Chapter 4 - Jasmine Part 1

“... and I had her screaming my name begging for more. When we were tired and hungry for dinner I realized hours had passed. It was by far the hottest sex I’ve ever had.”

I closed Jasmine’s journal and returned it to its home in the nightstand. I wasn’t sure whether I should write that from Jasmine’s point of view or D’s, so I wrote what came natural. I never fancied myself a writer, but I’ve read many books. None of them erotic by nature (except that one which was totally by accident), but what I wrote was kinda steamy, in my own opinion. I debated on whether to rip that page out of the journal. I left it there, a part of me eager for the other Guild members to read it. Was that bragging?

I looked at my new closet. I wanted to get ready to take on the world tomorrow as Jasmine. It will be Monday and I will have to go to class for the first time ever, not as Daniel. The closet was filled with so many different choices of style and color. I had no idea where to begin.

I was nervous. Not just about the clothing. About going to classes I’ve never been to. About being a convincing Jasmine. And about how the previous Jasmine could be a convincing Daniel.

The cellphone on the nightstand rang with a saccharine melody. I gazed at the screen to see who it was. It read, “Mom.”

Shit. I sure didn’t prepare for this conversation. I was too busy having mind-blowing sex with Morgan. Now, I feel guilty. What would the real Jasmine - J - say about my selfish afternoon?

I answered it tentatively, “Hello?”

“Hi, honey, how was your week?” Jasmine’s mother’s voice sounded friendly, yet serious.

I put on a fake smile even though I knew she couldn’t see me. “Oh, you know, same as the others.”

“Jasmine Michelle!” she admonished. “I hope you’re not out partying and drinking.”

“Oh, no, of course not,” I lied. “I’m studying and getting ready for tomorrow.”

“Good. We can’t have a repeat of last semester.”

“Of course not.”

She continued the interrogation. “Whatever happened to that boy you were seeing?”

“Boy?” I asked, surprised. There wasn’t anything in the journal about a boy.

“What was his name… Brian? Ryan?”

That certainly didn’t help. I needed to think fast. “Um. Oh, him. I haven’t even talked with him in like… forever.” Or ever.

“Oh,” she responded disappointedly. “I was really hoping you’d find a nice boy before you graduate.”

Was she serious? I can’t imagine my parents having the same conversation with me. “I’m only a sophomore… Mom.” Calling this strange woman on the other end of the line Mom was weird. “And I didn’t get into college to earn an MRS degree.” At least I doubt she did.

“I just want you to be happy,” came the sullen reply. 

“OK.” I sat down on my bed, and felt my breasts bounce. I hadn’t put a bra back on after sex. Sex. A smile formed on my face at the oh-so recent memory. I had an idea. Why introduce Jasmine’s mother to a guy when she could introduce her to someone who really makes her happy? “How about if I bring a girl home?”

There was silence on the other end of the line.

“Mom?” I probed.

“Don’t you dare joke about that,” she said in an even more serious tone.

Oh. 

OK. Ixnay on the aygay. I should’ve known. My own parents taught me that love was love, but I knew that wasn’t the norm. Jasmine’s mother just reminded me that not everyone is as lucky as I am.

“We did not send you to college to fuck around,” she spat.

I cringed, just wanting to end this conversation. I walked into what I felt was a trap. I was embarrassed. “Hey, listen Mom, I have a lot of homework. K? Bye.”

I hung up the call and breathed a sigh of relief. I retrieved the journal and added “No talking to Mom about possibly dating girls,” then returned it to the drawer.

I sat on the bed and sighed. I hope I didn’t screw anything up. Well, too late. I have things I need to do so I don’t screw up tomorrow for Jasmine, too.

I returned to my closet to struggle with clothing choices. When I heard Morgan walking past my open door, I decided to get her opinion. “Hey, Morgan,” I called out. “I need some advice.”

She stopped walking and looked into my room. “About what?”

“What should I wear to class tomorrow?”

“Whatever you want,” she sang.

“Jasmine doesn’t have a style?” I probed further. “I found no mention of what to wear in her rules or journals. If I’m going to be role-playing her, I need to know what to wear.”

“I thought you knew Jasmine before you joined the Guild.”

“She’s in my lit class. I didn’t even know her name until yesterday. We never talked.”

“But you had a crush on her.”

“Yeah, kinda.”

“‘Kinda’ my ass! I’ll bet you checked her out every chance you got. Who wouldn’t?”

She had me. I looked down, only to see my crush, in the flesh. My ample cleavage, unrestrained by a bra, putting dirty thoughts in my head. “Well…,” my silent blush saying more than I could verbally.

“Then you know what she wears to class.” She gave me a huge smile then laughed. “Girl, don’t be ashamed. We’re roommates and I check you out every chance I get!” She then gave me a seductive wink.

I tried my best to ignore that wink. After all, I just wasted all afternoon having sex with her… well I wouldn’t say wasted. But, my body is sore, I’m tired, and I should really stop procrastinating. 

I thought about what outfits Jasmine wore that made me want to crush on her, and looked in her closet. A few of the outfits I recognized. She had a very casual style, mostly form-fitting T-shirts and jeans. Sometimes a skirt or shorts, depending on the weather. Sometimes a midriff-exposing tank top. Sometimes a sundress. “There's a lot to choose from. How do I pick?”

Morgan smiled. “This is actually part of the fun, D. Look at the weather. What do you have going on that day? How are you feeling?”

“OK,” I said with trepidation. “Sometimes she wears a cute outfit like this.” I pulled out a pink sundress. “But other days she’s wearing T-shirts and jeans.” I pulled out a grungy T-shirt with a band logo on it. 

“Want to know a little secret?” Morgan asked with a smirk.

“Yeah,” I eagerly replied, leaning forward.

“If you saw her wearing that,” she pointed at the T-shirt, “that was likely J. If you saw her wearing the dress, that was most likely G.”

I put the T-shirt back. “G? Gabriel? But - that sounds backwards.”

“Does it?” Morgan chuckled. “Typically the guys dress more femininely when they’re in the girls’ bodies than the girls do. Don’t ask me why that is, because I couldn’t tell you. G’s Jasmine is the most fashionable of us all. My Jasmine is a little edgier. There’s a pair of fishnets in her bottom drawer I absolutely adore.”

“Hmm,” was the only response I could give. I looked again at the closet and back to Morgan. “I thought we were all role-playing.”

“We are,” she replied. “But a little bit of our own individual personality bleeds through. And that’s totally acceptable. The point is to have fun being the person you are during a swap.”

I nodded. I was no closer to choosing an outfit for tomorrow, though.

“Have fun, D,” she urged. “I can’t wait to see your version of Jasmine.” She gave me another wink, then returned to what she was doing before I pulled her aside.

I let out an audible groan.

“Stop overthinking it!” Morgan yelled from the other room. “You’re going to a college lecture, not the ball. Some girls go in their pajamas!”

Now there’s an idea. I could just wear a T-shirt and pajama bottoms. But that feels like a cop-out. I should take advantage of this and wear something cute. But, she’s right. I’m overthinking it. 

I skimmed the rack of clothes and stopped at a dress that piqued my interest. I liked it, but it wasn’t appropriate for class. Then I saw a black flower patterned blouse that looked fun. I also remembered how good Jasmine’s ass looked in a pair of jeans. I smiled as I was formulating an outfit in my head. 

I pulled out a pair of flared jeans from her drawer, then paired it with that blouse. Yes. I could see it. I nodded approvingly as I found my outfit. I next focused on underwear. Jasmine had bras of so many different colors and patterns. They were all cute and the part of my mind that associated bras with breasts got turned on. At first I was going to choose the brightest color, but instead I opted to go with a solid black one. It was safe. I did the same with the panties. Solid black panties with lace along the hems.

I checked the time and realized I needed to get to bed. I wasn’t sure what Jasmine’s bedtime was, but I knew mine, and it was time to call it a night.

* * *

In the morning, I got up to Jasmine’s preset alarm then showered. The fact that I’ve had sex with and in this body already made getting undressed for the shower anti-climatic. But that didn’t stop me from feeling my sensual body under the steamy hot water. Touching myself was just as enjoyable as being touched by my roommate.

After a very erotic shower, I dried off, then I eagerly put on today’s outfit. I started with the bra and panties. The delicate material felt heavenly against my skin. After almost half a day of not wearing a bra, it felt cool and gentle on my nipples. Then the panties. Even though this is no longer the first time I put panties on, now, I finally savored the experience. They were soft and felt right. They hugged my hips and snuggly lay across my mound. Nothing like the stiff boxers I’d normally wear. That old feeling of letting my genitals just hang there. No, this felt safe and secure. And sexy. Then I pulled on the jeans. They were snug on my thighs, and hugged my curves. These might actually be my new favorite pair of jeans. And finally the blouse. It was thin, light, and airy, but I knew it was going to be a warm, early-fall day. Next, I had to decide between sneakers or sandals. I opted for the sandals. My blue painted toenails poked through to cap off what I thought was a good start for someone who was raised a male and never put on women’s clothes until yesterday.

I checked myself in the mirror, happy with how I looked. I looked feminine, but not too feminine. I also looked casual, but not too casual. Maybe I can experiment with different looks tomorrow. The idea put a smile on my face. I felt confident. I was actually looking forward to the possibilities.

When I came out of my room and met Morgan in the kitchen she eyed me up and down. As she watched, I did a spin so she could see all of me.

“So?” I asked, eager to hear her opinion.

“I like it,” she said. “Bold choice with the sheer blouse and a black bra.”

“Wha-” My head snapped down and I was mortified to see my mistake. I hadn’t considered that. “Oh my God, should I change?”

“What, no,” Morgan insisted. “It’s perfect.”

“Are you sure?”

“Trust me,” she said, grabbing my hand. Her warm hands sent a feeling of support through me. “You’re hot. It’s fashionable. It’s also functional. Wearing jeans lets you avoid shaving your legs for another day. Now let’s get going before we miss the shuttle.” 

Shaving my legs? That’s something else I wasn’t prepared for. I was becoming even more worried and embarrassed. “Then what normally goes under this?”

“A camisole - but I like the bra look.”

“Do you think my legs are hairy?” I asked, subconsciously rubbing my leg through my jeans.

She raised her eyebrow. “A little. You can probably go a few more days if you want - but no skirts or dresses.”

Morgan and I ate a quick breakfast, grabbed our stuff, and left our apartment. Since we lived off campus, we took the campus shuttle bus to classes. It was nice to sit and relax for a few minutes instead of the speed walking I had to do as Daniel. We passed Daniel’s dorm. I saw the typical walkers as the shuttle drove by. I looked for Daniel, but didn’t see him. I hoped he didn’t miss class.

When we reached Morgan’s stop she gave me a hug and whispered, “Good luck on your first day, Jaz.”

I thanked her and she got off the shuttle.

Next stop was mine, the English department. I got off the shuttle and made my way to the building. I’m not sure if it was planned or not, but having my first class as Jasmine was also one of Daniel’s classes, so I wouldn’t have to worry about being lost on my first day. Or maybe it’s just a coincidence and I’m overthinking this.

Before I reached the doors, I was stopped by a cute brunette girl, who appeared to be waiting for me. She clearly knew me. “Hey, Jaz - so, about tomorrow night…”

“Tomorrow night?” I asked this random stranger. 

“Yeah, my sorority mixer, remember?” She held the door open for me, and we walked into the building.

“Riiiiight.” I pretended to remember. “Sorry - long weekend.” I don’t know why it never occurred to me that Jasmine would have more friends. Not just the Guild.

“I’ll bet. Did you go out with your other friends?” The way she said “other” was dripping with resentment.

I stared at her for a moment before responding. “Yeah, we went to a few clubs.” I was on the defensive. This girl wasn’t happy. Therefore, I found it prudent to leave out the part about me having sex with my roommate. Twice.

“So, wear something dressy. I want to introduce you to some of my sisters. Plus, there will be cute boys there from our brother fraternity, the Kappas.”

I didn’t know what to say. I wasn’t sure I wanted to go to a Greek-life mixer my first week in the Guild.

“Hey, Jaz, are you OK?” she asked.

“Yeah, why?” Dammit, Daniel, you’re blowing it already.

“No, seriously. We like, never talk anymore. Like really talk. Ever since you moved in with… Morgan, I feel like you’ve been distant. You don't tell me anything.”

“Oh,” I replied. I wonder if that coincided with Jasmine joining the Guild. “I’m fine…” I lied, wishing I knew her name.

“I’m your best friend, you know you can tell me anything.”

Um, definitely not this thing. “I just… have a lot going on right now,” I truthfully replied. I remembered what the Guild had said about swapping with Daniel - a little break from their demanding lives. “This has been a stressful semester. What I’d really love is for some peace and quiet and settling down with a good book.”

“Whatever,” she replied impatiently. “But you’re still coming out tomorrow, right?”

I looked at her and smiled with fake sincerity. “Of course I am. You’re my best friend.”

She hugged me. “Oh, thank you, thank you!” She let go of me. “I have to get to my class. See you later!”

I watched her walk away. She has a cute ass and it swayed nicely with each step. Wait, I’m Jasmine, and that’s my best friend, I need to stop staring.

I was a little frustrated that I didn’t get her name. Typical Daniel… or D. I’m going to have to get used to calling myself by a letter. Anyway, I was always forgetting to get the girl's name. But I’m supposed to know her. I’ll have to ask Morgan who this mystery best friend is later.

As I continued to my classroom I realized there’s a lot about Jasmine’s life that wasn’t in the journal. I wonder if that was by design, or just an oversight by the Guild members writing in it.

I walked into the classroom to see that Daniel was already there, sitting in my - his - usual seat. He was early! He looked up at me and smiled. I smiled back. I wasn’t sure if Daniel and Jasmine are supposed to know each other outside of this class. The Guild is secret after all.

I took my seat and got out the book we were studying. Good thing I already read it as Daniel. It would’ve really sucked to come to class having forgotten my homework. 

As class droned on, I kept sneaking glances over at Daniel. I caught him eyeing me up a few times. It felt kinda nice being the one getting crushed on, for a change. Of course, I was overthinking it. He is just role-playing Daniel - right? Unless whoever Daniel was is actually attracted to me. I smiled at the thought, but knowing he’s a Guild member certainly complicates things. It also occurred to me that Daniel is the former Jasmine. I had sex with Jasmine-now-Daniel Saturday night. Maybe he does like me. But what about Rule 5?

During the discussion, Daniel answered one of the professor's questions with a very insightful response. I was impressed. I think Daniel actually did his homework last night. While slightly jealous of his answer, it did put me at ease. He’s got this. I don’t have to worry about him screwing up my life. I just had to worry about screwing up the life of whomever I am at the moment.

After class ended, I was thinking of swinging by to say hi to him, but I noticed he was talking to a girl. Her name was Kristy, and she typically sat in front of me - I mean Daniel. Yet another one of my crushes. At least I got her name once.

I walked closer to hear what they were talking about. They were actually talking about our reading assignments.

Daniel smiled at her and offered to go over the book with her after class one day. She smiled and said that was a good idea.

I couldn’t believe it. That boy’s got game. He’s been Daniel for less than 24 hours and he’s actually talking confidently to girls.

With that, I left the classroom and headed to the next class on my schedule.

* * *

My next class was something called Engineering Molecules. According to the syllabus in my notebook, it's a bioengineering class. It was across campus in the Engineering Building. I come here for my computer science classes. That’s where the similarities ended. I have no idea what bioengineering is.

Everything the professor said went entirely over my head. I took notes, but I didn’t comprehend what I was actually writing.

I was lucky he didn’t insist on class participation. My fear was to be called upon to answer something I knew nothing about.

This led me to wonder how exactly do classes work for Guild members? Maybe I should have asked about that before swapping. Too late now.

* * *

When both Morgan and I were home, I took it upon myself to ask her all of these burning questions. Who were these people in Jasmine’s life and how I was expected to handle Jasmine’s unfamiliar courses?

“Hey, I have a few questions,” I said. 

Morgan was sitting in the kitchen working on her laptop when she looked up at me. She smiled, signaling I had her attention.

“Apparently, I have a best friend. What’s her name? And I was dating a guy recently. I didn’t see any of that in the journals. And bioengineering? Seriously? The professor could’ve been talking in a different language and I wouldn’t have known it.”

Morgan laughed.

“What's so funny?”

“You’ve been hazed, girl! Welcome to the Guild.”

“Hazed?” I repeated incredulously. “So…”

“Text Daniel, I bet he hid those journals somewhere.”

“But how would he have known…”

“He did volunteer to swap with you,” Morgan giggled. “He also likely didn’t shave yesterday before the swap on purpose. That bitch.” More laughing.

“Was he - she supposed to?”

“It is kind of an unwritten rule to make sure the body you’re handing off is clean, properly groomed, and fed. And homework is done.”

“Oh. Does the Guild come with its own syllabus? I’m finding there seems to be a fair number of unwritten rules.”

“You’ll figure them out in no time. How’d you do today? Aside from bio.”

“I did fine. But I would’ve liked to have known those things.”

She smiled. “That’s awesome. You’re a natural, then. OK - your other questions. Yes, Lauren is your best friend from back home. You both came to college together, and were roommates in the dorm last year.”

“Lauren,” I echoed, attempting to commit that to memory. “But not any more…” Obviously she’s not living with me and Morgan.

“She joined a sorority - Delta something - and moved in with them over the summer.”

“Ah. That explains that. She doesn’t seem to like you.”

“She doesn’t like the Guild, Jasmine,” Morgan explained. “Before Daniel, you were the most recent one to join. You started hanging out with us more than her. Lauren’s kinda resentful of how much time you spend with us.”

“I see. And my…boyfriend?” I asked nervously. “Or is it ex?” I added, sounding hopeful.

“Ex. Definitely. Well, Brian was a douche. And a stalker. Wouldn’t take no for an answer. He kept following us. Gabriel - that is Gabriel’s body - put him in his place. I think he was J at the time, which was even funnier.”

“Do I need to be worried?”

“Nah. Haven’t seen him since last semester. When a 200-pound running back threatens your life, you listen.”

“OK. What about classes?”

“We study together on Wednesdays. We have a standing Guild meeting to study. We share notes, help each other with homework. Since we’ve all been Jasmine at this point, any of us can help you with that.”

“And if I don't get it? Bioengineering looks tough. And nothing like what I - D - came here to study.”

“You can tag out. Like Syd and Gabe did last night.”

I nodded. “Thank you Morgan. This has been a huge help. I suppose I should text Daniel then about the journals.”

Morgan smiled and walked into her bedroom, as I took a seat in the living room.

I retrieved my cell phone from my backpack and sent a message to my old phone number. “Hey. So, about my missing journals.”

Seconds later, he replied with a smile emoji and, “There’s a storage container under the bed. Welcome to the Guild, D! Love ya!”

I looked under the bed and found the two missing journals. I skimmed through them quickly and found references to last spring when Jasmine joined the Guild. About Lauren’s jealousy. About Brian’s jealousy and their breakup. Also, there was tension with Mom that I would’ve liked to have known about before our phone call. 

After spending an hour studying the journals, It was time to do some real studying. I pulled out my class notes and read and re–read my nonsensical writing. I kinda wondered if there was something else I should be doing with my time.

Listening to one of Jasmine’s music playlists helped put me in a better mood. I found my head bobbing, and my bare foot tapping to the beat. It got me energized to face another day. 

As I sat in my room listening to music, I wondered if Morgan was ever going to come over and seduce me. She didn’t. Maybe our roommates-with-benefits thing was weekends only. Or maybe she was waiting for me to make a move. Either way, it wasn't meant to be tonight.

* * *

Tuesday came and went. My Tuesday classes were just as crazy as my Monday classes.

There were more bioengineering classes. At least one of the classes was a generic math class that I had already taken as Daniel.

In the evening it was time to get ready for Lauren’s mixer at her sorority house. I really wanted to tap out of this, but they were right. I should see this through just so I could get more experience role-playing in a setting I wasn’t comfortable with.

I picked out a modest blue dress for the mixer. When I tried it on, I liked the way it accentuated my curves. It came down to my knees and certainly was longer than the dress I wore as Morgan on Saturday. I then realized I needed to shave my legs. I was a little nervous about doing it. I could’ve asked Morgan, but decided that I needed to learn some things by myself. That’s what the internet is for, right?

I took a shower and applied the same rules about shaving my face to my legs. Once I started doing it though, apparently muscle memory kicked in and my legs were done in no time. I loved running my hands up and down my silky-smooth legs.

While I was doing my makeup, my phone buzzed. There was a new message from the QuikChat app. I opened it and saw it was a group chat for the Guild. The message just now was from Sydney asking if anyone wanted to join her at the gym. So, that’s how they remain in constant communication.

Within seconds replies came. Antonio said he was meeting with a student committee, Gabriel said he had practice. Morgan replied, “Yes.” Daniel responded, “Not tonight.”

I replied, “Sorry, I have a mixer tonight.” And I truly was sorry. Though the gym really wasn’t my thing, joining Sydney and Morgan there seemed better than what I was heading into. 

I scrolled up through the conversation history. Since the start of the semester, there was talk about recruiting a “replacement.” The girls volunteered to pick up a guy during their next girls’ night. I blushed knowing that I was that guy. Then they said they found a potential candidate who was going to swap with Morgan that night. I blushed when Jasmine said I was awesome. Then there was a vote on whether to bring Daniel in. It was unanimous, then directions to meet at the library for the Guild meeting.

Wow. There are no secrets with this group. I put the phone down and continued my makeup.

When I was ready, I rode the campus shuttle to Greek Row, a collection of on-campus housing for fraternities and sororities. I had found all of the information about this mixer in my phone's planner app. It was a mixer for newly initiated Delta Pi Theta sisters - Lauren being one of them.

Speaking of Lauren - I noticed her waiting for me outside of the Delta house. She looked amazing in a single-strap little black dress. I wondered what I would look like in that number.

When she saw me she smiled and opened her arms for a hug. “Jasmine, thank you so much for coming!”

I returned her embrace and replied, “Anything for you, Lauren.” It felt good putting a name with a face.

“Come,” she said, taking my hand. “I want to introduce you to some of my sisters.”

I followed Lauren into her house. Pop music was playing but drowned out by around fifty or so students mingling with each other. The girls were wearing very skimpy outfits similar to Lauren, which made my own outfit look like I was going to church.

Of course, with all of these insanely attractive and popular students around me, my mind went back to the fact that I’m not really Jasmine. I’m Daniel in disguise. And the fact that my outfit was more conservative than theirs made me feel like even more of a pretender. “What the hell am I doing here,” I mumbled to myself.

As we walked through the crowd, I could feel eyes on me. The girls gave me judgemental glares while the boys smiled and their eyes drifted to my breasts or ass.

Lauren pulled me over to a group of girls who were already engaged in conversation. “Ella, I wanted to introduce you to my best friend from back home, Jasmine.”

The girl in the middle, who was tall, blonde, and very attractive looked at me and gave me a fake smile. “Oh, hi! I’ve heard so much about you.” She stepped forward to hug me and I met her halfway and we awkwardly embraced.

“It’s nice to meet you as well,” I replied with my own fake smile.

We let go of our hug and she raised her eyebrows as if she was waiting to hear more.

In my life as Daniel I tended to avoid superficial people like this, so I had no experience in how to socialize with them. I think she might have been expecting me to return a flattering comment her way.

“You’re Lauren’s friend with the lesbian hypnotist roommate, or something like that, right?”

I gave Lauren a snide glance. What did she tell them about Morgan? “Not quite.”

“Are you thinking of pledging?” Ella asked me, not caring about my response, and disdain showing through her smile.

“Oh, no, I’m just here to support Lauren,” I replied. “I thought pledging was a freshmen-only thing.”

“We rush twice a year. Usually in the spring we look to bring in exceptional upperclassmen.”

“Jasmine is in the honors program and is currently studying bioengineering,” Lauren gushed.

I continued to smile. Was Lauren really trying to get me to join this group?

“That’s wonderful,” Ella robotically replied. “Make yourself at home, there’s beer and wine in the kitchen.”

“Thank you,” I replied.

“It was so nice to meet you, Jesse.”

“Jasmine,” I corrected her, but she had already turned her focus elsewhere.

I turned to whisper to Lauren. “So what do we do now?”

“Just mingle. I can introduce you to more of my sisters. Do you want a beer?”

Typically I’d decline, but I felt so awkward, a drink wouldn’t hurt. “Please.”

I followed Lauren to the kitchen where there was a line for the keg.

“What did you think of Ella?” Lauren asked.

“Oh, she seems nice,” I replied.

“She’s the captain of the dance squad.”

“Is that like cheerleading?” I asked.

“No, the dance squad is different - they do more performances than the cheerleaders.”

“Oh, OK.” I decided to just stop guessing and ask Lauren her intentions directly, “Seriously, Lauren, do you really want me to pledge your sorority?”

“Well.. yeah,” she admitted. “I mean, my sisters are much better than those other people you hang out with.”

“Hey, what did you tell them about Morgan? A lesbian hypnotist? Really?”

She shrugged. “That’s the truth isn’t it? She did brainwash you.”

“I am not brainwashed!” 

“Whatev, Jaz, let’s just enjoy the party.”

“Hey, Lauren,” another sorority girl interrupted, “can I get your help with something?”

“Yeah, I’ll be right there,” Lauren replied. She turned to me. “Will you be alright?”

I shrugged, “Sure,” I guess. Sure, leave me alone in a house full of strangers. Me included.

“I’ll be back,” she promised. “Mingle!”

I waited in line for the keg and awkwardly stood there as other people were talking to each other. I was mostly ignored by the girls, and checked out by the guys. I eventually got my beer and retreated back to the living area. I found an empty spot against the wall where I leaned against it. I took a sip of beer reiterating my internal thoughts of what I was doing here. I typically do the same things when I’m Daniel at a nightclub. But then I at least have my friends. What do I have here? Too bad I couldn’t invite Mike, Denis and Sal. They would’ve loved coming to this and mingling with all of these attractive women.

“Hi,” a male voice said beside me.

I turned to the greeter and replied, “Hi.”

“Not your scene?” he asked with a smile.

I chuckled, “How’d you guess?” I took a sip of my beer to seem like I belonged.

“I dunno,” he laughed. “The look on your face. The fact you aren’t dressed like any of them. I’m Aiden, by the way.” He extended me his free hand.

I softly shook it. “Jasmine.”

“What brings you to the Delta house, Jasmine?”

“My best friend is a recent inductee and wanted me to meet her sisters. Possibly pledge in the spring.”

“Very nice. What was your impression?”

“Oh, I dunno,” I said, trying to hide my true feelings. “I suppose they were nice.”

“You can say it,” he laughed. “Stuck up and fake.”

I couldn’t help but laugh at his directness. “Yeah, I suppose you’re right.”

“And the guys?”

“Well you’re the first one I’ve talked to. But their gaze has been all up and down me,” I said annoyed.

Aiden laughed. “Pervs.”

“Yeah, right,” I laughed with him. “They’re just beefed up predators.”

“Well, I’m a Kappa, too.”

My mouth dropped open and I turned red. “Oh, my God, I’m sorry for insulting your brothers.”

“Don’t worry about it,” he said with a smile. “You’re right about some of them. Honestly, most of them are out of your league.”

“Well, thank you. I think.”

“I know what you’re thinking,” he said with a smile. “Am I one of the good ones?”

I wasn’t thinking that. “Are you?”

“I am.”

That is something one of the bad ones would say. I nervously glanced around for Lauren to save me.

Aiden stepped closer, too close for my liking. “Hey - it’s stuffy in here. You wanna get out of here?”

Suddenly, I saw major red flags with this dude. “I’m kinda waiting for my friend.”

“I’m sure she’s fine.” He waved with his free hand. “You’re in excellent hands with me. I’m the co-host of this event. I can show you around, introduce you to some of my brothers. The good ones, that is.”

“I’d rather just stay here.”

He placed his hand on my hip. “If you change your mind, let me know.”

Warning bells went off in my head. Never had this happened to me. As a guy, the only unwanted physical contact was from bullies bumping into my shoulder or stupid shit like that. This was something different. Just as unwanted, and a million times creepier. I was mostly in shock and just nodded my head.

“See you later, Jasmine.” He walked away with a wink.

Let’s not.

At that point I decided I wasn’t going to wait for Lauren. This isn’t even my body and I wasn't going to put either myself or Jasmine in that kind of danger. That is why I left my beer on the kitchen counter and made a beeline out of the sorority house. More people were going into the party, but I wanted nothing more to do with it. I’d have to apologize to Lauren later.