Page 42 of Kings of the Campus

“Yes,” he replies, leaning forward with genuine enthusiasm. “The changes you’ve implemented are impressive. You’ve succeeded in keeping the frat parties drug and alcohol-free, andthe bullying and harassment have significantly decreased. Your leadership has made a real difference.”

I’m taken aback by the direct praise. “Wow. I didn’t expect this at all. We’ve been trying hard to turn things around.”

Dean Harrison nods. “And it shows. Your commitment to creating a better environment hasn’t gone unnoticed. It’s clear that the new direction is working, and I wanted to make sure you know that your efforts are appreciated.”

A wave of relief washes over me. I can’t help but smile, realizing that all the hard work and struggle were worth it. “Thank you, Dean Harrison. That means a lot.”

He gives me a reassuring nod. “Keep up the good work, Devin. It’s making a difference.”

As I leave his office, a sense of satisfaction settles in. Matteo was right, I realize. All that matters here is changing our fraternity’s reputation and turning things around. If it wasn’t for getting distracted by Tessa, we might have realized this sooner.

The day seems brighter, despite the clouds overhead as I walk across the quad, a smile on my face. I feel a newfound sense of determination to make the last week of the semester the best for Sigma Theta. There are only a few days left of the toy drive competition and things are neck-and-neck between us and Alpha Lambda.

Everyone expects Alpha Lambda to win—they always do—but we’re determined to give them a run for their money this year.

By the time I get back to the frat house, I feel like I’m walking on air. Things are looking up for the first time all semester. Nothing can bring me down right now.

Jace is in his room with the door open when I head upstairs, and I rap quietly on the door, prompting him to look up from his homework, pulling his earbuds out of his ears.

“What’s up?” he asks.

I try to hide my grin. “Is Alec here?”

“Yeah, he’s been in his room all morning. I think he’s studying for his chem final.”

I nod. “Let me go get him. I have some news.” I walk over to Alec’s door and knock, waiting for him to emerge.

“What’s going on?” Alec asks, confusion on his face as he leans against the door frame.

“I just came back from a meeting with the dean,” I tell them. They exchange worried glances but I wave it off.

“We’re not in trouble,” I tell them. “It’s the opposite, in fact. The dean called me in to tell me that he’s proud of the changes I’ve made to Sigma party policies and that he’s noticed how much work we’ve done to improve our image and he wanted to tell me it hasn’t gone unnoticed!”

Alec’s mouth instantly turns up into a grin. “That’s fantastic news!”

“We did it!” Jace says, raising his hand for a high five. Alec brings his palm to Jace’s to slap them together, but I hold back on celebrating.

Alec notices right away and gives me a concerned look, brows furrowed. “Are you alright?” he presses. “You just said this was good news.”

I give him a reassuring smile. “Yeah, I’m good. I was just thinking that we got here despite the crap we pulled on Tessa Collins, you know? I think we ought to back off of her now, let it go. She hasn’t even written another podcast episode about us the entire semester, so we should quit while we’re ahead.”

Jace runs his fingers through his hair. “You’re right,” he agrees, nodding as he shifts to lean against his desk. “We’ve spent way too much time focused on Tessa when we could be putting all that energy and effort into kicking ass at the toy drive.”

“Let’s put everything we’ve got into this last week then,” Alec decides. “We only have a few more days to raise money. Anyone have any ideas how we can go out with a bang?”

We get creative with our fundraising efforts. We set up a last-minute bake sale in the student center, offering cookies and brownies with festive decorations. People love sweet treats and it’s a huge hit.

Later that day, we end up hosting a Holiday Karaoke party at the house, charging a small entry fee and having everyone sing their favorite holiday songs. The energy is high, and everyone is laughing and dancing. It feels good to be so united and focused on something positive.

As the toy drive wraps up, the interfraternity council tallies up the results. The competition with Alpha Lambda has been fierce, but we’re on the edge of victory. Finally, the announcement comes, and our hearts race with anticipation.

“We did it!” Alec shouts as he reads the text message from the council president. “We beat Alpha Lambda!”

Cheers erupt in the house as we celebrate. It’s been years since Sigma Theta won the toy drive competition, and it feels incredible to finally come out on top. We high-five, hug, and share a few drinks to toast our success.

“I’m proud of us,” Jace says, clapping both Alec and me on the back. “We made a difference, and we did it the right way.”

I look around at my friends, feeling a deep sense of accomplishment. “Yeah, we did. Let’s keep this momentum going and keep making positive changes.”

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