“Yeah, but I get what Xander’s saying,” I said. “If they pay to get into Aamee’s party and they’re bidding on things or whatever she’s planning to do to raise money, they aren’t going to want to do that again, especially right before Christmas break when people have to put out money for other things, like flights home and presents and stuff. We have to make it something they feel like they’re missing out on if they don’t attend. Something they get something out of if they’re paying.”
“A Quidditch tournament!” Toby said with a level of excitement that directly mirrored everyone else’s level of No fucking way! “Teams could pay to participate. People could even place bets.”
“I don’t think the school would like us gambling to make money,” I said.
“And I don’t think anyone likes Quidditch,” Taylor added, causing everyone else to agree.
Drew looked at Toby. “I don’t even know what that is.”
Toby opened his mouth to speak, but thankfully Aniyah spoke up before he could explain the rules and regulations.
“Maybe not Quidditch,” she said, “but the idea isn’t bad. We could do like a Powder Puff football game or something. Maybe Carter could get the team on board, and each girl could be matched with a different football player or something. Girls could pay to play. I don’t know all the ins and outs, but we could work out the details, I’m sure.”
Drew looked skeptical. “I think that would get an okay turnout, but would we raise enough money? I mean, we could charge people to get in, but how much would people pay to play or pay to watch?”
I shrugged. “No idea. I think paying for something is key though. So let’s run with that for a minute. What do people pay for?”
Answers came from all areas of the room: alcohol, food, entertainment, sex. The last suggestion had come from Toby, causing everyone to stare quizzically at him.
“I mean, I wasn’t talking about myself,” he clarified. “I was speaking in general terms.”
“Maybe he’s on to something,” I said.
Drew laughed. “I don’t think turning the sorority house into a brothel is the best way to get you elected as president when you got evicted for letting a guy study in your room.”
I got up to smack him on the arm and then sat down on the floor next to the comfy chair he was in. “I was actually thinking of a bachelor auction.”
Xander rolled his eyes. “Of course you’d want guys to be the fresh meat. Flipping gender roles doesn’t make it any less sexist.”
“Worried no one will bid on you?” I teased.
He balled up a piece of paper and threw it at me, but it soared over my head, even though I was only about three feet from him. Suspicions confirmed: Xander had no athletic ability.
“I’m serious, though,” he continued. “Just because people are bidding on guys doesn’t mean people won’t be offended. What if the situation were reversed, and a frat was auctioning off women?”
“That’s a good point,” Aniyah agreed.
“But people are offended by anything these days,” I said. “You’ll have people claim the black-and-white theme is racist or something. And I was thinking of auctioning guys off so they could do things for people. It can be simple things like carrying books to class or bringing someone lunch. But we could have them outline their strengths when they volunteer, like if they can repair things around the house or cook or tutor or something.”
The more I spoke, the more excited I got about the idea. I hoped everyone would see the potential in it, but even if they didn’t, I might have to consider doing it anyway.
“Maybe it could even have to do with their majors,” I continued. “I bet some of the guys in the fitness and nutrition programs would love to create workouts or meal plans for people. They can use it as volunteer work, so it’s a win-win. We could open up the bidding to the sorority legacies if we wanted.”
“We’d have to create some pretty strict rules,” Drew said. “You don’t want some elderly woman making an eighteen-year-old freshman mow her lawn in nothing but a Speedo.”
“Um, that’s exactly what I’d want if I were an elderly woman,” Taylor said.
“Let’s worry about the specifics later,” I suggested. “Do you guys all think this could work?”
Aniyah was the first to speak. “I do.”
Drew agreed. “You’d probably get a pretty big turnout, and people might pay a lot of money for someone depending on what their skills are.”
I looked to Toby, who nodded, and then to Xander, because even though their opinions didn’t really matter in the sense that it wasn’t a formal vote, they mattered to me.
“You better not expect me to be in the auction,” Xander said.
“I’d never dream of it,” I said with a smile.
I finally had something I could be truly excited about. Something that was “trendy and innovative,” as Aniyah had suggested. Something that could raise a shit ton of money for a charity of my choice. And something that would hopefully show Aamee and the rest of the sorority who was the best fit for president.
I just prayed I was right.
Chapter Eighteen
D R E W
We’d all gotten sidetracked talking, and by the time we realized we were starving, it was almost eight. I felt bad I hadn’t thought to have more snacks on hand for my group, but whatever. Hindsight was twenty-twenty.
“We should go out,” Aniyah stated after poking around in the kitchen and coming up empty.
“There’s a sandwich place down the street that’s pretty good,” Toby offered.
“No, I mean out out,” Aniyah corrected. “We should go somewhere that has greasy food and dancing.”
Xander looked at her cautiously. “You want to go somewhere people congregate to dance?”
The look she gave him would’ve made the balls fall off a lesser man. “Are you implying I’m not a people person?”
Xander simply smirked. “Not implying it so much as indirectly stating it.”
She crossed her arms over her chest and popped a hip out. “I go out all the time.”
Nodding slowly, Xander said, “I totally believe that,” in a tone that showed he didn’t believe it at all.
The rest of us watched the two of them as if they were partaking in the world’s most violent tennis match. There was a weird tension that radiated between them. Something that was close to hate but narrowly missed the mark and jettisoned them toward something even more incendiary. Which for Xander was probably a bad thing.
Aniyah narrowed her eyes at him. “I’m more fun than you could even contemplate trying to handle.”
Xander rose slowly, never taking his eyes off her. “Then I guess it’s a good thing we’re going out so you can prove it.”
The stare-down continued until Toby spoke up. “Um, should we…I mean, are we dressed okay? Should we change?”
I gave him a quick once-over. He was at least wearing jeans, so that was a step in the right direction.
“You can borrow one of my shirts,” I told him. The idea of launching Operation Get Toby Laid was becoming increasingly appealing. Not to mention the fact that I couldn’t wait to watch Aniyah and Xander rage-grind all over a dance floor—not in a perverted way, but because I wanted to see how much angry friction they could create before they combusted.