***
I felt like a shock go through my body. My ears hurt and I unconsciously gnashed my teeth. I sat up, my heart beating crazily fast. My eyes were still full of sleep and felt sandy. I winked continuously trying to realise where I was and what was happening.
BANG! BANG! BANG!
The sound was horrible!
Gina, one of the blues was at the centre of my room, hitting two iron plates together.
"Get up Rahim! Up! Up and up!" she screamed.
The noise was unbearable. I looked at my time and it was Five Am.
"Ow! I'm up! What's going on?!" I asked, covering my ears.
"Sports! You have five minutes to be down there! Or you're out! now move that ass Rahim!"
she screamed one last time and left the room.
What the hell had I gotten myself into? Sports? At five?
I wasn't complaining about time because I got up at the same time back in Brownsville but there it was easier. It was easier because I slept early. But I'd slept at midnight the night before. That wasn't enough.
I heard the same unbearable sound in the other rooms along with complaints. This was surely our level two. I sighed and quickly got out of bed.
*
In exactly five minutes, I was in my sport attire and down in the living room with Lou and Blaire. I was the first.
"Wow, Rahim. You're the only one who got here in five minutes." Blaire clapped. Places were still dark.
"Yup."
"Well this means the others are gonna get a surprise." Lou laughed.
When everyone was downstairs, we all gathered outside in front of the house. The morning was very cold. We all had sweats on.
The other girls looked as tired as me. But I felt bad for those who'd returned from the party drunk and at two AM. They had not gotten enough sleep.
"Alright, as most of you must have guessed, this is your level two."
Everyone fidgeted.
"And that's not all. All of you here, apart from Harlem, would be punished for leaving your rooms only after ten minutes."
"Blues!" Blaire called out.
Nine blues came out of the house, each with a big bowl of water in her hands.
Lou nodded and they walked over to the nine other freshmen.
I watched with surprise as they poured the water on the girls who gasped and screamed!
"Aaah! Oh my gawd!"
"It's ice cooolddd!"
I burst out laughing, unable to control myself. But I immediately shut up too, covering my mouth and slightly embarrassed.
The nine other girls glared at me angrily. Blaire and Lou stared at me in surprise.
I quickly adjusted.
"Um, my bad. Didn't mean to."
Heck yeah I meant to.
"It's okay. Now all of you, follow me. We're going for a run. And don't twist your faces, evey other group is doing same and some people probably got wet too and so, let's go!"
The blues entered the house while the ten of us silently followed Blaire and Lou who ran ahead of us.
*
We jogged for a long time. And Blaire was right, we'd come across other groups, and I saw some who'd been washed with a bowl of ice cold water too. I would never allow that to happen to me.
"P_ please." Brianna panted, tiredly. "Let's have a break!" she complained and others agreed. Blaire and Lou accepted and we were allowed to sit on the floor and rest a little. The day was beginning to appear.
This level two issue was already annoying. And it was only the first part. And it just had to fall on a Sunday!
**
After a good bath, I sat on my bed and noticed I'd received missed calls from King. Uh oh. I called back and he picked up.
"Hey baby." I said in a soft voice.
"You didn't answer my calls." he didn't sound happy.
"Yeah, I–"
"Why??"
"Cuz I had sports this morning."
"What? Since when? Or that school of yours forces everyone to get up and go running??"
I laughed.
"Nah. It's just some sorority shit."
"Sorority? Harl you trynna join a sorority?"
"Yeah. What? It shocks you?"
"Sort of."
I told him all the advantages of joining a sorority.
"That's why I'm joining babe. I'm not joining to become friends with a group of spoiled princesses."
"But you're forgetting the disadvantages."
"Huh? What disadvantages?"
"Disadvantages like, fraternities full of flirts, crazy parties and many other things that'll help in getting you far away from me."
I laughed in disbelief.
"Are you serious?? How do you know all that if you've never been in a fraternity?"
"Babe, I've watched movies that have to do with fraternities and sororities. Every party they throw is like a mini spring break!"
"King don't be selfish. I need this for my future. And if I want, I don't attend any parties. But I'll take that decision myself only when I'll be a complete member of beta theta."
"Harl, I just don't want you to do something you're not supposed to do."
"Yo, who do you take me for?" he was beginning to annoy me, "King, I don't wanna start an argument with you. I'm gonna hang up."
"Why the hell are you getting angry now?"
"Bye." I hanged up.
I hated arguing with king because he meant a lot to me.
I decided to call my mom, then Yazz. They were enough to put me in a good mood again.
After a good meal that afternoon, made by Anissa, I decided to go stroll on campus. I was about to leave when someone called me.
"Harlem?"
I turned to see one of the freshmen. Her name was Megan. I'd noticed she was the most quiet amongst all the princesses.
I turned to her.
"Uh, where are you going to?"
"Stroll."
"Can I follow you?"
I stared at her for a while before answering.
"Um, why not."
"Okay."
We left the house together.