Page 85 of The Friend Zone

He slips his hand into the side of his underwear and takes a small plastic bag from inside his boxers. “Nothing like some molly to take the edge off initiation nerves.”

My eyes take in the two white large pills as if they could bite me. I’ve never messed with drugs. A drink or two is one thing at a party, but this is something different. “No, thanks.”

Topher rolls his eyes. “Come on, don’t be a goody two shoes. Whatever they throw at you, this will help you ace initiation with flying colors.”

I’m not convinced. “What if they drug test us?”

“When, during practice? Relax, Connelly. The hockey season starts next week, and this stuff stays in your system a couple of days tops. What you have to avoid is pot. If you take one of these now, by the time we have our first game, you’ll ace any drug test. I’m taking one too and you know I’ve always wanted to be a Cove Knight. I wouldn’t risk it. Trust me, I wouldn’t mess with a brother.”

My resolve begins to wane. I’m way more nervous than I thought about this initiation shit. What harm can this do if I try just once?

“Come on Jagger. You know you want it.”

Fuck it.

I take one of the two white pills and dry swallow it at the same time as he does.

A few minutes pass and I don’t feel any different from before. Maybe I’m immune to this shit or maybe Topher got duped and bought an antacid, believing it was molly.

On second thought, I think this stuff might actually be working. Topher has always been a bit of a talker, but he seems to be getting worse. He won’t shut up about this girl he met at the rush party last week.

If the molly turns Topher into a chatty Kathy, I think it’s lowering my tolerance for his bragging with every passing second.

It’s weird. It’s like his voice is coming from somewhere in the pit of my stomach. I feel it echoing up my esophagus and bouncing around my rib cage.

“There you are.” Travis and Jack come back into the room just when I’m about to plant my fist in Topher’s mouth.

My fists feel heavy and cold, as if they were made of ice. Would his jaw shatter if I hit him now?

I guess I’ll never find out, since the douche got saved by the president and his master of ceremonies.

“Topher, follow Jack.” The frat president says. “Jagger, you’re with me.”

I rise from my seat on the couch and watch Topher and Jack walk out of the basement and into the house.

Travis turns around and walks toward the wall. “Jagger, come on in,” he says, opening a metal door hidden behind a bookshelf. “This is the entrance to a secret part of the house. As a brother, you’re sworn to secrecy.”

Maybe the molly fucks with my filter too and I ask a question I usually would keep to myself. “What if I fail my initiation?”

I know it was the wrong thing to say when Travis shoots me a strange, sheepish look. “I count on you not to fail. If you do, it’s good that Gammas always have each other’s backs and there are plenty of brothers who will help me hide a body.”

Message received. Don’t fuck this up and don’t ask stupid questions.

I follow Travis down a narrow, unfinished hallway and wait behind him as he unlocks a metal door similar to the one that gave access to the secret hallway.

I blink a few times when Jack turns the light on into a sparsely furnished room.

All there is in here is a wooden table that seats eight people, a bookshelf, a six-foot long trunk and a small wooden bar.

We’re also not alone.

A tall, slender woman with blonde hair is sitting on the table. Buck fucking naked.

Her blonde hair frames her face and spills down her shoulders in shiny golden waves. Her hooded eyes are watching me through long, obviously fake lashes.

Another thing I think must be fake is her tits. They’re huge, way too big for the otherwise slim build of the girl.

Maybe I shouldn’t stare at her the way I am, but I can’t help it. Her waist is narrow, her stomach a flat, smooth expanse.

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