Out of Control (The Influence Factor #1) - Chapter 1

The bus pulled into the station with a hiss of brakes, the old vehicle wheezing like an asthmatic. I grabbed my duffel bag from the overhead rack and slung it over my shoulder. As I stepped off the bus, I was hit by a wall of heat. Welcome to Magnolia Ridge, Mississippi.

The station was small and rundown, with few people going here and there, mostly locals by the look of it. There wasn’t anyone to greet me here, but at least there was a map of the town, so I wasn’t completely lost.

My dad had wanted to come with me, but he couldn’t get off work. My mom? She hated traveling, especially long distances, so I was starting my new life alone. I walked to the bench outside and plopped down, taking a moment to gather myself. The bus ride had been long and tiring. The weather I could deal with, since South Carolina was about the same, but there had been a crying baby behind me, so I’d basically been awake for the thirteen-hour trip.

Briarfield College was about a fifteen-minute walk from the station, according to the map on the wall. Adjusting my duffel bag, I got up and started walking. I could already feel the sweat trickling down my back. This wasn’t exactly how I pictured my first day of college.

Finally, the campus came into view. I couldn’t tell if I was excited or anxious. The place was huge, with sprawling lawns and impressive buildings. It seemed impossible I was even here. I didn’t really have the grades for such a fancy college. Hell, I’d been all but destined for trade school, until my high school counselor had mentioned a few colleges with hardship scholarships. I’d applied to all of them cause why the hell not, but hadn’t held out much hope. When the acceptance letter from Briarfield arrived, I’d been shocked. According to my equally shocked counselor, this was a very good school.

I spotted a few students milling about, most of them looking as lost as I felt. Thankfully, they’d put up signs for arriving freshmen. I made my way to the main administration building where most of the signs were leading to check-in. After giving over my ID and signing about a million papers, in addition to all of the ones my parents had filled out months ago, the receptionist handed me a welcome packet and directed me to the dorms.

“Welcome to Briarfield, Kyle,” she said with a warm smile. “You’re going to love it here.”

“Thanks,” I replied, trying to sound confident.

The dorm was a red brick building with ivy creeping up the sides that looked like something out of a movie. Inside, it was a maze of hallways and doors, each one identical to the last. I finally found my room, 207, and unlocked the door. The room was small but cozy, with two twin beds, two desks, and a shared closet. One side was already occupied, clothes neatly folded on the bed, and a laptop open on the desk.

I dropped my duffel bag on the empty bed and took a look around the room. I was just standing there, getting my bearings, when the door creaked open and a tall, skinny guy with glasses walked in.

He looked up, surprised to see me. “Hey, you must be Kyle.”

“Yeah, that’s me,” I said, extending my hand.

“Alex. Alex Wright,” he said, shaking it, “Nice to meet you.”

“Likewise.”

He was wearing a Briarfield College T-shirt and a pair of khaki shorts. His glasses were slightly crooked, giving him a nerdy vibe.

“So, where are you from, Alex?”

It was weird, meeting new people like this, and I wasn’t really sure what to say.

“Oregon. Portland, to be exact,” he said, setting down a stack of textbooks on his desk. “I’m here for the physics program. It’s one of the best in the country.”

“Physics, huh.”

It wasn’t a question, but more of a guttural sound. I knew nothing about physics, or really had any interest in it. Or any other sciences, really.

“What about you? What’s your major?”

“Undeclared for now. I figured I’d take a few classes and see what sticks.”

“That’s a choice.”

A little condescending, but I got the impression I was as foreign to him as he was to me, so I didn’t take it to heart. We spent a few minutes discussing our class schedules, talking about how we’d deal with being roommates, and basic getting to know you bullshit. It turned out we both had English 101 together, which was a small relief. At least there would be one familiar face in the sea of new people.

“I’m planning to check out the frat houses this afternoon,” I said. “I heard some of them have parties for new pledges, or whatever.”

Alex had a look like he’d eaten something rotten and said, “You’re thinking of joining a fraternity?”

“Yeah, why not? It seems like a good way to meet people, start the year with friends or whatever.”

“I suppose, but no, I’m very much not interested in that. Besides, there’s a lecture by Dr. Finch, the dean of the physics department, welcoming new STEM majors. I was planning on going to that.”

“Okay,” I said, drawing the word out a bit. “Well, enjoy the lecture.”

“Sure,” Alex said, turning back to his books.

My new roommate was kind of a dick.

I left Alex in the dorm, glad to escape. As I stepped out of the building, I almost walked into a group of guys gathered near the entrance. I also heard the word ‘frat’ as I almost ran into them, which was at least a good sign.

“Sorry,” I said, apologizing as I dodged to the side quickly. “Did I hear you say you were heading to the pre-rush parties?”

“Yep. We were just figuring out which one,” a tall guy wearing a baseball cap backward said.

“Mind if I join you?”

“Not at all. I’m Brandon,” he said, extending his hand.

“Kyle,” I replied, shaking it.

“I’m David,” another guy with a shaved head and muscular build added. “And these are Ryan and Mike.”

Ryan, a shorter guy with glasses, and Mike, a lanky dude with a mop of curly hair, both nodded in greeting.

We started walking together, the conversation flowing easily. Brandon was from Texas, studying business. David was a sports medicine major from Ohio and on the football team. Ryan was a computer science major from California, and Mike was studying psychology and came from Florida. They were actually pairs of roommates, next door to each other, which is how they met.

“So, any idea which frat we’re hitting first?” I asked as we made our way down the tree-lined path towards Greek Row.

“Beta Theta Pi,” Ryan said. “I’m a legacy there, so I think I have to pledge it anyway.”

“I’m cool with that,” David agreed. “But I also want to check out Kappa Sigma. Several guys from the team are brothers.”

“Sounds like a plan,” I said.

Greek Row was like a different world. The frat houses loomed large, with their wide lawns and banners. Another classic right out of the movies. Beta Theta Pi was basically a mansion, with its columns and expansive porch. Bigger than the houses near it.

I’m not sure what I expected from a frat party, but what we found certainly wasn’t it. The living room was packed with people, smelled like cologne and money. Guys in polo shirts and khakis mingled with girls in sundresses. The decor was upscale, with leather couches and expensive-looking art on the walls.

We grabbed drinks and tried to blend in. Ryan and David were chatting with some of the members, while Brandon and Mike and I just kind of hung around to one side. No one came to talk to us.

“Is it me, or is this place lame,” I muttered to David.

“It’s not you.”

We wandered around, trying to get a feel for the place. The more I saw, the less I liked it. People weren’t rude, they just weren’t interested in talking to us. At all. Mostly, they seemed like they wanted to talk to each other, ignoring anyone new who came in, except Ryan, who maybe did a secret handshake or something I missed.

“Hey, I’m gonna stay here,” Ryan said, rejoining us. “They’ve already got a spot for me. I was all but sure this was where I was going to pledge anyway, so why keep looking.”

“Alright, man,” I said. “Good luck.”

The rest of us decided to move on. We said our goodbyes and left, mostly glad to just be out of there.

“Next stop, Kappa Sigma,” David said in a very meathead, football player kind of way.

The Kappa Sigma house was a block up and didn’t take long to get there. Still, the four of us joked and told stories as we walked that way, sucking on the beers we’d snuck out of the last frat house. They were actually pretty good guys, and I was somewhat hopeful I’d found a few friends, especially this early on.

The Kappa Sigma house wasn’t as nice as Beta Theta Pi’s, but it was still pretty nice on the outside. Still a big mansion-looking thing with a well-maintained, but slightly less pretentious, lawn. The sounds coming from inside were very different though. Unlike the last place, this one sounded like a party. The people going in were all dressed in what I had to guess were nice clothes, but at least they were drinking and seemed to be having a good time.

“Ready for round two?” Brandon asked.

We didn’t answer; we just followed him up. Inside, I saw my impression wasn’t wrong. It was definitely more laid-back, although it still felt very rich to me. The living room had a massive fireplace, framed photos of past members, and trophies lining the shelves.

“Hey, welcome to Kappa Sigma!” a guy in a polo shirt greeted us. “I’m Jason, one of the brothers. Grab a drink, make yourselves at home.”

You didn’t have to tell us twice. I picked up a cup of punch from a table and took a sip. It was way too sweet, but at least it was cold.

“Go for beer next. The punch is for the girls, and they spike it. A lot,” David warned.

Which explained why it was so sweet. The sugar helped cover how much booze was in it. The guys kind of separated as they did at the last party, everyone trying to find a conversation and feel the place out, which seemed to be the thing to do. David seemed to know some people, so he managed to make his way into a conversation with no problem.

I ambled over to a group of guys but was intercepted by a preppy-looking guy with styled hair before I got there. “Hey, looking to pledge?”

“Uhh, yeah.”

“Where are you from?”

“South Carolina,” I said, trying to be friendly. “How about you?”

Maybe he was on the committee deciding who got pledged and needed to meet everyone. It was by far a different experience than the last one, going from being ignored to being grilled as soon as I walked in.

“Connecticut. Here for the business program,” he said, looking me up and down. “What about you?”

“Undeclared for now.”

“And what does your family do?”

“They’re in construction,” I said, partly hoping he mistook my meaning and assumed they owned a construction company or something, and not that he literally did construction.

“A blue-collar man. Nice. Well, enjoy the party,” he said with a weird smile.

I would have been more weirded out, but he walked up to some other kid who’d just gotten there and started grilling him in the same fashion. Maybe my guess had been right.

I circulated from group to group, occasionally saying something but usually just hanging at the periphery, listening. A bunch of people laughed off to my left, loud enough that I turned to see what was so funny. The guy who’d talked to me was in a group of older guys I guess were part of the frat, getting a kick out of something he said. For a second, it seemed like they looked my way, but then they were just back to laughing and talking to each other, so maybe I was imagining it.

Most of the people, though, were almost as dismissive as the last place. Not ignoring me completely, but edging me out of the conversation as soon as I got into it.

I was not liking the vibe of this place any more than the last one.

“Too poor to be here, huh?” A guy said behind me as I tried to switch to yet another group.

“Excuse me?”

“You’re a scholarship, right? Brought on to make us look good with college boards or whatever?”

“I’m just a student,” I said, not wanting to let him know he hit the nail on the head.

“Come on. We can all see it. Hey, I’m sure you’re great, but man, you really wouldn’t like it here. Most of the guys here expect a certain level of class. You know?”

His tone was completely at odds with his choice of words. To hear him say them, he was just being helpful, letting me know I was making a mistake, instead of all but telling me I was too poor to be here.

“Sure,” I said, turning and heading for the door.

He actually seemed surprised as he went back to join the group he’d broken off of, the laughing ones from earlier. Maybe he expected me to try and fight it, like I’d want to be in a place that looked down on me like that.

They started laughing again, and this time they were definitely looking at me, one even pointing. Worse, David and Mike were in the group, laughing right along with them. David even looked right at me when he did.

So much for making friends. I headed out and considered just going back to the dorm and giving up on this idea.

“Jackasses, right?” Brandon said as I walked out the door.

He was leaning on the brick wall just on the porch and about scared the crap out of me.

“They talk to you too?”

“Oh yeah,” he said. “They were not very subtle in their suggestion that I would be happier someplace else.”

“David and Mike seem to be getting along with them okay, though.”

“That’s the way it goes. We all just met and if they have a chance to join, they’re going to take it. Places like this, frats can make or break you.”

“Really? I would have thought it was about doing well in classes.”

“Hell no. I mean, for some it is, but none of us were going to be making valedictorian in four years anyway. And everyone comes out with a college degree these days, so it’s all about networking. Being in a frat can literally get you a job out of college. Plus... girls while you’re in it.”

“I knew about that last part. It’s part of why I wanted to join one,” I said.

“Hey, I’m not knocking it. I’m just saying, there are lots of reasons to be in one.”

“Not that our prospects are looking good.”

“We’re not done yet. That’s just two. There are a couple more that aren’t tied to majors or being part of a sub-group or whatever. I heard someone in there badmouthing Alpha Sigma Phi, saying they’d let anyone in, and I figure we’re anyone.”

“Let’s try that one. I don’t think I want another room full of guys like that telling me I’m not the right fit.”

Okay, so I was a little salty about the rejections. But who wouldn’t be? Maybe Brandon was feeling it too, because the trip there was a lot quieter than the walk to the first two.

Getting to the frat house, I could kind of see why Alpha Sigma Phi was looked down upon, at least by the frats like Beta Theta Pi and Kappa Sigma. The house was run down, for starters. At least comparatively, with peeling paint and a sagging porch. The vibe inside was also a lot different. From the street we could hear blasting music, laughter, and shouting.

Brandon shot me a grin, I guess thinking this would be more fun, or at least less boring. It took all of two seconds from walking in the front door for my predictions to be proven true as a guy with a backwards cap and a red solo cup sloshed his drink on me.

“Shit, sorry man!” He yelled over the music before disappearing into the crowd.

The living room was packed, but instead of polos and khakis, everyone wore t-shirts and jeans. A few guys played beer pong in the corner, while others lounged on mismatched couches. Definitely closer to my people.

“Welcome to Alpha Sig,” a guy said, handing us each a beer. “I’m Chris, vice president. You boys rushing?”

“Thinking about it,” Brandon said. “I’m Brandon, this is Kyle.”

“Well, drink up and enjoy. We’re the best damn fraternity on campus, even if our house is a shithole.”

Chris laughed and went to greet someone else who came in behind us. I took a swig of my beer.

“Wanna play darts?” Brandon asked, pointing to an open board.

“Sure.”

We walked over and grabbed the darts off the board. I let Brandon go first, watching as he threw. Not bad, but not great either.

“You’re up,” he said, stepping back.

I took my stance. What he didn’t know was I had played on the board they hung up in the laundry room at the complex we lived at back home. There wasn’t much else to do so I played a lot of it, and had gotten pretty good. Not hustle people for money good, but I could hold my own. I took aim and flicked, sending the dart just outside the bullseye.

“Holy shit,” Brandon exclaimed. “Where’d you learn to throw like that?”

I shrugged. “Just practice.”

We played a few more rounds, drawing a small crowd. I won easily every time but didn’t brag or anything.

“Damn, pledge,” one of the guys said, clapping me on the shoulder.

“Thanks, but we’re just checking things out. We’re not pledges yet.”

“Yeah, I saw you talking to Chris. I’m Jake, the president, and this is William and Steven.”

“Hey,” I said, giving them a half wave.

We talked for a little while and I found they weren’t bad guys. Everyone seemed down to earth and not stuck up jackasses like at the other two places. It turned out William and Steven were both on the football team.

“So why Alpha Sig?” I asked. “You’re football players, I figured you’d be in one of the jock houses.”

Will laughed. “Nah man, we’re legacies. Both our dads were Alpha Sig, so we didn’t have much choice. But it’s chill, we like it here.”

“It’s definitely different from the other places we’ve been,” Brandon said. “In a good way.”

“That’s the Alpha Sig way,” Steven said, raising his beer. “We’re not like those preppy assholes. We’re just here to have a good time.”

“I’ll drink to that,” I said.

We made the rounds and honestly, everyone we met seemed pretty cool.

I separated from Brandon, but when we ran into each other later, he said, “I told you.”

“You did. I think I’m gonna pledge,” I said. “This feels like the place for me.”

Brandon grinned. “Let’s go find Jake and tell him.”