Obligation Read online

  Harmony Falls University, #1

  LEXI LAWTON

  OBLIGATION (Harmony Falls University, #1) by LEXI LAWTON

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  FIRECHICKEN PRESS, LLC

  213 South Dwight Street

  Jackson, MI 49203

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  This book is a work of fiction. All characters, places, names, and events are either a product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any likeness to any events, locations, or persons, alive or otherwise, is entirely coincidental.

  Obligation copyright © 2022 Lexi Lawton

  All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form. For inquiries and information, address FireChicken Press, LLC., 213 South Dwight Street, Jackson, MI 49203. www.firechickenpress.weebly.com

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  First Edition March 2022

  Edited by Courtney Lynn Rose

  Book Design by Lexi Lawton

  Cover Design by Laura Heritage

  For my PA, Kris, without whom Lexi may never have written another book. Love ya!

  Chapter One

  “Oh, my God!” Carissa’s hands shook as she read and re-read the words on the card she held. “I got a bid.” Her heart raced, and her eyes widened as she glanced up at her best friend and college roommate. “I got a bid!” she shouted.

  “Me too!” Tiffany shrieked.

  Carissa dropped the card, grabbed Tiffany’s hands, and jumped around their room, laughing and squealing with excitement. They’d attended a handful of rush parties and had their hearts set on pledging Theta Omega Pi, which was the most elite sorority at Harmony Falls University. And now they’d been officially invited to pledge.

  “I can’t believe we both got bids,” Tiffany said, out of breath. She pushed her long, dark hair away from her face, then planted her hands on her hips.

  Last year, as freshmen, they hadn’t been allowed to pledge a sorority, so they’d spent that time researching various groups, and they’d made a promise to each other—they pledged the same sorority together or not at all.

  “I know!” Carissa collapsed onto her bed with a laugh. “This year is going to be so amazing.”

  “Well, we’re not in yet,” Tiffany said.

  Carissa propped herself on her elbows and rolled her eyes. “There’s absolutely no reason we won’t get in. Stop being so negative.”

  “I’m not being negative. I’m being realistic.”

  “Whatever.” She tossed a pillow at Tiffany’s head, but she caught it mid-air and hurled it back at Carissa. “I have to call Danny and tell him.” She rolled over to reach for her cell phone.

  “I thought him and Garrett were moving today.”

  Carissa groaned. “I keep forgetting they’re moving off-campus. Must be nice.” She tossed her phone to the foot of the bed, then stood. “I’d give anything not to have to live in this res hall.”

  Tiffany laughed. “Yeah, right. Like your dad will ever allow that. If he had his way, you’d be living at home right now.”

  She scrunched her face. “Sooner or later, he won’t be able to stop me. I’m mean, I’m already an adult so…” She shrugged.

  Tiffany didn’t respond other than to give Carissa a disbelieving look. Carissa ignored her friend and busied herself with gathering a towel and her shower caddy so she could start getting ready for tonight. Their first pledge meeting started promptly at 6:00 p.m., which mean she had a little over an hour.

  “Hey, I’m gonna run down to the cafeteria and grab some food. Want anything?” Tiffany shoved her phone into her back pocket, her wallet and keys clutched in her hand.

  “I’d devour a slice of pizza right about now,” Carissa said, opening the door. “Want some money?”

  Tiffany waved off her question. “Be back in a few.” She disappeared down the hall.

  By the time Carissa finished showering and returned to her room, Tiffany was back with food. The enticing aroma of sauce, cheese, and pepperoni greeted her, and Carissa’s stomach growled. She set her toiletries on her desk, snatched her pizza, and sank down on her bed with her phone. She took a large bite and moaned at the explosion of flavors on her tongue as she aimlessly scrolled through social media.

  “What’re you wearing tonight?” Tiffany asked while rummaging around in their shared closet.

  “I don’t know.” Carissa chewed and swallowed another bite. “I was thinking either my black Gucci dress or my red, pleated Chanel skirt with the matching jacket. I have a new tank I can wear with it.”

  Tiffany spun around. “The Chanel skirt with your Coach sandals.” She nodded adamantly. “Then I can wear your black Gucci dress.” She grinned.

  Carissa laughed. “Deal.” She polished off the rest of her pizza, then wiped her fingers on the towel she had wrapped around her hair. Her phone chimed with an incoming text message.

  Danny: Hey, babe. Miss you.

  Despite all they’d been through last year, his simple texts still managed to brighten her day. If only she didn’t question every single word he spoke or sent.

  Carissa: Miss you, too. All moved yet?

  Danny: Almost. Hang here tonight?

  She frowned. Since classes ended last semester, she hadn’t seen Danny much. He’d gone home to Maine for the summer, and her father had her on lockdown for two solid months. Other than his intense hatred for her boyfriend Danny, she couldn’t understand why her father kept her on such a short leash—she’d done everything he wanted. What more could she do to appease him?

  Carissa: Tiff and I got bids to pledge TOP!!! First meeting is tonight. Sorry.

  She set her phone down long enough to get dressed and apply light makeup. When she picked up her phone again, she had four new texts.

  Danny: I’m happy for you.

  Danny: I really am. I know this means a lot to you.

  Danny: We haven’t spent much time together lately.

  Danny: A sorority is a huge commitment. Will you still have time for me? Us?

  “Are you friggin’ kidding me?” Carissa grumbled, brows pulled down in a scowl.

  “What’s wrong?” Tiffany shimmied the dress over her hips.

  “Danny.” Carissa sighed. She read his messages to Tiffany. “I mean, I get he’s upset because we haven’t seen each other much since the new semester started, but he knows how much this means to me.” She shrugged. “I just hoped he’d be a little more supportive.”

  “We all know how crazy the start of a new semester is, and he’s been moving all day. I’m sure he’s just stressed and doesn’t mean to make you feel bad.” She slipped the spaghetti straps over her shoulders. “Danny loves you too much to ever hurt you.”

  “Yeah, you’re probably right. We should go see their new place tomorrow.”

  “I’m good with that plan.” Tiffany smiled.

  Carissa composed another text, hoping she could calm his fears, because she really didn’t want to fight with him. And, partly, because she was still carrying around a million pounds of guilt for what she’d done—and for the massive lie she was living. Then again, if Danny hadn’t done what he did… She shook the thoughts away. Now wasn’t the time to dwell on the mistakes they’d both made.

  Carissa: I’ll always have time for you. I love you. We’ll come over tomorrow and spend the day, ok?

  Danny: Ok. Love you too. Call me after your meeting?

  Carissa: Ofc.

  She added several heart emojis and hit send. Hopefully, when they saw each other tomorrow, things would be fine. They always were better in person than on the phone anyway.

  As soon as Tiffany and Carissa were dressed and ready to go, they left their residence hall and walked the short distance to Greek Row. The early evening air was warm and smelled of fresh cut grass mixed
with the sweet scent of hydrangeas. Students milled about, engaged in various activities, but it was easy to pick out which co-eds were headed to nearby sororities and fraternities.

  The massive, meticulously groomed Theta Omega Pi house came into view, and a renewed sense of excitement filled Carissa. She clutched Tiffany’s arm, and they strode up the stone walkway. The front wraparound porch was decorated with purple and gold balloons and streamers. A banner that read “Welcome Pledges” stretched from one white column to the other.

  A table was positioned at the top of the porch steps, and two blonde girls with matching purple TOP shirts greeted them with vibrant smiles.

  “Welcome to Theta Omega Pi. Name, please,” said one of the stunning blondes.

  “Carissa Jordan,” she said and promptly handed over the card she’d received earlier.

  The blonde checked Carissa’s name off a list while the other girl held out a thick binder.

  “Thanks.” Carissa took the binder and hugged it to her chest.

  “And you are?” asked the blonde with the list of names in front of her.

  “Tiffany Ward.” She, too, relinquished her bid card and received a binder in return.

  “Please head on inside.”

  With a nod, Carissa stepped inside the TOP house. The foyer, decorated similarly to the porch, opened directly in front of a wide staircase. Floral garland adorned the banister. To her left was the dining room and attached kitchen. To the right was the common living area and where a small group of women stood chatting.

  “In here, I guess,” Carissa said with a shrug.

  Tiffany followed, and they found an empty spot near the fireplace. Everyone else had binders, too, and Carissa took a moment to study hers. Her name was written in elegant cursive beneath the embossed Greek letters. She flipped open the binder to find pages upon pages of information about the history of the sorority, the members—past and present—and the core values and expectations of a TOP woman.

  “Hello, and welcome, new pledges. I’m Mallory Marks, President of Theta Omega Pi.” She strode into the room wearing a gorgeous knee-length purple dress with silver heels. Her short, brown hair was held back on one side with a gold barrette, and her lips shimmered with a soft pink glitter gloss. “Please, find a seat.” Mallory gestured to the furniture.

  Carissa sat on the nearest loveseat, and Tiffany sat next to her. Crossing her legs, Carissa set the binder on her lap and gave her full attention to Mallory. She’d been waiting for this for an entire year—no way was she going to miss a single thing.

  “I’d like to start by congratulating each and every one of you. As you know, we don’t extend many bids, and this year, we’ve invited only ten of you to pledge.” Mallory clasped her hands in front of her and smiled warmly. “You’ve been offered a once in a lifetime opportunity, but I promise you, becoming a Theta Omega Pi sister won’t be easy. In fact, the next few weeks will push you to your limits. You’ll either rise to the challenge, or you won’t.”

  Carissa took a deep breath and glanced around the room. Every current sister stood lined up in the back of the room. Seeing all of them like that, a united group of women supporting one another, made her want to be part of this more than anything else.

  Mallory paced in front of the fireplace. “In your binder you’ll find everything you need to know about TOP. I suggest you study every word. Learn it. Memorize it.” She stopped and faced the pledges. “You will be randomly tested on the information, so be prepared. This is the only advance warning you’ll get.”

  Carissa shifted on the loveseat. She’d known pledging any sorority would be a commitment, but she hadn’t expected homework and pop quizzes. She was going to have to squeeze in some extra study time to ensure she knew all the info in her binder. Lucky for her, she could study with Tiffany.

  “In addition to knowing our history and core values, we’re going to test you on your dedication not only to TOP but to your sisters as well,” Mallory continued. “Don’t worry.” She smirked. “Hell week and hazing are things of the past. But, we do need to ensure that sisterhood comes before all else. So, ladies, welcome to Dedication Week.”

  Claps and cheers erupted, and a contagious energy filled the room. Tiffany nudged Carissa’s knee and grinned.

  Mallory quieted the girls with a wave of her hand. “Starting tonight, we’ll issue various tasks, challenges, and pranks. I promise they’ll be harmless, but they will help us see who among you are truly worthy of wearing our letters. Those of you who succeed with a good attitude and grace will get to call yourself a Theta Omega Pi sister.”

  Applause echoed throughout the large room. While the idea of completing tasks was a little nerve wracking, it was also thrilling. Having grown up with a twin brother, and an older sister, Carissa was no stranger to pranks or having fun and being able to laugh at her own expense. She’d breeze through Dedication Week.

  “I’d like to introduce you all to Amber Robinson. She’s our Activities Coordinator.” Mallory stepped aside to make space for Amber to stand next to her. Amber was petite with curly red hair and a Cherubic face.

  “Hello, pledges, and welcome.” Amber smiled, and her green eyes seemed to sparkle in tandem. “In honor of making it this far, we’ve decided to host a party for all of you.”

  Excited chatter drowned out the rest of Amber’s words. TOP was known for their creative parties, and Carissa could hardly sit still as she waited for the rest of the details.

  “Ladies, please.” Mallory laughed. “I know you’re excited, but let Amber finish.”

  Amber cleared her throat. “A core trait of any TOP sister is our ability to remain poised and polite in any situation, no matter how awkward or uncomfortable. We also pride ourselves on our ability to connect with people on meaningful levels.” She paused and glanced at Mallory, who nodded.

  Unease slithered up Carissa’s spine. Something about the look Mallory and Amber shared had Carissa’s intuition on high alert. Mallory already said the testing would start tonight. What did they have planned? Carissa braced herself for whatever was coming next.

  “We have pre-selected ten lucky guys, who will be marked with a small X on their hand, to get a kiss from one of our lovely pledges,” Amber said.

  Carissa’s heart sank, and her stomach knotted. She couldn’t kiss some random guy; she had a boyfriend, and she loved Danny. No way would she betray him—at least, not any more than she already had. She pushed that dark, unpleasant thought away before it could fully form in her mind.

  “Now, we realize some of you are in relationships, and we don’t want to cause trouble for you,” Amber said as if reading Carissa’s mind. “This task is more about showcasing your social skills and proving you can handle yourselves in a delicate but awkward situation.”

  “Exactly,” Mallory interjected. “Which is why a friendly kiss on the cheek or hand is acceptable, but we do need proof in the form of a picture texted directly to me. You’ll find my number in your binder.”

  “Yep.” Amber nodded. “And ladies, these guys have been instructed not to be easy.” She laughed. “So, you’re going to have to work at it tonight.”

  “Let Dedication Week begin!” Mallory threw her arms in the air.

  Confetti rained down from the ceiling, loud dance music pumped through the room, and a crowd of people poured into the house. Whoops of excitement cut through the music at sporadic intervals.

  The atmosphere was electric, but Carissa was still stunned by tonight’s task. Even something as simple as a kiss on the cheek would be a betrayal to Danny. Hell, he couldn’t stand when another guy looked at her too long. She groaned and covered her face with her hands. Maybe if she explained her unique situation to Mallory and Amber, they’d understand and excuse her from participating. But that wouldn’t make a very good impression, and Carissa was determined to become a TOP sister.

  “Hey, you okay?” Tiffany asked.

  “I don’t know how I’m going to do this. Danny will lose his mind i
f he finds out.”

  “Then we make sure he doesn’t find out.” Tiffany crouched in front of Carissa. “I won’t tell him, and no one else here even knows who he is or that you’re dating him.”

  Carissa chewed the inside of her cheek and nodded reluctantly. Tiffany was right, and what was one more small lie on top of the massive one she’d been living with the past several months?

  “We’ve been talking about pledging TOP since we were freshmen.” Tiffany stood and held out her hand. “Don’t give up before we ever try. C’mon.” She wiggled her fingers. “Let’s go enjoy our party.”

  Carissa took her friend’s hands and stood. More than anything, she wanted to be part of this sisterhood, and she wasn’t going to let one small, meaningless kiss stand in her way. Not like Danny hadn’t done the same to her already, only his kiss with another girl hadn’t been meaningless. Time to even the score.

  Chapter Two

  Carissa had been at the TOP new pledge party for almost two hours, and she had yet to find a single guy with an X on his hand. Granted, close to a hundred people had to be at the party, but still… Mallory had mentioned pranks in addition to tasks. Was this whole “task” actually an elaborate prank? Maybe the sisters were sitting back, watching and laughing as the pledges tried to find a guy with an X.

  “What do you think happens if we can’t complete tonight’s task?” Tiffany asked. She bobbed her head in time to the music and glanced around.

  “I’m starting to think this might be a prank.” Carissa narrowed her eyes as two guys walked by. No X on their hands. She sighed with frustration.

  “You think?” Tiffany asked.

  “It would be pretty funny.” Carissa shrugged and took a sip of her now tepid beer.

  While she wasn’t old enough to legally drink, and Harmony Falls University was a dry campus, Greek Row was technically on city property, not college-owned land, so a lot of Greek houses supplied their parties with plenty of alcohol. TOP was no different, though they were extremely careful to who they served and how much because they didn’t want to lose their national charter.