by the arm up to the front door of Barton's.  I hadn't been inside my former place of employment for months.  Not since my first, magical date with Jordan.  I should have known this place was the beginning of the end for us.

Too much bad mojo.  Maybe I should suggest to Moore to let me smudge the place with some sage or something.  “So the place is Jordan Levitt free.  Meaning we can commence in getting ridiculously drunk,” Riley singsonged, shoving me through the door.

Walking inside was like a bad case of de ja vu.  My eyes drifted over to the bar out of sheer habit.  Lyla and some other guy were slinging drinks to the customers.  My eyes caught sight of Gracie and Vivian, who were waving us down.   Jaz hurried up and gave her normal squeally greeting.  After being embraced far too tightly, she let me know she'd join us as soon as she got off.

I looked at Riley who shrugged.  “I thought you could use a good old fashioned girls' night,” she said, seeming a little embarrassed at being caught doing something thoughtful.  I grinned and wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

“You're good people Riley Walker,” I told her.

“Shh.  Don't tell anyone please,” she threw back but smiled anyway.

We made our way to the bar and I was stopped every few feet by the other employees who acted genuinely happy to see me.  I felt a distinct pang in my stomach and realized I missed working here.  When we got to the bar, Gracie got up and gave me a big hug.  “Hey girl.  Guess what?” she asked, bouncing up and down.

“I don't know.  What?” I asked, laughing at her excitement.

“Viv and I withdrew from Chi Delta today.  We went apartment hunting earlier in the week and found a place a few streets over from you.  Vivian's staying around next year, wanted to take a year off, so I won't have to search for a new roommate when she graduates. Isn't that awesome?” Gracie asked jovially.

“Wow.  Um, I can't believe you did that.  But if you're happy, I'm happy,” I told her and Gracie nodded.

“Oh yeah, we were so done.  The tension is even worse now that Olivia and Milla are on the outs,”  Gracie said, picking up her beer from the bar and taking a swig.  Gracie had told me that Olivia and Milla hadn't really spoken since my outburst last week.  I wasn't sure what went down between the two of them, but they were keeping their distance from each other.  But I really didn't care.