Free Fair-Weather Friends by Reshonda Tate Billingsley

Jasmine’s face. I turned to see what she was looking at. Tori was sashaying toward us.
    â€œHello, Jasmine,” she said, her gaze fixed on my friend. “Bet you wished you’d never quit now, huh?”
    â€œReally I don’t,” Jasmine coolly replied.
    â€œWhatever,” Tori replied, flicking her hand.
    â€œTori, come on, chill out,” Alexis finally spoke up. “Jasmine was just congratulating us.”
    Tori scowled at her. “Do I need to remind you that you are not a Theta yet?”
    Alexis backed down. I was shocked that she’d even said anything. She usually tried not to ruffle any feathers. But I guess she was just getting tired of Tori, too.
    â€œYou know, Alexis, don’t even sweat it,” Jasmine said. “Tori doesn’t faze me at all.” She casually turned to C. J. “I gotta go. I have study hall. So I’ll talk to you later, okay?” She smiled warmly at him before walking off.
    Tori finally noticed C. J. and looked him up and down. “What’s up, C. J.? Dang, you’re looking good.”
    C. J. stared at her, a confused look across his face. “I didn’t even know you knew my name.”
    Tori put her hand to her chest, feigning shock. “Why, C. J., I’m hurt that you would say something like that.”
    â€œYeah right, Tori.”
    â€œSo, it’s like that?” Tori laughed. “Whatever.” She wasabout to walk off when she stopped, and looked skeptically at Alexis.
    â€œYou know, since you wanna talk back to me, I need you to entertain me.” She looked like she had some diabolical plan dancing in her head.
    â€œEntertain you? How?” Alexis asked, her voice shaky. I didn’t know what Tori was up to, but it didn’t sound good.
    Tori glanced back at C. J. “Go give C. J. a kiss.”
    Both my and Alexis’s eyes widened in horror.
    â€œExcuse me?” Alexis said.
    â€œI didn’t stutter,” Tori snapped. “Kiss C. J. now. And on the lips. A French kiss.” She smiled.
    â€œI’m not doing that.”
    â€œYou will if you want to be a Theta.” Tori folded her arms across her chest. “And you have one minute.” Several other Thetas had started to gather around. I was hoping somebody would step in and say or do something. But as usual when Tori was on a rampage, nobody said anything.
    Alexis looked at me, her eyes tearing up. I knew exactly what she was thinking. C. J. was Jasmine’s man and that meant he was off-limits, even for a pledge prank.
    â€œTori, chill,” C. J. finally said.
    Some guy standing behind C. J. pushed his shoulder. “Man, don’t be a punk. That girl is fine.”
    â€œYeah,” another boy echoed. “Man up!”
    â€œShoot, I’ll kiss her!” somebody else yelled.
    â€œShut up!” Tori snapped to the onlookers. Her eyes tore into C. J. “If you want Alexis to make it into the Theta Ladies, you’ll let her plant one on you. Good grief, it’s just a stupid kiss.” She spun to Alexis. “Do it now!”
    C. J. looked like he really didn’t want to do it. He really didn’t know Alexis, and all the boys standing behind him, egging him on, was getting to him.
    Alexis slowly walked up to C. J. She had her head lowered and she looked like she was desperately fighting back tears.
    â€œJasmine ain’t even here. Dang,” Tori spat. “Just kiss him and get it over with. And I wanna see some tongue. Not those old grandma kisses.”
    â€œTori …” I spoke up, trying to plead with her.
    She cut her eyes at me. “You’re not a Theta yet either. So I suggest you mind your business.” She turned back to Alexis. “If I have to tell you one more time …”
    Alexis raised her head, her eyes meeting C. J.’s. She took a deep breath, closed her eyes, then leaned in and quickly kissed him on the lips before backing