SS(S)S - Revelations

Sal comes out of her blissful, orgasmic haze to find you lying nude beside her, watching her with a smile. She suddenly looks self-conscious about her sweaty body and splayed legs, so she quickly corrects her position to something a little more dignified. Breathing hard, she returns your gaze.

“Thank you,” she says. You wonder if she’s this polite with everyone.

Your reply is a quick smooch on her lips. You scoot a little closer for warmth, and she welcomes you. Feeling good, you lie together in the lamplight. Your eyes are on her, but hers are on the ceiling.

“You shouldn’t feel bad about it,” she says finally, letting out a little sigh.

“About what?”

“That CCL took my computer. We aren’t any better. Or I’m not. I probably had it coming,” she adds, a resigned look on her face.

“Why?”

“Because I’m doing shady stuff to them too.”

“What are you talking about?” you ask.

She just sighs again. “I’m like… I don’t even know what the word is. Extorting? Extorting CCL.”

“What? Why?” you ask, struggling to feign ignorance.

“Because they told me to.”

“Who’s they?”

“You know who.” She glances at you, then past you at the wall. Oh. She means the University.

“I don’t understand.”

“CCL was good publicity until it wasn’t.” Sal shrugs sadly. “And it’s always been dicey with the locals and the morals and all that shit. The murders just tipped it over the edge. They don’t want CCL around anymore. And it’s already on the ropes.”

“The school put you up to this? But what do you have?”

“Nothing,” Sal replies, giving you a strange look. “Not a damn thing. But Athena’s such a people pleaser and a rule follower that it doesn’t matter. Everything has to be perfect with her. She has so much anxiety. If we start another big prank war and it goes viral or something and anything goes wrong—she’s so afraid of that. So she’s literally paying me to not start shit with CCL.”

“Oh my god. Why would you agree to this?”

“Because if I don’t help the school bully her, I’m afraid the school is going to bully me,” she replies, laying her hand on her chest. “There are only two sororities and zero fraternities. If they can’t push CCL out, they’ll rewrite the bylaws to get rid of us all and start from scratch. I’ve spent three years with these girls,” she says, glancing at the door. “And it’s stupid. OK? Greek life is stupid. But I love them and I love this place. I don’t know. I feel like everything I do is wrong. So seriously. Don’t feel bad about the computer. And don’t feel bad if CCL does something shitty. Why shouldn’t they? Everyone else does.”

“Wow,” you say, trying to take all that in.

Sal looks extremely self-conscious now, but not about her body.

“I’m sorry. I guess I just killed the mood.” She sits up, rubbing her face. “I don’t know what’s wrong with me.” She looks over at you. “Thank you.”

“For, uh, listening to your confession?” Which is now on video.

“No. For reminding me that not everybody’s horrible,” she says. “I’ll be right back.” She can’t make eye contact after what she just said, and she probably needs the bathroom. You watch her get out of bed and go.

You realize that it’s time to make a big choice. You had a plan. Sometimes plans should be followed and sometimes they can be changed. Two very different futures lie ahead of you.

Take your phone and escape, mission accomplished.

Or stay the night with Sal?