At the Crimson Barrel

Blair couldn’t believe that she was here as she walked through the front doors of the Crimson Barrel. If it hadn’t been for the neon lights on in the windows she’d have thought the run down bar was abandoned. But as she walked in she was surprised by the interior. Sure it was rough but far less rougher than the exterior let on. The floor was sticky and clouds a smoke hung in the air. But for how rough it looked it just radiated warmth and acceptance. It was an odd feeling. One Blair hadn’t quite felt before.

“Blair over hear!” Came a shout from off behind Blair’s left shoulder. Sure enough seated at a table in the corner was Daniela. In front of her was a pitcher of beer and to her left was a girl with fire red hair.

“Hiya I’m Fiona!” The girl said through a thick Irish accent. She was a bubbly girl but Blair saw an unmistakable glint of mischievousness in her eye.

As she took her seat Daniela poured Blair a beer “I hope you don’t mind Miller Lite. Typically I’d go for something more crafty. Or avoid beer all together and get a gin and tonic, but alas it’s a Delta Mu tradition.” She said with that same warm smile from earlier as she passed her the glass. Blair took it with trepidation. She hadn’t drank much beer in her life. In truth being only 18 she hadn’t drank much of anything besides the sneaky pulls from vodka bottles that had been stolen from liquor cabinets at sleepovers and some jungle juice at a few parties in high school. She took a sip of the light amber liquid and did her best to swallow it.

“Tradition?” Blair asked still chocking back the beer.

“All important conversations that happen outside of the Delta house are supposed to happen in this bar over a pitcher of cheap beer. Don’t ask me why that’s the way it is. Best I can tell it’s where they came right after the hearing where the original chapter got kicked off campus and “disbanded”. It’s where they decided to continue as an off campus institution. Outside of University control.” Daniela took a big swig of her already half empty glass.

Fiona jumped in noticing the slightly taken aback look on Blair’s face “But don’t worry. Nothin in that damn tradition says you gotta drink this shite after the first pitcher.” She causally reached out and clinked her glass with Blair’s.

“So I guess I’m just a bit confused…” the blonde admitted.

“And that’s to be expected. You haven’t been here long enough to understand how Greek life here operates. Which is one of the reasons Amanda- it’s not just her but that’s just how we refer to the entirety of the office of sorority and fraternity life- tries to keep new freshman from rushing till their second semester. But we on the other hand only recruit once a year. I’m the fall. And I want to snatch you up before any of those other Sororities realize what they passed up on and ruin all of your potential.”

“My potential?” Blair asked.

Fiona laughed. Daniela smiled. “We know all about you Blair Morison. All about that business with your Math teacher last spring and that fight with your so called best friend all in the same day? Your reputation proceeds you”

Blair felt her face flush. Even here she could escape that incident. The lowest moment of her young life.

“Don’t be embarrassed!” Came Fiona’s accented voice. Oddly the Irish drawl had a calming effect on Blair. “That’s why we want you!”

“What?” Now Blair was truly confused.

“Blair hunny.” Daniela said placing her hand on hers, “I’m not gonna drag up all those old memories cause I can tell you don’t like them but if even half of that tale is true you’ll fit right in at Delta Mu.” She winked again and Blair found herself disarming again. ‘What was it about this girl that just invited instant trust?’ She thought.

“Now like I said earlier there are a lot of questions I can’t answer but I can try and answer a few.”

“Do you guys really make the pledges kill a puppy??” Blair blurted it out and was immediately embarrassed again that she had. But it was the number one most atrocious thing she had heard about the Delta Mu’s. That they made the pledges adopt, raise, and then ultimately kill a puppy to join the sisterhood.

“Absolutely not!” Both Fiona and Daniela shouted at the same time. A few of the other patrons turned their heads in their direction before returning to their drinks.

“Sorry.” Daniela said this time it was her turn to be embarrassed. “We hate that rumor. We don’t know how it got out and we want to be very clear that not only are no animals harmed during the hazing process, but we actively condone any **** against animals.”

“But there is a hazing process…?”

“Yes. All Sororites haze their pledges. Even the on campus ones. The only difference is we’re allowed to be up front about it.” There was that smile again. Blair wished she would stop that.

“And also in the interest of being up front and open one of the reasons we haze, in addition to helping you bond with your incoming sisters is to test how loyal you will be to the sorority. As an off campus institution Amanda would like nothing more than to have us all expelled. As such loyalty is very important to us.” Blair nodded. That made sense to here.

“Also there are only 6 slots every year so we gotta weed out the weak!” Fiona said with that glint in her eye again as she chugged her beer and poured herself another glass. Blair realized she’d been neglecting hers and took a big swig.

The next half an hour passed and the pitcher drained as Blair’s questions turned into polite conversation. She found both Daniela and Fiona quite easy to talk to. Here were two members of a Sorority that knew of Blair’s reputation and didn’t shun her but liked her even more because of it. And maybe it was the cheap beer which had now been replaced by a gin and tonic but she was starting to thing that Delta Mu wasn’t such a bad idea.

“Well it is getting late and we all have class tomorrow so we should probably head out after this round.” Daniela said gesturing at the bartender who nodded. Soon he appeared with a tray carrying two gin and tonics and a Guinness for Fiona. The three of them tinked their glasses together in a cheers and all drank.

“Well Blair I hate to do this but we need an answer.” Suddenly the vibe at the table which had been relaxed and jovial seconds before was now slightly more tense. You'd never have figured it out from the ever impenetrable smile on Daniela’s face or the the now flushed face of the red head next to her as she pounded her pint. Even Blair wasn’t sure based on the **** that she had consumed. But she’s always been very good at reading the room. And for as casual as Daniela and Fiona had been all night she could tell that now they were nervous awaiting her answer.

“Why do you need to know now?” Blair asked.

“Well like I said the pledging process lasts all semester but it starts this Friday. We only invite 10 people to pledge, for 6 slots. We need to know if you’re interested now so we have time to find someone else if you say no.” Again there was that smile, but this time Blair could tell that she was hiding something behind it.

Blair had a quick but extensive internal debate that she wished she’d been sober to have. But after all what did it matter if she was a bit drunk. She could easily back out at anytime.

“Fuck it I’m in!” She announced and Fiona cheered. But to her surprise Daniela didn’t even flinch.

“That’s great!” The auburn haired girl said with that signature smile “ now there is one thing we need from you to secure your spot. A deposit if you will…”

“What is it?” Blair was suddenly nervous again.

“Just something to prove to us that you’ll be up to some of the things that we have in store for you” suddenly the smile was gone.

“What is it?” Blair asked again thinking that for some reason this sounded a lot like her hazing was about to get started now instead of Friday…

“It’s simple really” chimed in Fiona. “We just need you to go to the bathroom and take a picture.”

“A picture?”

“It’s something everyone who rushes has to do. We need you to go into the women's bathroom. Against the far wall there’s a full length mirror. We need you to take a picture of you in it.”

“What’s the catch?” Fiona and Daniela looked at each other quickly.

“You need to be completely naked.”