Sherry POV

The girls were on line now. That changed everything she did. That meant she had to extra focus on her studies, but still make time for sessions with the ladies so that they learned everything they needed to learn. Besides her duties as President of MAX, she also served as a tutor in English for freshmen and sophomores, even some juniors who were behind. Mostly English 101 students who needed help with papers. This gave her a chance to practice becoming a better teacher.

Today she was tutoring Taj Robinson, a junior who was a member of Epsilon Upsilon Fraternity, their somewhat brother organization on campus. Officially, they had no brother fraternity but seeing as they were a young organization like them, not part of the Divine Nine, they worked together a lot of the time.

"Hey Sherry Berry," he said to her, tossing his bag on the table as he met up with her in the small study room. The room was barely big enough for a table, two chairs and the two of them, but they were soundproof once the door was closed and offered privacy when she was tutoring students who needed to focus and not pay attention to the comings and goings and sounds of the library.

She slid his bag from the table and placed it on the floor because there was no room for both their laptops and his bag. "Boy if you call me that again, we are done."

"A'ight shawty, you know I just like to clown you." He sat and smiled at her. "Now if all my teachers were as fine as you, I think I'd be on the honor roll."

"Boy, shut up. Get your work out."

"I'm just saying. I gotta impress my teacher, right." He reached into his bag to get his laptop, textbook, and a notebook.

She looked at his textbook, English Composition. "You're not doing that much impressing you need a tutor. Why are you taking this class?"

"My major is Journalism, I need these lame writing classes for filler. Like, for real? Who reads long papers anymore? If you can't tweet it or Gram it, are people even gonna read it?" He took out his phone and scrolled through it before taking his seat.

He was sorta right, but not really. Taj was a cut-up, she knew that from when they worked on projects last year. He was a year younger than her and acted every bit immature. Always cracking jokes like he was a comedian. He would get play from girls if he wasn't so goofy because he was rather handsome. A little lighter complexion than her, a chunky afro, almond-shaped dark brown eyes, a freshly groomed goatee, and sexy thick lips.

Did she just say another man had sexy lips? She shook the thought from her head. She had Donte, she was good.

"So how are you and your man Donte?"

"How is that any of your business? Put your phone away Taj while we work. What are you working on in class so I can help you and you can keep it moving."

"Just saying, 'cause bruh hit the lottery with you, baby, baby."

"Little boy..."

He gave her a smirk. "I ain't that little...if you know what I mean."

"Are you done now? Have you gotten that out of your system?"

He grinned at her. "You know how I am Sherry Berry, no one takes me seriously. It's just a joke, sexy lady. I mean, Sherry." He playfully saluted her and she laughed.

"Boy, let's just get some work done, I have no time to play around with you."

The boy had no problem with writing, he had a very creative mind. He did need help with structuring his essay because he wanted to make it like a blog post. They worked for over an hour, then wrapped things up.

"Let me walk you back to your place."

Taj was gathering his things and putting them back in his bag. She was looking at her phone, answering a text from Donte. MAX had no session tonight, she wanted to hook up with him, but his fraternity was busy with sessions all night long. She was finding being on the other side, a full-fledged member of MAX, was just as time-consuming as being on line, studying, learning all the history and pleasing the Big Sisters. She felt like she was on line all over again.

Since she could not hook up with Donte later, she was going to get home and catch some sleep.

"Why do I need you to walk with me? The boogeyman gonna jump out and get me?" It was kind of late and already dark outside, but it was not a long walk. She had been on that campus for over three years now, it was safer than the streets of Chicago where she was from.

"Lemme just be a gentleman to you, damn shawty," he said, as they walked from the study room that was close to the entrance of the library.

"Where are you from again, talking like that?"

"ATL, baby baby!" he said a little too loud, as they were not out of the library yet. Oh, he would be a great hook-up for Jill. Loud, wild, young acting...wait, they were too damn similar, that would be a catastrophe.

They made it out of the library and she was glad he offered to walk her because there was no one around, and that made her more scared than when there were many people around her. She carried mace and a whistle. What good would that do if someone grabbed her and knocked her out?

The MAX house was not far, technically on campus right by the Greek Row houses, but on the opposite end of campus from the library. A fifteen-minute walk at best. It was still warm, so the weather was nice.

"At least MAX has a nice house near campus. Most of us Black Greeks don't have fancy houses like the other Greeks have. We can rent a house near, but it's not the same."

He was referring to the fact that no other Black Greek organizations had a house that was issued by the school. MAX did because they were founded at that campus and the Founders fought for the house as part of their chartering. The Alumnae annual dues helped to pay for most of the house, and keeping at least two members housed there helped as well. All other Divine Nine organizations either rented a house and claimed it as a fraternity/sorority house, or they could get a wing in one of the residence halls if they had enough interest.

Sherry did not take for granted the MAX house. Epsilon Upsilon was small like they were, but they were not founded at ISU, so they did not get royal treatment like them.

"I think you guys still can negotiate with the school to see if they can help with a house. I don't see why the other Divine Nine don't. They can get the same deal that we have if they have Alumni members that will support it and can keep students housed in the house." She knew it was easier said than done, but it was worth a try. "You should go see Zavrina. She may know more about that stuff, between her or her aunt."

"Yeah, Zavrina got the hookup. All y'all MAX's just be doing the damn thing!"

She laughed at him. True words, but she knew to stay humble.

"For real! You have Zavrina running the whole yard, you have Supersonic loud mouth self on the radio every day, and look at you..."

"I'm more low-key than those two."

"You had the best voice in Gospel Choir. They need you this year, why didn't you stay?"

"Senior year, busy with everything else. Something had to go."

"Well you should sing for me, give me a private show."

"Boy shut up!"

"I'm just saying, you're fine, you're smart, and you can sing!" He shook his head. "Damn shame you wasting all that on that punk ass Donte."

"Excuse you?" She stopped walking to look at him. "Why would you say that? What has my man ever done to you? I know you all are in different fraternities, but the Alphas and EU's have nothing to hate on each other about. Just as opposite as can be."

"This ain't got nothing to do with the frat...but whatever..." He trailed off his last statement. "Damn Sherry, I think you're fine, that's all."

"And you know I have a boyfriend."

"What that gotta do with feelings I have for you?" He moved close to her, trying to kiss her, but she moved away quickly.

"I think you need to find a new tutor." She walked away from him.

"Sherry! I didn't mean...wait up!"

"No, go! I'm almost at my house, thanks for walking me, but bye. Get yourself a new tutor Taj."

He held her arm, stopping her. "Okay, Sher, I'll stop pressing up on you. Whatever you want. We just study together, that's all."

"I don't know about-"

"Please! I won't say a word about anything but our work, on God. Bam! Yes?"

She chuckled at him. He was an idiot. He was cute, and he liked her, that had to be a recipe for trouble. But she was in love with Dionte and there was just no way any other guy could persuade her away.

"Okay Taj, but that's it. No more flirting or comments about my boyfriend or-"

"I got it," he gave her a salute. "Now let me walk you the rest of the way home. I am a gentleman."

She should not have agreed to continue tutoring Taj. She was confident in her love for Donte that nothing Taj said could tempt her. She was a one-man woman.

A/N: So Sherry is going to have a man problem. A whole other guy after her.