Page 105 of Chasing Xander
“Or maybe I’ll just come back later.”
“That’s an even better idea.”
After another lingering kiss, he left her room and headed home. Each step was heavier than the last, the knot in his chest getting tighter the closer he got to RAT house. If he didn’t have to answer to Brad, he could’ve stayed with Kylie, but instead of spending the night with the woman who’d stolen his heart, he had to spend the night getting his ass chewed by a guy who thought he was better than everyone else.
When he entered the house, it was quiet. That wasn’t unusual for a Sunday night. He walked through the kitchen and started up the stairs as Eric was on his way down. “Hey, Xander!” Eric gave him a fist bump. “Good to have you back, man.”
Xander gave a quick nod. “Is Finn around?”
Eric shrugged. “Don’t think so. I saw him leave about an hour ago with some girl.”
“Thanks.” He continued up to his room and tossed his bag on the floor. That’s when he noticed an envelope on his pillow. It was white with the RAT logo embossed on the front. His heart dropped. Snatching the envelope, he tore into it and unfolded the single sheet of paper.
Alexander Collins:
Due to your poor academic standing and absence from recent classes, which is a breach of the agreement you made with Rho Alpha Theta and its President, Bradley Fuller, you are hereby prohibited from attending any and all Rho Alpha Theta functions. Furthermore, you have been stripped of your duties within this house until a final determination can be made regarding your future here at RAT.
Signed,
Brad F.
Xander’s jaw clenched, and the muscle in his temple throbbed. Brad had warned him that if he missed even one class, he’d be banned from house functions, but to do so in a letter? He let out an angry scream and stomped out of his room. He pounded on Brad’s door.
“I didn’t realize you were back,” Brad said, opening the door.
“What the fuck is this shit?” Xander thrust the paper in his face.
“It’s the consequences for you missing classes. Honestly, I don’t know why you’re so upset. We discussed this, remember?” He crossed his arms, a smug smile on his face.
Rage spilled into his limbs, making his muscles tight. He crumpled the paper in his fist and threw it at Brad’s chest. His face was fiery hot, and he was sure it was bright red, too. “You’re a fucking coward! If you think I’m going to just go away, you’ve got another thing coming.” He spun on his heel and stormed outside. The fresh air hit his face, cooling him, but the anger in his veins didn’t go away. He paced, stopping only when Finn came walking across the front yard a few moments later.
“I wasn’t expecting to see you until Tuesday.” Finn shoved his keys into his pocket, then narrowed his eyes. “What’s wrong?”
“Fucking Brad.” He balled his hands into fists, then flexed his fingers. “He left me a letter telling me I’m banned from all functions. A fucking letter! Goddamned wimp couldn’t even tell me to my face.”
“All right, take it easy.” Finn sat on the porch and motioned for Xander to do the same. “You knew this was going to happen.”
Xander took several deep breaths and nodded. He did know. That was the thing about Brad—when it came to this fraternity, he never went back on his word. In that regard, he was an upstanding guy. That was probably the reason he got voted in so easily as president.
“Look, keep your head down and do what needs to be done. Balls to the wall.” Finn grinned.
“What’s the point?” Xander threw his hands up in frustration. “I have a feeling no matter what I do, it’s not going to matter. Brad has it out for me, and he’s not going to stop until I’m kicked out of here.”
Finn stood. “If you bring your grades up, there won’t be a thing he can do. Last I heard, he wasn’t planning on taking a vote for another couple of weeks. He needs to give you official notice, which is what that letter was, and give you a chance to improve. So, work hard, and when the time comes, bring proof of your grades. Everything will work out.”
“Yeah, maybe.” But he wasn’t convinced.
Finn put his hand on Xander’s shoulder. “Don’t give up. It sucks, but I know you can do this.”
Xander nodded. He wasn’t going to let Brad get the best of him, which meant he was going to have to work twice as hard. Yawning, he rubbed his eyes. “It’s been a long few days. I’m beat.”
“Get some sleep. We’ll talk tomorrow.”
“Thanks.” He headed up to his room.
…
Xander walked into class Monday morning to find Kylie already there. When she saw him, she smiled. His heart fluttered. Taking his seat, he leaned over and kissed her. “Morning.”
