Group Writing Project #3
* Disclaimer. This is my first ever fan fiction posting. Be nice. It's hard to put all elements in a story and have it make sense. I've read enough of these that I have to say these characters aren't mine; but they are my therapy!! <g> Crawford College is made up and I also failed to mention any fraternities and sororities by name since their reputations are different from campus to campus & Crawford is a made up campus. Enough already. Just enjoy!
Romance by Candlelight
by Susan
Trixie Belden sighed as she opened the 3 Musketeers bar she bought out of the vending machine. It was so hard to concentrate on classes during the chaos of Greek Week. She sat wearily on the bed in her sorority house room and took a deep breath.
She was a sophomore at Crawford College; a small coed school. Brian and Jim had graduated from Crawford last year and were attending graduate school an hour away.
It was a great school and Trixie thoroughly loved every minute there.Until now. Why had she agreed to be the sorority’s delegate to the PanHellenic Council? Now she and the representatives from the other sororities were trying to make sure Greek Week ran smoothly. Only one more day.
The door opened and Honey Wheeler came into the room. She smiled at her roommate and dropped her books on the other bed. “Have you decided to check into the funny farm yet?”
A groan came from the other bed.
Honey just smiled and turned on the TV. She knew what would cheer up Trixie. As the opening credits of The Guiding Light started, the figure popped up from the bed. Trixie was able to relax and watch her soap. At least there were not any sorority Greek Week events tonight. Only the sundae eating contest for fraternities in the quad. Fraternities. That made her heart flutter a little. Brian and Jim were coming back to campus Friday for the festivities and party at their fraternity house. Just like she and Honey were sorority sisters; Brian and Jim had been fraternity brothers.
Trixie and Jim had been inseparable during the year they spent together at Crawford. They were able to keep their romance light and strengthening their friendship as they went along. This year had been enjoyable but she missed knowing Jim was just across campus. Just like when he was just up at the Manor House, Trixie thought wistfully. They tried to see each other often and always emailed or had virtual conversations in a favorite chat room.
Noticing Honey had left, Trixie went over to the computer to log-on. She and Jim used a variety of screen names from Barney and Thelma Lou to Red and Blue. She scrolled through the users to see who was there. Her heart dropped as none of Jim’s familiar screen names were there. She sighed. Not that she thought he WOULD be there. It was the middle of the afternoon. They always prearranged their chats. She was jarred out of the thoughts by the phone ringing.
"Trixie! This is Ashley. Can you meet in twenty minutes? You know who is at it again!” Ashley was the PanHel president and representative from another sorority. Trixie’s and Ashley’s sororities actually got along well. Trixie had considered joining Ashley’s sorority during Rush; but Honey’s mother had been a member of theirs and they couldn’t even think of joining separate sororities. The you-know-who of the phone call was a rival sorority that had adopted a win at all costs attitude of Greek Week and the council had to meet to discuss sanctions.
“Do I have to?” Trixie moaned.
“I’ll buy you dinner after;” Ashley bribed.
Following the meeting, in which the rival sorority agreed to a disqualification in one of tomorrow’s events, the two girls went to a Chinese restaurant. They enjoyed Moo Goo Gai Pan and Hot and Sour Soup while realizing they were missing the fraternity sundae eating contest.
“Just as well,” Ashley said as she poured another glass of jasmine tea.
“Considering both of us have beaus off campus. So, what is the latest? Are you and Jim going to get married?”
Trixie reddened. (as always!!) “I don’t know......I still have two more years....”
Ashley interrupted. “C’mon. Is he the guy you think you want to marry or are you just waiting until someone better comes along?”
“Of course, I love Jim!!” Trixie blurted out. “But, I mean, I still have two years, Jim, still has graduate school and......” She took a deep breath and glanced around the restaurant for eavesdroppers then lowered her voice. “Yes, Jim is the guy I want to marry.”
“Have you talked about? What does he think? Have you had a candlelight?” Ashley queried.
Trixie had to laugh. Candlelights were all the rage at Crawford. She personally thought they were stupid. Candlelights occurred in a sorority when a member got laveliered (received a lavaliere with the guy's fraternity letters on it), pinned (received his fraternity pin) and engaged. “Well, while I was a pledge I had a candlelight when Jim gave me his lavaliere. And that was only because he wanted it know on campus so Renée would leave him alone.”
The girls laughed. The girl mentioned was not only a member of the same sorority that had earlier been disqualified but also had a reputation on campus for being a gold digger.
When Trixie returned to the sorority house, it was nearly empty. Everyone must still be in the quad, Trixie thought to herself as she entered the room she shared with Honey.
The light on the answering machine was blinking so Trixie hit play. “Hey, Trix, it's Jim. I know you have a crazy week. Brian and I will be on campus by noon. Hang in there; tomorrow is the last day. We can have fun at the party tomorrow night. Oh, I have a surprise for you. See you tomorrow.”
Trixie smiled as she sat down on her bed. She was completely head over heels about Jim. She wondered what tomorrow might bright.
“READY, SET, GO!!!!!!!!!” Everyone was screaming as the three legged race began. The quad was a mass of coeds wearing appropriate Greek letter T-shirts and waving flags. The respective pledges of each sorority were leading cheers. Honey giggled and nudged Trixie. “Do you believe we were like that last year?”
“Don’t remind me!” Trixie reported. She was distracted. Most people thought it was because of the conclusion of Greek Week.
Honey knew better. “So, any sign of my big brother yet?” she asked mischievously.
Trixie laughed. She had been caught. She answered, “Any sign of MY big brother?”
The event had ended and participants for the next were assembling. Before Trixie knew it, strong arms wrapped her and started to nuzzle her neck. “Don’t turn around yet. I have your surprise here.”
Trixie wondered what was going on. She was glad to see Jim, but whatever surprise he was giving her on the quad in front of nearly the entire campus couldn’t be that romantic.
“Mart!!!!!!!!” Trixie screamed and threw her arms around him. Mart was her surprise. Her almost twin was attending University of Illinois where he was studying agriculture and didn’t make it back to New York often.
“Hey, sis.” Mart hugged her back.
Their distance made them appreciate each other more. However, by evening they could guaranteed to be arguing again.
They turned their attention back to the event which was deciding the Greek Week champion. Everyone cheered as the winner crossed the finish line. In just a few minutes the champ was announced. It was another house on campus.
“Well, if it couldn’t be either one of us, I’m glad it was them,” Ashley said coming up behind Trixie. Then she smiled at Jim, “Hello, Jim.”
Trixie, eager to stop Ashley from saying something to Jim that would embarrass her, quickly changed the subject. "Yes, at least it wasn’t our favorite house,” she said sarcastically.
They both laughed. The sorority they had disciplined yesterday finished second. The point difference was the exact penalty they had been charged with.
Honey giggled and linked arms with the girls. “Let’s go celebrate.”
“Our house is having a cook-out party,” Brian explained. “Let’s head down there.”
“If that’s the case, most of your sorority will be there and mine will be across the street,” Ashley said. “I’ll catch up with you tonight.”
By the time Trixie, Honey, Mart, Brian and Jim arrived at the fraternity house the party was in full swing. They had to dodge people carrying trays of Jell-O shots and a variety of items the guys had accumulated, everything from a twenty year old sofa, a pyramid of beer cans and a broken vacuum cleaner, on their way to the back where the food was. Along the way guys stopped Brian and Jim, welcoming their alumni brothers back for the celebrations.
When they got to the food, they noticed Mart was gone. As Trixie looked around for him, she noticed he had already loaded his plate. “Some things never change,” she said to Brian.
“What is this or rather what is in it,” Honey asked looking at the mystery punch in a vat on the patio. One always had to beware of fraternity mystery punch.
By this time Mart was at her side. Without missing a beat, she and Mart chanted together, “Eye of a newt, toe of a frog, wool of a bat, eye of a dog.”
Honey shuddered. “I think I’ll pass.”
As the party went on, more people arrived. They had fun catching up. At one point Trixie didn’t see Jim for nearly two hours. She was enjoying the fact her Greek Week festivities were over and her sisters repeatedly serenaded her with sisterhood songs. As Trixie was heading back to find another drink she spied Jim. Without saying a word, he grabbed her hand and took her outside the fraternity house to behind the vacated volleyball court. He then kissed her hello for the first time since he arrived.
Finally, when they came up for air, Trixie said mischievously, “Hello to you too, Mr. Frayne.”
They sat down on a bench hand in hand.
“I am so proud of you, Trixie. You have done a great job with Greek Week. But I’m glad you are all mine, now.”
They continued kissing until they decided to stop what may become inappropriate behavior for public place. They both giggled as they sat there enjoying each other’s company and nearness.
“Trixie?” Jim asked.
“Hmm?” she replied dreamily.
“I know I don’t say this nearly often enough but I do love you and I AM going to marry you one day.”
Trixie laughed. “Oh, Jim. Are you drunk?”
Jim slowly sat up and turned Trixie around to face him. She stared up into his green eyes. “Actually, I’ve never been more sober in my life.”
Trixie looked at this man who started as her best friend when they were teenagers and had become her desired life companion. “Jim, I love you with more feeling that I ever knew was possible.” She was surprised with her honesty. But this was her best friend and you don’t keep secrets from your best friend.
“I know we both have a few years of school left, but I want you to know I will wait for you. This is your surprise.” With that he reached into his windbreaker pocket and pulled out a box. Inside was his fraternity pin. He put the box in Trixie’s hand and closed his hand on top of hers. As he leaned over to kiss her, he said softly; “I know your sorority considers a pinning a sort of pre-engagement symbol. I want you to think of it that way. Consider yourself pre-engaged.” He chuckled.
There were no words for Trixie to respond. She didn’t need to. As she looked up at Jim, the love in her eyes said it all.
As they got up from the bench and walked back to the party, Jim wrapped his arms around Trixie and this time laughed as he said, “ I will be around tomorrow when you have your candlelight. I guess I’ll also have to endure whatever my fraternity has in store for me. ”
He added, “But it's worth it to be with you,” as he kissed her and walked into the party.
The End