Free Fate (Choices #2) by Sydney Lane

to walk around with some chick's name on my arm. It just doesn't appeal to me.
    The pledges start gathering around while we take a break , curiosity on their faces. One thing I've found is that pledges love hearing stories about the older brothers. We pass stories down from class to class... some of them are legendary. Shaking my head, I remember some of the things I've seen and done. It's a miracle I've never seen the inside of a jail cell.
    Declan rubs his hands together, enjoying the possibility of embarrassing another brother. "We were on Spring Break in  Florida, and we hadn't seen a sober moment in four days. We met this hot girl in a bar, and she was all into Eric. She had tats all over her body."
    "Down her arms, across her chest, behind her ear. Everywhere ," Seth interrupts. He wasn't with us, but he's heard the story so many times that he could tell it himself. He's squirming in his seat, like a kid on Christmas morning.
    "So, she tells Eric she's a tattoo artist and he'd look badass with some ink under all of his pretty-boy clothes." This draws a few chuckles and snorts from everyone, everyone except Eric that is. "We were all razzing him about his baby face, and she offered to tattoo us all. So, here is this hot chick, offering to do our tattoos, and we're three sheets to the wind giving Eric hell. Somehow, we all ended up at the chick's tattoo shop at 2:00AM." The way Declan is spinning the tale, I feel as if I'm right there, right back in Florida. Eric's face reddens even as he smiles.
    "We all got the fraternity crest. Mine's on my chest , Declan's is on his shoulder, and Eric.... well, he passed out." I always knew I’d get something fraternity related. Brotherhood is the one thing that will never fail me.
    "Tell 'em, Eric. Where's your tattoo?" Seth goads him, but Eric just shakes his head and takes a long drink from his beer. "It's on his right ass cheek. Oh, yeah. Real badass tattoo, that is." We burst out laughing, and the memory of Eric waking up with a sore ass pushes me over the edge.
    "Hey, I'm going to be a lawyer, and my old man would have killed me if I came home with a tattoo." His excuse is lame, m aking us laugh even harder. "Besides, have you ever seen a reputable lawyer with tats all over him?"
    "No, I haven't ," I agree with him. "But have you ever seen a reputable lawyer with an ass tat?" The idea of this pretty boy hiding a tat on his ass is hilarious. At a fraternity party last year, Seth yanked Eric's pants down so everyone got a good look at it. It was a fuckin' riot.
    Holding his stomach and trying to talk through his laughter, Seth delivers the punch line. "Hey, it gets even better. Brody got the girl." He's right. She went back to the hotel with me afterwards, and she was gone the next morning. What a night.
    Eric rolls his eyes and , smiling broadly, punches me in the shoulder. "Yeah. Brody always gets the girl."
    My laughter dies on my lips when I think of the one girl I might  not get, the one that might not want me. I don't like how she can intrude on these moments with my friends, stealing moments that belong to me.
    I stand up quickly, surprising Seth, who looks up at me like I just slapped his momma. “Since we’re done here, I’m going hiking.” The tone of voice leaves no room for question . I'm going hiking. No, you’re not invited.
    I walk away as the guys ’ banter fades behind me. Things are shifting, whether we are all aware of it or not. There is a rift between us, widening with each day. I'm on one side, and they're on the other. Is it real or something I'm simply imagining? Maybe it's just my own guilt staring me in the face.
    I' m so lost in thought that I don't hear the footsteps behind me. Seth claps me on the shoulder, "Mind if I tag along?"
    Yes. Yes,  I do. Instead, I say, "Nah, man. Come on." We walk, without talking, for several minutes. I take a higher path, leading us further from the lake. Seth is panting by the time we hit the peak, and I