Bad Rep
Page 97
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Gracie hadn't dropped her hand from mine and I felt her fingers tighten around mine. Olivia took a deep breath and continued. “I had hoped Maysie and I could resolve our differences. That things could be handled with maturity and respect.” I wanted to laugh. Was she serious? But I could see how this would play out. My role as villain was firmly planted in these girls' heads and that wouldn't change. But damned if I would go down without a fight.
“This is sort of ugliness is unprecedented within the house. I wasn't entirely sure how this should be dealt with, so I made a call to the national headquarters this afternoon and they advised that we needed to have this meeting and that everyone had a right to voice their concerns and grievances. We need to deal with this like sisters.” Olivia's malicious stare drilled through me and it took everything I had not to cower under it.
Milla stood up. “As the vice-president, I'd like to start by saying I'm appalled at how everything has happened. Sisterhood is supposed to matter to us. I'm greatly troubled by the way certain individuals were so willing to disregard everything we stand for. Trust has been broken. And just like in any relationship, once that is destroyed it's hard to come back from that.” I clenched my teeth. Milla was playing her part well. Even if could practically smell her hypocrisy. Olivia nodded in agreement and I heard the other girls give their acquiescence.
Milla took a breath and looked at me. Her face was somber but I could see the triumphant glee in her eyes. This is what she wanted. She was handing me my walking papers and she couldn't be happier to be doing it. “I feel that the source of this division, Maysie Ardin, needs to have her sisterhood stripped. The bonds have been broken. We cannot continue in this way anymore. Maysie has turned her back on her sisters and Chi Delta. There is no choice here,” she said with conviction.
I heard Vivian mumble under her breath something that sounded like “fucking bitch.” I didn't dare look at her. My eyes were focused on my persecutors. The witch hunt was reaching its culmination, might as well see it through.
Milla sat down and crossed her legs, reaching over to squeeze Olivia's shoulder in a show of support. What a joke. Gracie suddenly got to her feet. “Look, I know what Maysie did wasn't cool,” she began and I cringed. Where was she going with this?
“But Maysie has been a loyal sister and friend since pledging with Chi Delta. She is the one person in the sisterhood I always know I can count on. What happened with Jordan sucked.” She leveled her steely gaze at Olivia who looked blandly back. “I know you're hurt Olivia. Maysie feels horrible about that. She always has. But what went down is between you and her and no one else. I just don't understand how this has become a 'Chi Delta' issue,” she stated, using her fingers as quotes to drive her point home.
I looked around at the group of my sisters. I noticed that the new pledges seemed uncomfortable by all of this and I felt a fresh wave of guilt. They were new to this, trying to establish their own friendships and loyalties within the sisterhood. And they now had a front row seat at how much of a farce it all was. Sisterhood didn't mean shit.
Maryanne, a junior, got to her feet then. I didn't know Maryanne that well and I knew instantly by the look on her face that she wasn't going to speak in my favor. I always got the impression that she was a giant butt kisser and the way she looked at Olivia with sympathy sealed that. “But this has become a Chi Delta issue. Everyone is upset. Everyone is on edge. Our relations with Pi Sig have been jeopardized and they are the best fraternity on campus,” she protested. There was a universal agreement at her statement.
Great. Glad to know their priorities were in order.
Maryanne cast a quick glance at me before looking away. “I think Maysie is the problem here and I agree with suspending her,” she sat down and several of the girls around her patted her on the back. I pulled my hand from Gracie's and gripped them tightly in my lap. I needed to, otherwise I'd start swinging. And that wouldn't help prove my case at all.
The next twenty minutes passed with each of the sisters getting to their feet and giving their opinions on my betrayal. Most were advocating for my removal. I was however, pleasantly surprised that a few actually stood up for me. I had thought that my only two supporters were on either side of me.
Then it was Vivian's turn. Vivian got to her feet and I couldn't help but watch her in a bit of awe. It was crazy to think that just a few weeks ago she had been annoying the crap out of me with her high maintenance, stressed out bullshit over rush. I had never been close with her before this. She was always firmly entrenched in Olivia's circle. I knew they had been tight. I still didn't understand what had possessed her to forsake that relationship in favor of championing me.
Well, I was about to find out.
Vivian leaned on the table, her dark red hair falling around her shoulders. She looked fiery and determined. “This is bullshit, Liv and you know it.” Milla got to her feet.
“Don't start with your crap, Viv. This is not the time or place,” she threatened and the two girls stared each other down. Vivian pulled back her lips in a snarl.
“Oh, I think this is the time and place. You are sitting there on your f**king high horse, painting Maysie like the worst kind of person. When you and I know that she hasn't done anything that the two of you haven't done,” she hissed.
The room became eerily quiet. I looked over at Gracie who lifted her shoulders and widened her eyes. Olivia tensed and I could feel the ice wafting off of her. “Don't you dare,” she said quietly, her meaning very clear. Vivian had better shut up or else.
“This is sort of ugliness is unprecedented within the house. I wasn't entirely sure how this should be dealt with, so I made a call to the national headquarters this afternoon and they advised that we needed to have this meeting and that everyone had a right to voice their concerns and grievances. We need to deal with this like sisters.” Olivia's malicious stare drilled through me and it took everything I had not to cower under it.
Milla stood up. “As the vice-president, I'd like to start by saying I'm appalled at how everything has happened. Sisterhood is supposed to matter to us. I'm greatly troubled by the way certain individuals were so willing to disregard everything we stand for. Trust has been broken. And just like in any relationship, once that is destroyed it's hard to come back from that.” I clenched my teeth. Milla was playing her part well. Even if could practically smell her hypocrisy. Olivia nodded in agreement and I heard the other girls give their acquiescence.
Milla took a breath and looked at me. Her face was somber but I could see the triumphant glee in her eyes. This is what she wanted. She was handing me my walking papers and she couldn't be happier to be doing it. “I feel that the source of this division, Maysie Ardin, needs to have her sisterhood stripped. The bonds have been broken. We cannot continue in this way anymore. Maysie has turned her back on her sisters and Chi Delta. There is no choice here,” she said with conviction.
I heard Vivian mumble under her breath something that sounded like “fucking bitch.” I didn't dare look at her. My eyes were focused on my persecutors. The witch hunt was reaching its culmination, might as well see it through.
Milla sat down and crossed her legs, reaching over to squeeze Olivia's shoulder in a show of support. What a joke. Gracie suddenly got to her feet. “Look, I know what Maysie did wasn't cool,” she began and I cringed. Where was she going with this?
“But Maysie has been a loyal sister and friend since pledging with Chi Delta. She is the one person in the sisterhood I always know I can count on. What happened with Jordan sucked.” She leveled her steely gaze at Olivia who looked blandly back. “I know you're hurt Olivia. Maysie feels horrible about that. She always has. But what went down is between you and her and no one else. I just don't understand how this has become a 'Chi Delta' issue,” she stated, using her fingers as quotes to drive her point home.
I looked around at the group of my sisters. I noticed that the new pledges seemed uncomfortable by all of this and I felt a fresh wave of guilt. They were new to this, trying to establish their own friendships and loyalties within the sisterhood. And they now had a front row seat at how much of a farce it all was. Sisterhood didn't mean shit.
Maryanne, a junior, got to her feet then. I didn't know Maryanne that well and I knew instantly by the look on her face that she wasn't going to speak in my favor. I always got the impression that she was a giant butt kisser and the way she looked at Olivia with sympathy sealed that. “But this has become a Chi Delta issue. Everyone is upset. Everyone is on edge. Our relations with Pi Sig have been jeopardized and they are the best fraternity on campus,” she protested. There was a universal agreement at her statement.
Great. Glad to know their priorities were in order.
Maryanne cast a quick glance at me before looking away. “I think Maysie is the problem here and I agree with suspending her,” she sat down and several of the girls around her patted her on the back. I pulled my hand from Gracie's and gripped them tightly in my lap. I needed to, otherwise I'd start swinging. And that wouldn't help prove my case at all.
The next twenty minutes passed with each of the sisters getting to their feet and giving their opinions on my betrayal. Most were advocating for my removal. I was however, pleasantly surprised that a few actually stood up for me. I had thought that my only two supporters were on either side of me.
Then it was Vivian's turn. Vivian got to her feet and I couldn't help but watch her in a bit of awe. It was crazy to think that just a few weeks ago she had been annoying the crap out of me with her high maintenance, stressed out bullshit over rush. I had never been close with her before this. She was always firmly entrenched in Olivia's circle. I knew they had been tight. I still didn't understand what had possessed her to forsake that relationship in favor of championing me.
Well, I was about to find out.
Vivian leaned on the table, her dark red hair falling around her shoulders. She looked fiery and determined. “This is bullshit, Liv and you know it.” Milla got to her feet.
“Don't start with your crap, Viv. This is not the time or place,” she threatened and the two girls stared each other down. Vivian pulled back her lips in a snarl.
“Oh, I think this is the time and place. You are sitting there on your f**king high horse, painting Maysie like the worst kind of person. When you and I know that she hasn't done anything that the two of you haven't done,” she hissed.
The room became eerily quiet. I looked over at Gracie who lifted her shoulders and widened her eyes. Olivia tensed and I could feel the ice wafting off of her. “Don't you dare,” she said quietly, her meaning very clear. Vivian had better shut up or else.
