I’m just leaving my two o’clock lecture on macroeconomics, that I tuned out the minute it started and instead read sports stories on my phone, when Eloise texts that she is coming over.

I crack open two beers from my fridge, and it may be a Wednesday afternoon, but who cares? We’re in college, and I’ll only get to act this way for another few months. Yes, most professional basketball players live it up when they make it big, going out and partying like the world might end tomorrow. But for me, my pro contract will be my livelihood, my family’s lifeblood. I can’t squander that, and so all of my focus will go into being the absolute best, most dedicated player I can be.

I hear the clack of Eloise’s boots up the hall before she knocks on my open door, which is odd. But I don’t turn, instead picking up our beers.

“Now that the season is over, I think I’d like to just stay in bed with you for about four weeks.” I clink the beers together in my hands, thinking of all the ways I can take advantage of her body in that time.

“Tell me this wasn’t you.” Eloise thrusts a stack of papers in my face, her high cheekbones flushed and her eyes red-rimmed.

“Baby, what’s wrong?” Sitting up, all of my senses go on alert. I want to wrap my arms around her, or pound someone’s face in. Whoever or whatever it was that made that look appear on her face.

“Did you … oh God, were you involved with this?” Her voice is practically manic.

I get up from where I’m lounged on my bed, looking over the document Eloise threw at me.

I see the words non-disclosure, some kind of settlement amount, Charter, Keil, and … 

“Rape? What the fuck is this?” My eyes shoot up to meet her radiant blue ones, now watery with tears.

“You tell me. I’ve heard the rumors, I’ve been searching to see if they’re true, then I find this.” My girl points an accusatory finger at me.

Trying to calm my nerves, I count to five in my head. I read somewhere that this simple trick can negate almost any argument, and I’m trying not to overreact. I can tell that Eloise is on the brink of hysteria, and I need one of us to have a level head here.

“Okay, baby, I don’t know what’s going on. I have no idea what this is … or who—”

I cut myself off, seeing the name on the second page of this stack of papers that she’s brought here. Julia Henley … why did that sound familiar? I could have sworn that I’d heard some of the guys talking about her last semester, but this …

“Are you saying that this is some kind of … hush document?”

She throws her hands up. “I don’t know, Colton, you tell me! Apparently, a bunch of guys in your fraternity raped someone and had those conniving girls over at Charter House cover it up!”

I move to my door, slamming it a little too hard. “You have to keep your voice down.”

“Why, so you can shut me up too!?” She’s delirious, not thinking clearly.

“Come sit down, please.” I take her hands, leading her to the bed. “You have to believe me, this is me. You and me, no one else. I have no idea what this is. How did you find this? Is this the thing … tell me you haven’t been looking for this?”

All of her past words about Gretchen, about Charter, about how messed up some of the social club rules were … it all made sense now.

Eloise blows out a breath, and I can tell her hysteria is crashing. She looks exhausted. “When I first got an invitation to pledge for Charter, I was curious. Hell, I come from a world of back door clubs and debauchery. I thought it would be a fun little distraction during my semester as an American. But as I got further into the tasks, got to know the true colors of the girls in charge … it all just put a bad taste in my mouth. And then Blair, the girl in my major, told me a story about some assault that the girls covered up. How they put her in that room, how the whispers around campus retold it, how the poor soul had to leave school after her life was completely shattered. I knew I couldn’t let them get away with something like that again … even if it was none of my business. I don’t put up with rubbish like that, Colton. And so, if you knew about this at all, you better tell me now. Those guys who raped her, they were from your house.”

My head swims with confusion and rage. “Of course I didn’t know, this is all news to me. Horrible, tragic news. You think I would sit by while someone, people I knew, did this to an innocent girl? This is sick, Eloise.”

Her expression turns from mild distrust to one of relief in seconds. “I’m sorry … I’m so sorry, Colton. I just … I’ve been around high-powered people before. People who could bring the entire republic or society down on everyone’s heads. But this, this is outrageous. Disgusting.”

I pull her into a hug, shock still coursing through me. It washes over me, who could have done this in my circle of friends?

“Let me read this again, okay?” I whisper, tucking her into me as I pick up the pages.

Reading through the detailed agreement, I grow sicker by the second. Multiple men, forcing themselves on an innocent pledge who was put in that room by the Charter girls. They put her up to it, and then shamed her when she tried to get help after having the most intimate of acts taken from her and turned into a heinous incident.

“We have to show someone, Colton. This can’t stay buried.”

Why did it always feel like as soon as I took one weight off my shoulders, another six were added on? When did it end?

I sigh, knowing she’s right. “I know we do. Just … give me some time to sniff around here. See if I can unearth anything else. These are big accusations … ones that will bring even the college toppling down.”

She nods into my chest, a sniffle escaping. My arms wrap around her tighter, a shiver moving up my spine as I imagine anything remotely similar happening to her, a Charter pledge herself.

Someone is going to pay for this.