SS(S)S - Wait until it's clear

You wait. Being patient is difficult. Your heart is racing. Your involvement with CCL has brought you out of your comfort zone, but never this far. Still, it feels right, in a way. You wanted adventure. There’s no question that you have found that. The only question is what kind of consequences it will leave you with.

After listening intently, you risk a peek at your surroundings.

You know the neighborhood at a glance: you can tell from the lampposts and the university banners attached to them. It’s a tree-lined, residential street. Upscale. This is very close to the university. Of course… that’s how sororities are supposed to be. CCL stands out for being so far away, and it causes problems. Not every CCL girl has a car, but part of the deal is that you always help a sister who needs it. Carpooling to school is a normal thing.

Not as normal as being able to walk there. And these houses are nice.

The CGH house is a sight to behold: pale blue siding makes the white, shuttered windows pop beautifully. The plants out front are fake, but it’s still something. It’s not as vast as CCL house, but that’s a good thing. Even with a full roster, CCL House still has tons of rooms unused. This is more realistic. What a beautiful place. This is what a sorority house in central Florida ought to look like. CCL House just looks like the falling-apart version of a haunted mansion from a live-action movie for kids from the nineties. Its drafty halls, unreliable windows, gravel parking lot, and other eccentricities… well, they give it personality.

But enough comparisons. You just… had a lot of pride in following through and getting involved with CCL. Your goddess, Athena. From the outside it all seemed so glamorous, and last night gave you a taste of…something. It stings to see that CCL’s rival is clearly… doing well. The place looks spotless from the outside. CCL House almost looks condemned.

But it’s clear. It’s the weekend; there’s not much action on a residential street.

You clamber into the backseat and exit the vehicle, walking boldly up to the front door of the house. Going in through the front isn’t an option, but there are neighbors. You walk casually to the edge of the spacious, wraparound porch, and lean against the railing, listening and watching while pretending to look at your phone.

“Looks clear,” you say to yourself in your best Riddick voice before hopping the railing. Now hidden by the flower bushes, you make your way along the side of the house. Plenty of windows are open. You pick a safe spot and peek in, finding a messy room whose primary features are a pool table, a stereo, and a couple of battered-looking massage chairs. Glasses, beer bottles, and clothes are all over the place. It smells like beer in there.

You can hear noises inside, but it’s enough for you to tell that the house is not super crowded. That’s normal; it’s the weekend, so a lot of girls are at home, with their partners, or out doing stuff.

Stealth will be harder inside the house. On the other hand, you’re exposed out here. You can picture a lot of things going wrong if you’re greedy. You are not a spy. MGS is all you have to go on. Use the windows to scout the house from the outside? Or take this safe entrance and just get inside?