Page 20 of Chasing Xander
“You’re on academic probation.” Brad folded his arms on the desk and leaned forward.
Fuck.“Yup.” He clutched the arms of the chair and squeezed, hoping to alleviate some of the tension. When his father found out he flunked three classes last term, Dad laid down the law: Xander was to retake those classes and pass everything from now to graduation. If he didn’t, his trust fund would be dissolved and disbursed between his two brothers, Tanner and Ryder. That threat was all he needed to realize how serious his father was.
“You realize being on academic probation also puts you in jeopardy with us here at the fraternity.” Brad frowned as if he were truly upset by this news.Yeah, right.
“Yeah, I know.” He flexed his fingers.
“We had a private meeting the other night.” Brad leaned back. “To discuss what to do. The last brother who was put on academic probation was kicked out of the house.”
His heart stopped, and he swallowed hard. If he got kicked out of RAT house, where would he go? His best friends lived in this house. These guys were his extended family, and he couldn’t imagine not living here with them. His entire social life was this fraternity. Not to mention, it was this house and these guys who had welcomed him when he needed it the most. They’d protected him and helped rebuild his reputation after the disastrous Trisha incident.
He narrowed his eyes and glared at Brad before slicing a look in Finn’s direction. The fact that Finn was sitting there silently, not offering a word on Xander’s behalf, pissed him off. What kind of fucked-up bullshit was this? His ears burned hot, and he clenched his teeth so hard, his jaw ached.
“But Finn here”—Brad inclined his head toward Finn—“made quite the compelling argument on your behalf.”
Some of the fight and anger left Xander, but he was still on edge, unsure how this little meeting would end. He eased back in his chair and took a few deep breaths, waiting for Brad to continue.
“We have certain standards here at Rho Alpha Theta, and one of the things we pride ourselves on is our cumulative GPA and our commitment to public service,” Brad said.
Xander resisted the urge to roll his eyes. He swore Brad had the frat’s statistics memorized, as often as he spewed them out. Yeah, the frat as a whole was smart and had the fifth highest GPA on Greek Row, but if they were going to be totally honest, RAT was known for its parties. And for the brothers’ sexual escapades. If a woman wanted to get laid right, all she needed was a RAT man. Stupid-ass saying, but there was pure truth behind it, and it was one of the reasons he’d joined. That, and after Trisha had spread all those awful lies about him, it was the only frat who would give him a bid.
“Finn assured us that you’d get back on track,” Brad continued.
He nodded and cleared his throat. Sweat dampened the back of his neck, and he rolled his shoulders to ease some of the tightness. “Yeah. My dad’s already been on my case about my grades. I know it’s a problem.” A problem caused by too much partying and not enough studying. He shifted in the chair and tried to relax his posture, but his muscles were wound too tightly. “I’m planning to join some study groups, and I’m looking for a tutor as well.” He ground his teeth. It was embarrassing enough he’d flunked a few classes last semester, but to now have to sit in front of douchebag Brad and beg not to be thrown out of RAT house? Fucking humiliating. He released his hold on the armrests and balled his hands into fists on his lap.
Brad pursed his lips. “Good. As your mentor, Finn has volunteered to keep you on track and make sure you’re doing what you need to be doing. As a result, the brothers have all agreed to give you a chance to prove you can get back in good academic standing. But”—Brad pointed at him—“this is your only chance. Mess up even once, and you’re out.”
“Yes, sir.” He wanted to smack that superior look from Brad’s face.
“We’ve also decided that if you miss a single class or assignment, you’ll be barred from attending official RAT functions, including house parties, until a more formal punishment can be decided.”
He had to fight back the urge to say something that would not only get him kicked out of the frat right then and there but would probably get his ass kicked up and down Greek Row. “Is that all?” he bit out.
“For now.” Brad smirked.
Xander snatched his backpack off the floor and stormed out of the room. He’d been left to hang in there. Anger filled his veins, and he muttered a string of curses. These guys were supposed to be his brothers, his friends. How could they meet behind his back and decide his fate without ever hearing his side of things?
“Hey, Xander!” Finn jogged after him. “Wait up. I know this blows, but Brad’s offer is fair.” He fell into step beside Xander. “If he had his way, he would’ve kicked you out. I did you a favor.”
Xander grunted. “Did me a favor? You didn’t even fucking speak up in there!” He stabbed his finger toward Brad’s closed door.
“Hey, I’m not the enemy here.”
“Shit.” Xander blew out a breath. “I know you’re not. I’m sorry. Brad just pisses me off so much. This whole situation is so fucked up, and I felt blindsided in there. Neither of you even gave me the chance to explain.” Not that there was an explanation. He’d fucked up, plain and simple. And whether he liked it or not, he needed to change his ways. He had to buckle down and get his grades back up, and if that meant missing a few parties, then that’s exactly what he had to do. This semester was going to suck balls.
Finn crossed his arms. “All right, fine. Then tell me your side of the story now.”
“I messed up.” He frowned. That wasn’t much of a story. It was more like a confession. “I got caught up in all the parties and the girls, and I lost sight of what was important.”
“Exactly. And do you think telling Brad any of that would have helped your case?” Finn shook his head. “No. It would’ve given him all the ammunition he needed to kick you out, and there wouldn’t have been a damn thing anyone could’ve done about it.”
“Shit.”
“This is a rotten situation all around, but keep your head down and do what needs to be done. A few months of hard work and everything will be back to normal.”
He sighed. “Yeah, you’re probably right.”
“C’mon. Let’s go to the gym. You can take your anger out on the weights.” Finn clapped Xander’s back.
