Free The Way We Roll by Stephanie Perry Moore Page B

gotten with him,” Loni said.
    â€œYeah, you would have,” Torian agreed.
    â€œOkay, maybe I would have.” I laughed as I thought about Kade.
    We stopped at a nearby Waffle House—the only place open at three in the morning—and got a bite to eat. Torian and Loni thought my headache would go away if I put a little something in my stomach.
    Once we were settled in our booth, Torian asked, “So, Malloy, you were saying Loni and I would do anything to pledge. You don’t feel that way?”
    â€œNo, I don’t feel that way. Now I really don’t know if I’m going to go through with that at all. If a person must lose their own identity to become a slave to somebody else—and allow reason to just go out the window—no, I don’t want a part of that. I’m too strong-willed. Somebody will get killed in the process.”
    â€œYeah, and I got a feeling it wouldn’t be you,” Torian said.
    â€œExactly,” I replied, knowing I would never put up with foolishness. “Hazing, hitting me, and mentally abusing me—they can have it. They’ve been known to do it tons of times to past lines, and I know they have intentions to do it to us.”
    â€œI wish I could have some of your stamina,” Loni said.
    â€œGirl, you are not no pushover yourself. I saw you turningdown them guys in there dancing tonight.”
    â€œYeah, coming at me with bad breath, falling all over themselves all drunk and stuff, and one guy had a joint in his hand. Well, what do they think I am?”
    â€œWeak, like most of the women at a party trying to get with anybody. Torian, you’re strong, too.”
    â€œWhat are you talking about?”
    â€œTaking on that whole crowd, telling them to get back. “
    â€œIt wasn’t like they listened.”
    â€œYeah, but it’s not like you backed down and stopped trying to get them off my butt.”
    â€œWhat you expect us to do, girl? We care about you. What went down was unfortunate. Money is too hard to come by nowadays. Who has it to waste on replacing a window? I just hope it wasn’t Sharon,” Torian said.
    The two of them talked so sincerely about how they cared about me, and knowing they were also women of strength, maybe we could all be true buddies. UnfortunatelyI didn’t know what having good girlfriends felt like. Someone other than a relative who just wanted to try to make it better ... that was somebody I wanted to be down with. Someone that would have your back on principle. That was a real bond.

7
    BLEAK
    I t’s funny how a week can make things so much better.I now had my car back and fixed. I was becoming quite close with Torian and Loni. I could really hang out with them. Fashion was my thing, so I noticed they both had unique styles. They didn’t just wear store-put-togetheroutfits. That was a sign we could be cool.
    Kade and I had it going on as well. Though I hadn’t seen him since the night of the party, we’d talked multiple times every day. My classes were still a breeze. Sirena had been really helpful to me as well, fixing the best dinners and snacks that helped me while I studied. Yeah, my life was good.
    If I only could have gotten my mom off my back about the whole pledging thing, I would have been great. Packetswere due the next day, and I hadn’t even looked over mine since I’d seen my mom. I was going to see my mom at the national-organization headquarters right outside Little Rock because my godmom, the First Vice President, was in town. And my mom kept bugging me to bring my new buddies by to see Beta Gamma Pi’s official space.
    â€œOh, wow, this place is more gorgeous than on the Web site,” Torian said as she stepped into the entrance when we arrived.
    There was a marble hallway that stretched out many feet in front of us. Hanging from the thirty-foot ceiling was a lovely crystal chandelier. The soft, dim lighting provided a