Charlotte and the Seven Frat Brothers

TESSA

CHARLOTTE

“Hey.” Raven walks into class, dropping her bag on the table. I take her bag and place it on the floor. I had my food already prepped on the table. “Sorry.” She rolls her eyes.

“Hi, you’re late.” I look at her briefly before turning my attention to the cutting board, chopping the sun-dried tomatoes.

“Uh, I know. I went to Croakington to see you, so we could walk together.”

“I’m sorry. I left early.”

“Yeah, I know that now. Anyhoo, Darren seems nice…” I look at her, trying to figure out where she is going with this conversation. “I was wondering if you wouldn’t mind putting in a good word for me.”

“I barely know them,” I tell her.

“But you will get to know them, right?” She took the skillet, adding olive oil to it. “I mean, no rush, you just moved into the house.”

“I’ll see what I can do, but I make no promises. These guys aren’t lik—”

“I can handle it, Char. I am a big girl.”

“Whatever you say, just don’t get your hopes up. These are the guys of Croakington. But enough about them. We need to start our pasta.

“This is the dish that will help Professor Duggan decide if I am ready for the culinary program in LA. You know how much it means to me.”

“I know.” She huffs, turning on the burner.

The prestigious Ramona Culinary Academy is my entire life. I have dreamed of going to that school for as long as I could remember.

All the top chefs attend that academy and their lives have changed for the better. I can just see myself now, walking up the steps to a new beginning.

A life I’ve always wanted. I will continue to live out the Withers chef dream.

Raven and I work well together, always knowing what the other will do or ask next. I’m thrilled that she’s taking a course in culinary this year.

She was never into cooking, but I guess since she has free time, she can take a few lessons.

Forty-five minutes later, the Bistro Chicken Pasta was finished and I’d gotten through it without punching Raven in the face.

Normally, when we cook with one another everything runs smoothly. However, today she is off by a landslide. She’s making mistakes, one after the other.

I have to stop a few times to ask her if she’s okay. If this dish wasn’t so important, I wouldn’t care about her mistakes, but it’s important.

Professor Duggan walks to our station, looking at the pasta. “Presentation perfectly delivered! This is a ten.”

I look over at Raven, nodding. I didn’t want to get too excited, because Professor Duggan knows how to kill someone’s happiness in mere seconds.

She picks up the fork, taking a nice serving of the pasta. “Wow, this is delicious, a perfect ten. Charlotte, you have a great talent for this. RCA should be honored to have you next year.”

“Thank you so much, Professor Duggan.” A smile tugged at my lips. This is amazing. I’m the only one on campus trying to get into RCA, and that right there is a good thing.

Only one student per university is sent to that school. Last year, five students had to battle it out with their dishes and maintain a 3.0 GPA.

I have a 3.5 GPA, and that will be easy to maintain. Staying away from the male specimen is top on the list. I will woo Professor Duggan with all my dishes so she can sign off on the paperwork that will get me into the Academy.

“Why didn’t you tell her that I helped you with this dish?” Raven asks once Professor Duggan moves onto the next station.

“Raven, you nearly ruined the dish, and I didn’t think you would want to be credited for anything cooking-wise, seeing this is your free class.” I shoulder-bump her in a playful way.

“You’re right.” She turns her back, digging in her purse.

“I’m sorry.” I turn her towards me. “In the future, if you want to get credited for a dish, just let me know or speak up next time. I don’t see a problem with you doing so.

“It’s not like you are trying to get into RCA too. You are a fashion major. Come on, let’s get this cleaned up. I have to meet Everett next period,” I say, already cleaning our station.

“I was just kidding, Charley. This is your class. Why are you going to see Everett Sawyer? I thought you’d be with Chase Tucker. He seems more suitable to be your hero. You two falling for each other would be the perfect romance.”

I roll my eyes. Back when Chase was just Chase and not Chase of Croakington, I could see myself falling for him. Now he is just a self-absorbed asshole.

“First, can you stop saying their whole names? Two, what I am seeing Everett for is none of your business, and third of all, Chase and I will never happen. He is not what I want in a boyfriend.”

“How do you know what you want in a boyfriend if you never had one before? That’s like saying I don’t like Johnny Depp and have never seen any of his movies.”

“What?” I tilt my head to the side, staring at her crazy. “That doesn’t even make sense. Sheesh, Rave. If you want to give advice, stop comparing things to stuff that doesn’t make any sense.”

“It does make sense. You probably inhaled too much flour or something, but please enlighten me on what it is you want in a boyfriend.”

“I don’t know, just not someone like Chase.”

“You know when girls say stuff like that, they usually end up with that guy. It’s like a known fact.”

“You read too many romance novels.”

“And you don’t read enough.”

I look up at the clock and curse under my breath; I must meet Everett back at the house. I guess class ran longer than normal. I look over to see Raven, staring at me.

“Hey.” I smile.

“Go ahead. I’ll finish cleaning up here.” She playfully waves me off.

“Are you sure?” I say, but already reaching for my satchel.

“Yes, I have to talk to Duggan.”

“About?”

“I might miss a few classes due to Fashion Week in New York.”

“Oh, that sounds cool. I would love to stay about it, but—”

“It’s okay, go ahead. We will talk later on tonight about it. I’ll share my info and you have to share yours about Mr. Sawyer.”

“Fine, I’ll catch you later.” I kiss her on the cheek.

I rush across campus back to the house. Everett stopped by my room last night asking if I could help him with a business idea.

He didn’t tell me what it was, but he asked nicely, and I want the guys to like me so I said yes. I help one and then another.

If the school can find a dorm for me, I will make nice with these guys until then. I unlock the front door walking into the living room.

“Sorry, I am la—oh, I didn’t know everyone was going to be here.” I take in my surroundings. The seven frat brothers all are present, with their heads buried in books.

This was a sight to see. I know they said they take their studying seriously, but I never thought I would actually see it.

“I stopped by your room to tell you that the guys are going to be here, but you left hella early. Like, who gets up at five in the morning unless there is some sporting event? No one.” He smiles.

“I have an 8 a.m. cooking class. So, do you want to go into the dining room to work?” I turn slightly towards the kitchen.

“Actually, that business idea I needed help with includes these guys too. I hope you will still help me, even though it’s an us not a ~me~ anymore.”

Is he serious? He tricked me. I look around the room and everyone is staring at me. I think everyone is. I can’t get myself to look over in Chase’s general direction.

After last night, I should not help out. He might think I am pushing myself into his circle of brotherhood.

“Actually, I don’t think I can help. I don’t want to intrude on anyone. I just got here yesterday.”

“So?” Darren scoffs, closing his notebook. “We all need to pass this class. This project is due a month before graduation. The outlines are due in two months.

“Yes, we are starting early, because this is something we want to do once we graduate college. Well, some of us.” He looks over at Vincent.

“I just don’t want you guys to feel like I am forcing myself to fit in with you all. I don’t mind being on the outside, really, I don’t. I have been doing it for years now.” I give them all a weak smile.

“We would really appreciate your help on this project. We won’t rush you into anything. If you can do it, that would be cool and, if you can’t then, either way, it would be cool.”

Austin looks around at the guys then back. “No sweat, Charlotte.”

“Sorry and good luck on that project.”

I exit running up the stairs to my room. I am so out of my comfort zone here. I was always a people pleaser. I wanted people to like me, and I guess that is what I was trying to do here.

Trying to get Everett to like me, so he might put in a good word to the other guys—to Chase—that I was an amazing person.

Ten minutes later, there is a knock on my door. I open it expecting to see Darren or Everett, but not Chase. We stand in awkward silence for a few seconds, but it seems much longer than that.

I clear my throat, grabbing his attention. He looks into my eyes. A lump catches in my throat.

Crap! This isn’t good. I can feel nothing for him, I just can’t and I won’t.

“The guys and I were talking, and we want you to help us on this project.” He says the word “we” like it is poisonous or something.

“But you don’t want me to help?”

“It’s not what I want at this point in time. If my fellow brothers feel like you are who we need to help us, who am I to go against them?

“So, if you don’t want to help because of what I said last night, I am sorry. I should have never said that to you when you were only trying to be nice.”

His speech sounds rehearsed, and it angers me just a tad.

“So, are you willing to come back downstairs and help us?”