Get What You Give by Stephanie Perry Moore Page A

sorority.
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    â€œOkay, so we gotta go to the store and get our clothes so we can dress alike,” Teddi said to me as she went on and on about how pumped she was that we were now Pis.
    I didn’t know the other three girls well, but I could see they were as overwhelmed as I was with Teddi’s enthusiasm. She was pumped up enough for all of us. But, again, after the moving ceremony I’d just experienced, I knew I had to dig deep and get fired up about this pledge process, too.
    â€œAll right, I’m not saying we gotta dress alike and all that, but break it down to me about this pledge stuff. Particularly because this isn’t the old-school way, and we’re doing it by the book. We’re not supposed to walk in a line and be dressed alike,” I said to my friend.
    Millie said, “We don’t have to be hazed to have a little fun of our own, and as long as we’re not going crazy with it, we can dress how we want. Alike does sound fun.”
    â€œSee, it will be fun. Plus, I think we’re giving reverence to the process by being identifiable. Folks will say, ‘Look at the five elite girls the Betas chose this year,’” Teddi said, making a good point. “We should represent.”
    â€œWell, I don’t wanna look like a hag,” Evan said. “And I don’t have much time to shop. I gotta get to my boo. Besides, what’s open?”
    I knew if Evan mentioned her crazy guy one more time and the short leash he obviously had her on, I was going to scream. Truly, she was showing anxiety about pleasing this dude. Surely, she was overstressing. What could he do if she was a little late?
    â€œWell, I don’t wanna spend a lot of money,” Quisa combatted.
    Teddi and Millie talked to her, and Evan made a phone call. Finally, after a little more debating, we agreed to get some simple solids. The best place for that was the local discount retailer. It wasn’t my shopping place, but for this purpose, I knew it was going to have prices we were all cool with.
    â€œI do not like going to a twenty-four-hour shopping store and not seeing any cars in the parking lot. We need protection,” Evan said, letting us all know she didn’t get out much without her guy.
    Out of all of us, Teddi was the politician. She went over to her and said, “I don’t like it either, but this is our first bonding time. We are going to go in and get right out, and tomorrow we’re gonna be dressed alike! We won’t spend a lot of money or keep anyone long.”
    â€œWell, I shop at night. And this place is safe,” Millie said as the five of us walked through the dark lot, with most of us looking over our shoulders.
    As soon as we got to the store door, bright lights were flashing and nearly blinding us from an out-of-control car. The five of us jumped onto the curb. Evan’s face held a petrified glare.
    Evan shouted—clearly, she was scared—“That’s him, you guys. Please, please, please go on in.”
    â€œDo I need to talk to him?” I asked, trying to calm her down. “You seem scared of this dude, Evan, and the way he rolled up on us—no wonder.”
    â€œNo, I don’t need any of y’all to talk to him. Just go in,” Evan pleaded.
    â€œI’m not leaving you in the middle of the street,” Teddi said.
    Evan quickly went up to his car and said, “I’m sorry, baby. We just had to pick up something for this sorority thing.”
    Her guy started talking loud, clearly wanting us to hear. “I told you not to be a part of this mess! I’m out there waiting on you, and then I see you getting in the car with your friends! You can’t call me after the fact? I followed you here, and now it’s time to go. We were supposed to chill tonight!”
    â€œDo you have to yell?” Teddi said, making it her business to head up to his car.
    I was all about business, ready to find