Cade Fontenot was something else entirely. Cade was of pure Cajun descent from just outside New Orleans, and Cade loved to have a good time. He was a sophomore majoring in Computer Science, and was only about five five, but he'd been a wrestler in his high school ("finished third in the state both my junior and senior years" he often said proudly) and so he had a thickly muscled, well-defined body to go with his dark hair, green eyes, and olive skin. Cade was always the first to suggest that we either get drunk or stoned-or preferably, both.

Joe Garza was Hispanic and from San Diego, a freshman majoring in Business. Joe was another one who liked to have fun, was about five ten, and dark. He always wore sandals, was always lugging his guitar around with him, and would start playing and singing at the merest suggestion he entertain us all. He was a good player and had a good voice, and once confided to me when he was stoned that he "really wanted to be a recording artist," but his parents were making him major in Business as a backup. We bonded over that, since my parents were the same way about my writing.

Rob Ross was a senior majoring in Psychology, was on the Dean's List, and had already been accepted into the graduate program. He was a nice looking guy with blond hair and brown eyes from Cleveland, and was engaged to one of the sisters of Alpha Xi Delta-Carrie Drilling (which, of course, led to the joke "Wouldn't you rather be drilling Carrie?").

The last of my pledge brothers was Jason Ziebell from Madison, Wisconsin. While I had really bonded with Chris and Eric (and felt attracted to them in a way), if I hadn't been already involved with Blair, Jason would be the one that I would want. He grew up ice skating and playing hockey, and as such had the roundest, thickest, hardest ass I'd ever seen in my life. You couldn't help but notice it, especially since even in the baggiest shorts it was prominent. He was in good shape everywhere, but that ass-and his legs-were the things fantasies came from. Jason had bright blue eyes, light skin, thick lips, and curly reddish gold hair. When he smiled, he lit up the room. Jason was majoring in History and was a little on the shy side. But when he opened up, he had a great sense of humor and was sharp as a tack.

After we had lined up, Marc Kearney came out and took our car keys. "Welcome to Big Brother night," he said solemnly once he had placed our keys into a backpack. "Thus far, your pledging semester has been easy and fun. But starting tonight, it is going to get harder. So, to assist you, you are getting your big brothers tonight. Your big brother will help guide you through the semester. He will be your friend, your mentor, and your ally in Beta Kappa." He then flashed his teeth in a smile. "In a single file line, follow me now into the house."

We followed him into the Great Room, where he had us line up against the wall. All the brothers were gathered in a crowd, watching us file in. "Turn and face the wall," Marc instructed, and we did. "Now, you will be blindfolded." Someone came up behind me and tied something around my head, completely blocking my eyes. "Your big brother is standing behind you. He is going to put something in your hands. This is your house family beer. When your big brothers were pledges and got THEIR big brothers, they were given this beer to drink-going all the way back to the founding of Beta Kappa. You have to drink it as quickly as you can. You have to drink it all, pledges. And when you are done, you will place it upside down on top of your head to show us that you are finished. When you are all finished with your family beer, then and only then will you be permitted to find out who your big brother is."

A cold bottle was placed in my hands.

"Start drinking!" Marc instructed, and I raised the bottle to my lips as all the brothers started shouting. The bottle seemed bottomless, and I couldn't really taste whatever it was I was drinking. I just kept swallowing and trying to breathe through my nose. It seemed liked people were screaming at me from every direction, but I knew that wasn't possible. I just kept drinking and drinking until suddenly my stomach rebelled, and I leaned my head against the wall.

"YOU AREN'T FINISHED DRINKING, PLEDGE! THAT BOTTLE IS NOT EMPTY!" someone screamed in my right ear.

I lifted the bottle to my lips again, took a deep breath, and started drinking again. Whatever it was, it tasted absolutely horrible. My stomach kept trying to send whatever it was I was drinking back up but I kept fighting it down. Just finish it, just finish it and then you can throw it up if you have to, just keep drinking ...

"Just turn it upside down on your head," a voice I didn't recognize whispered in my left ear. "You don't have to finish it-just as long as the bottle is empty."

With a sigh of relief, I did, and some liquid poured down over my head, dripping down my neck and soaking my shirt.

I stood there, panting, fighting down the urge to let it all come back up.

I felt woozy and sick.

After a few more minutes passed, minutes that seemed to last an eternity, the shouting finally stopped, and in the silence, Marc said, "Okay, pledges. Nicely done. Now you may remove your blindfolds and turn around. The first face you see will be your big brother."

I reached up and pulled the blindfold up. I looked at my hand. There was a liter bottle of Olde English 800 in it. I turned around and Blair was smiling at me.

Delighted, I threw my arms around him. "But I thought you said-"

"Just fucking with you," he whispered in my ear. "I wanted it to be a surprise."

The previous Monday night we'd made our lists for our choices for big brothers. Blair had told me over and over again that they probably wouldn't let me have him, even if I picked him, because everyone knew we were already close. I picked him as my first choice anyway, and hoped. I also listed Rory, Marc, Jerry Pollard, and Chris Morales.

But I really didn't want anyone besides Blair.

"I'll try to take care of you tonight," he whispered, "but I can't promise anything."

"What do you mean?" I stared at him. That had a rather ominous tone to it I wasn't quite comfortable with. What did they have in store for us?

He just shook his head as Marc blew a whistle and the room quieted again. "Look at you pledges," Marc walked along the line of us, "you're all a mess. A disgrace to the name of Beta Kappa! Beta Kappas don't waste beer, you know, and every single one of you is wearing your family beer. You were supposed to drink it, not fucking wear it. Tsk, tsk, tsk. What are we going to do with these pledges?"

"It's a disgrace!" someone shouted, and other brothers began murmuring agreement.

Marc turned to the crowd of brothers. I looked at Blair, and he closed his right eye in a wink. "What should we do with these sloppy pledges?"

"Get them out of those clothes!" someone shouted.

The crowd cheered, and I looked over at Blair, who just shrugged his shoulders and gave me a sheepish grin. Marc blew the whistle again, and everyone fell silent. "You heard the brothers, pledges. Get out of those clothes," he said quietly.

Chris and I looked at each other, our eyes wide.

Are they serious?

Marc blew the whistle again. "Did I speak in a fucking foreign language? I SAID GET OUT OF THOSE CLOTHES!" he screamed at us.

The brothers started chanting, "STRIP! STRIP! STRIP!" and clapping in unison.

I looked at Blair, and he made a face as he nodded. I started unbuttoning my shirt. The brothers kept chanting. Blair and the other big brothers walked up to their little brothers and stood in front of us. "Give me your clothes," Blair said over the chanting. "I'll put 'em in my room. Don't want you to lose them. That's happened before."