Discreet Politics

**Reader discretion is advised. All characters are fictional and if they seem to portray someone or something that might seem familiar to readers it is pure coincidence. This series is not to reflect any greek letter organization. Please don't try to sue us because we don't have it. By it we mean money, which is the whole point if suing someone. Read at your own risk. ** -UNcommon

Zzzzzzzz! Zzzz-zzzzzz! "Ugh! Who the hell is calling me this damn early in the morning," I mumbled as I dug through my sheets. Quickly I realized that it was 8:18am. Zzzz-zzzzz "Hello?!" I belted out as I sat up on the edged of my bed, finally finding my phone on top of my night stand near the head of my bed. "Greetings Big Brother Heaven on Earth! A great man of this fraternity founded Feb 8, 1887 by the best founders known to man. What can we do for you this morning?" The eager pledges seemed surprisingly up beat this morning. I could tell that they had been rehearsing that for a while because all thirteen of them sounded in unison for once. I responded back quickly in hopes of diminishing their eagerness to please me with, "Not a damn thing." Click.

"Who was that baby?" Alexis questioned as she turned over, then proceeded to put her head on my chest. My ride or die for the last three semesters. The fraternity has a no "pillow talk" rule, but she loves me too much to ever want to hurt me. Plus, I know enough about her sorority's intake process to get her chapter on campus banned for life. I remember when I first saw her on campus. Long brown hair that hung down to her shoulders, green sundress that hugged her curves, and a smile that would make you forget your name when speaking to her. I knew she had to be mine, I just had to figure out how to take her from Roger, the president of a rival fraternity at the time.

I knew he couldn't handle her-she was too classy for him. I also knew if I just let their relationship play its course he would mess it up. His mess up happened to be one of Alexis's sorority sisters, in a room full of smartphones. Roger never met a party he didn't act a fool in. That one particular party was the only time you'd ever see him and I hanging together. I just so happened to be the bartender for that party, go figure. I was feeling friendly towards Roger so I told him all his drinks were on me. I might have given him one too many, but he's a grown man and should have known his limits. I also happened to come across his phone when he left it at the bar stand. He was a sloppy drunk, so pretending to be him while I texted Alexis's sorority sister, a sloppy drunk as well, was too easy.

Once they started hooking up at the party I used his phone's awesome record feature to seal the deal. It was viral shortly after from his YouTube account, and that was all she wrote. I gave Alexis three months of "Are you okay?" and "If you need anything let me know" texts, then went for the close with a dinner and a movie request on Facebook via private message. We've been dating ever since then.

"Who else would call me this early in the morning? Gosh, you want to check my phone too while you're at it?" I hissed at her as I shifted my body to make her head slide off of my chest. "Geesh, I was just asking baby," Alexis responded in a low whimper. I didn't even have to look at her to know that she was tearing up. Great, she must be feeling sensitive this morning. She gets like this sometimes. I really don't have time to coddle her.

"Sorry baby. I'm a little wound up because it's hell week. You know how it is. Just trying to get these boys finished," I exclaimed as I reached over to stroke her hair and kiss her forehead. "Oh baby, it's alright I know how you get when it's crossing time. This is the third line you've brought through since we've started dating. I know how it goes at this point of the process," responded Alexis as she leaned over the bed to pick up her clothes. "You have a nine o' clock class right?" "Uhh, yea I do, but I have Treyva... I mean the one going for me. He's going to give me my notes tonight," I spoke quickly hoping she didn't hear Treyvans name.

No one can know who's on this line until their probate, especially Alexis. "Jonathan Taylor. Your whole fraternity is going to have to walk the stage with you next semester. They are called YOUR classes for a reason," yelped Alexis. She was right, but I wasn't trying to hear that this morning. It's crucial that everything goes smoothly this week. I began to put on some clothes when my phone began to vibrate again. Zzzzz, zzzz-zzzzzz..

Oh great, it's my line brother James who's also the Vice President. "Baby I have to take this," I proclaimed as I waved my finger towards the door. Alexis rolled her eyes and proceeded to head out of my room and hopefully my apartment. "Yea?" I answered coldly, hoping he'd get to the point and not drag this out like he usually does. James asked in a low whisper,"You in your room?" "Yes bro, but I'm on my way to class. What's up?" I uttered as I tried to make alot of noise to appear as if I was moving around. He chuckled and then responded, "Yea right bro. You haven't been to class since you became the dean of pledges. Turn on your TV, then go to channel eight." "Alright, alright give me a second," I exclaimed as I reached back over to my night stand, grabbed the remote and proceeded to turn on the television. Once I finally got it on channel eight I couldn't believe what I saw. Roger was on the news in handcuffs, along with four of his fraternity brothers being hauled off in a police van.

I didn't have to turn up the volume to know what the reporter was saying "Damn man. What happened?" I asked James eagerly as I impatiently waited for an answer. "He had four guys drop line. One of them went home for Thanksgiving this past week and his folks saw the bruises on his arms and legs. The rest was history," explained James. Even though I couldn't stand Roger and his whack fraternity I would never wish getting caught on anyone. I love my fraternity to death, but no letters are worth jail time.

This leaves this upcoming spring semester for intake wide open which is great. I won't have to campaign and press guys as hard. Less competition is always good business. "Well we all know, loose lips sink ships," I responded as I chuckled. This wasn't a laughing matter, but I said it anyway because I knew where James was going, and I wanted to annoy him for wasting my time. "This isn't a laughing matter bro. That could easily happen to us. Have you checked the boys lately? No exposing bruises or anything right? I know it's hell week, but we cannot afford another suspension. Especially after this." James sounded desperate, I guess I better reassure him, as usual, that everything was under control. "Don't even worry about it LB. It's in the bag. Five more days and we are out of the woods. Alright?" I could tell that he was at ease. He slowly responded, "Alright man," then proceeded to hang up the phone.

I proceeded to walk out the door and head out when my phone went off again. This time it was a email. An email that no greek letter organization wants to get. I proceeded to open the email, hoping it wasn't them, but it was. The office of students rights and responsibility.
A department at the University who's only job from 8am to 5pm Monday through Friday is to investigate hazing in organizations. The body of the email explains that they are "requesting" to see me at my earliest convenience. As I opened the front door of my apartment I saw the one.

Treyvan was standing there with pledge book in hand. What the hell you doing at my door man?!" I exclaimed in a low growl. "Big broth... I mean Mr. Taylor, I think these belong to you," said Trayvon as he handed my his pledge binder, ritual book, and mini shield. "C'mon man! You're almost done! You trying to quit on me now?" I could feel my rage boiling. I hate losing my cool. I shoved the binder, book, and shield into his chest and he grabbed them quickly. "I... I think I have to go to the hospital, something's not right," explained Trayvan as he held the items he was carrying near his chest tightly.

"I don't want these things around when my sister takes me this afternoon. You know? For my brothers I think this is best," Trayvan spoke with little confidence as he attempted to defend his position.
I wasn't concerned about him going to the hospital. We had bigger problems. If his sister, my girlfriend, Alexis finds out I'm pledging him, I'm finished. Trayvan's her only brother, and she is beyond protective of him. Our chapter is finished if he goes to the hospital. What a way to start hell week.

To be continued....