Laila POV

Back at Illinois State University for another year of college. She was not as excited as she was last year attending school.

Last year, she was refreshed after taking a gap year after high school to work and save money and she enjoyed herself that year. Her parents were not rich, so paying for college was a big deal. Not only for herself but for her sister as well.

The best thing about delaying college for a year, she got to start with her sister, who was also her best friend. They were eleven months apart, and they might as well have been twins. They both cried like babies the day she had to start kindergarten and her sister Marketta was left behind at pre-school. And it was always like that when she moved on to a different school. Middle school, and high school, so she was not leaving her sister for college.

Most people thought they were twins anyway. Yes, they looked alike, but that's only because they were sisters with the same mother and father. She did not think they looked like twins. They were the same complexion, near the same height, and both wore their curly hair short. That was it, that was all the similarities.

Her eyes were different than her sister's. Her lips were a bit fuller than her sister's. She was curvier than her rail-thin sister. She had ample breasts, hips, and a booty. They had different personalities as well. She was the ultimate big sister, always protective of Marketta as well as her other siblings. Marketta was more carefree about being the second oldest of six.

Laila was a big worrier, always worried about school, her grades, her life, or anything. Marketta was the wild child her parents could not tame. Though she did not make the same grades as her, Marketta was smart on her own. They did a lot of things together, like joining the Black Cultural Association in high school together. Also the National Honor Society.

College was a no-brainer for them. And again, they joined the Black Student Union as well as the Phi Eta Sigma National Honor Society together last year. Not only that, she was serving as Secretary of the Black Student Union and secretary of the Phi Eta Sigma. All the things that would look good on a resume when she graduated and started in her field of education.

It was a lot, but she was ready.

"We're going to have more fun this year!" That was her sister, forever the wild child as they finished decorating their room. They were in the same residence hall as last year, in the same room, because why not. This year they were able to deck it out more, having worked over the summer and saved up to have money all year.

"We had fun last year." That was until the boy she was so in love with broke her heart into a million pieces. She gave Manny everything, and it was not enough.

"Girl, get over that boy, I'm over Jordan. Now we are both single and we can see what other hot guys are out there."

"I'm not looking for-"

Her sister hushed her up and stuck her phone in her face. "Party tonight at the new Epsilon Upsilon house. We have to be there."

"Why would I want to be anywhere near my ex's place?"

"The party will be so packed you probably won't even see him. Let's get ready!"

Against her better judgment, she let her younger sister manipulate her to go. Marketta was going to go anyway, so she might as well go with her.

Dressed in all black, to match her mood, she headed to this party. Their new house was within walking distance of their residence hall, so they decided to walk and not drive their old dust bucket car. The whole way to the place Marketta talked her ear off. Marketta was ready to date and do her thing, she was not ready for that.

What would she say when she saw Manny? Did he miss her and want things the way they were?

He was the one that cheated. She could never get over that...but somehow she wanted him to miss her.

They could hear the music before they even were close to the house. Some guys were standing outside, but it seemed like most were inside. The house was huge, and near a few other houses that seemed to have the college crowd. There was another party going on two houses away from the EU house.

There were huge wooden "EU" letters in the front yard in the fraternity's colors, and also on the house, above the address was their shield. She was familiar with most things Epsilon Upsilon because she helped her ex through pledging last year.

It all changed him.

Once they were at the front door, there stood Brian collecting the entry fee.

"Yo! What's up, ladies! Y'all like family, you can get on up in here for free."

"We're not like family...and we can pay our way." Marketta handed him her ten dollars and nudged Laila.

She handed over her money as she looked around the party.

"Aye, yo boys here somewhere. Have fun ladies."

This was a bad idea. The place was packed, and the music was loud, but she knew she would see Manny and all those feelings would rush up.

A few people were hanging around in the large living room, talking, drinking, and socializing. There were at least three full-sized sofas, a large big screen television mounted on the wall, and EU decor everywhere.

"The party downstairs ladies," Brian said to them.

That made sense. Not mess up this nice big house they just moved into. Marketta and her made it down the stairs to where everything was happening. The music was even louder and the bodies even wilder.

Girls were twerking everywhere, and guys doing the cool two-step move as if they didn't want to dance. Some guys in purple and gold, the Omegas, hopping around with no shirts on. There was not a lot of room to do all of that!

Plus, she immediately got hot from all the body heat.

"Girl, let's just go!" she yelled out to her sister.

"Nooo! You see all the hot boys!" Marketta eyed the Ques as their shirtless, sweaty bodies made their way around the dance floor. "Damn, damn, damn."

She looked away, at a group of Epsilon Upsilons taking up half the space as they strolled around the party. There was something about those guys and how they moved a little differently than the others. Her eyes searched for Manny to see him in action.

There was his best friend and Marketta's ex, Jordan in the front, leading them off and clearly the best dancer of them all. Taj was behind him, shirt off like he was a Que. That was so unlike Taj, but he had graduated now, maybe he was like that now.

Someone approached them, a guy, looked them over with a grin, and then asked Marketta to dance. Of course, she always was the prettier one that guys chose at first.

Like Manny, he wanted Marketta at first, but Marketta wanted Jordan. She was his second pick. That should have been a sign.

With her sister not by her side, she walked around to see if she knew anyone at the party other than her sister. She was not the best at making friends. The only friend she ever needed in life was her sister.

She saw the boys in red and white, though small in numbers, shimmying their shoulders and doing their little dance that made all the girls swoon. Kappas were those pretty boys on campus. She could not get her eyes off one, he seemed so sure of himself. Light-skinned, thick eyebrows, nice lips, nice body, and those moves.

Made her warm and gushy, thinking about all the things she and Manny did last year.

She shook those thoughts from her head.

In a corner of the room, a couple was making out like no one else was in the room. The nerve of people. They should take that upstairs, or out of the house. People had no shame.

She was about to turn and look away, but something told her to keep watching the couple. Maybe they were in love like she was in love last year. They could not keep their hands off each other, how she felt Manny. The perfect guy until he wasn't.

Then she noticed something. The guy wore an Epsilon Upsilon jersey with his number, one, on the jersey, and the line name "One Right Note." That was Manny making out with the girl with no care in the world.

She turned away in tears.

He had moved on with no care about her. She did not want to see this. She thought she was over the cheater, but here he was, basically having sex with a girl in the middle of a party.

She wanted out of that house.

Where was her sister? She was not leaving without her. Through all the dancing and sweaty bodies, she finally found her little sister dancing with a different guy.

She grabbed her arm. "We need to leave."

"Now? We just got here."

"I don't want to be here and we need to leave together. Let's go!"

She knew Marketta was upset, but oh well. There was no way she wanted to be near that lying, cheating, asshole on her first day back at school. He was for the streets, and let them have him.

Soon as they made it back upstairs, there was more of a crowd up there now. People just hanging around drinking and smoking. She headed straight to the door. Standing right at the door blocking her path, was a tall, dark-skinned guy, with a full beard, a bright purple and gold jacket, a black shirt, green camouflage pants, and gold boots.

He stood there and would not move.

"Excuse us, we're leaving."

"Leaving the party so soon?" he gave her a grin. "You should stay and save me a dance."

He was a Que-Dog, one of the freakiest of all the fraternities. There was no chance in hell she needed another one of those in her life.

"No thank you! Move!" She pushed past him and her sister followed her.

"Wow sis, what are you so hot about? That was one sexy ass man. Mmph!"

"Listen Ketta, I am not here to find a man or anything like that. Just school. Focused this year. You should do the same. Men are pigs, hasn't that been proven the last year?"

"Yeah well, just have to find the right one. I think there are some good ones out there."

Her sister could believe whatever she wanted, but as for her, she was over it.

A/N: Welcome back readers!! New book, new characters, and hopefully exciting drama. Because this one only has three main characters, it gives me a chance to bring in old characters from previous books in the series, and Brother's Keeper.

Hit the star to vote, or say heyyyyyy, and save in your libraries to get updates.