Tamara's sheepish expression amused Hailey when they ran into each other between classes the following Monday. She seemed nervous about approaching Hailey, but Hailey greeted her with a smile to ease the tensions.
"Sister Hailey, I want you to know Dan was the perfect gentleman, and nothing happened," Tamara said.
"It's okay. I wouldn't have been mad if something had happened. You had my blessing."
"I know, but we only went as friends."
"You didn't have to do that."
"Yes, I did. I still think you and Dan should be together," Tamara said, earning a sigh from Hailey. Hailey wanted to argue, but her conversation with Mrs. Cynthia and Felicia had her thinking. She had barely slept a wink the previous night. Tamara noticed the hesitation, which strengthened her resolve. "Permission to speak freely, Sister Hailey?" Tamara asked.
"We're not in the military, Tamara."
"Right. Sorry. Have you asked anyone to the Hootenanny yet?"
"No, I haven't," Hailey replied, eyeing Tamara warily. She knew Tamara's intentions, and they made her regret not denying Tamara's request to speak freely.
"Why not?"
"I haven't found anyone."
"Is that the real reason?" Tamara asked, grinning.
"It's..." Hailey began, but she found she couldn't finish. As much as she hated to admit it, Tamara had a point. "No, it isn't the real reason, but you know how I feel about this."
"You're scared. I get that, but look at Sister Felicia and Mistress Shawna. Sister Felicia overcame her fear. You can, too."
"Their situation is different. My parents would never disapprove of me dating Dan. In fact, they've encouraged me to do it."
"Then maybe you should listen to them and your heart. My mom always said regret lasts longer than disappointment. Life is a risk, Sister Hailey. You'll never get what you want if you don't try," Tamara said, reassuringly smiling. "Sometimes, you just have to say fudge it."
"Indeed. Sometimes you have to say—that," Hailey replied, barely containing a laugh. Tamara's oddness got to Hailey. She felt the anxiety slip away and felt an easiness she knew wouldn't last. Hailey realized she needed to seize the moment before it passed. "You're right, Tamara. Thank you."
Hailey said her goodbyes and searched for Dan. She knew where he would be and grabbed him before he entered his classroom. Dan looked at her questioningly. "Hail, what's up?" he asked.
"Will you go to the Hootenanny with me?" Hailey asked. Dan's overjoyed reaction warmed her heart.
"Of course, I will," he said. "I was worried you really weren't going to ask me. Oh, and nothing happened with Tamara."
"I know. She told me, and I trust you guys. But I want you to know I'm still trying to figure out how I feel."
"I understand, and I won't pressure you," Dan said. "We can go as friends."
"No, I'll consider this an actual date, but keep it casual," Hailey said. She didn't think Dan's smile could grow any larger, but he proved her wrong.
***
Meanwhile, Hailey wasn't the only person asking someone to the Hootenanny. Claudia spoke with a guy named Nate Carney. He was in her anatomy class and a fellow physical therapy major. They bonded over muttering dirty jokes under their breath. The only problem was that Claudia asked him out in the campus center. She had no idea about the impending danger until it struck.
"Claudia! I see you've found a date to the social," Shawna said, throwing her arms around the two of them. "I bet your date is into poetry. You should tell him a dirty limerick!" she grinned widely.
"Right now?" Claudia asked through clenched teeth.
"Yes, right now," Shawna replied, shaking Claudia. "Tell him about the man from Nantucket. You would like to hear that one, right?" she asked Nate.
"Sure," he shrugged.
Claudia sighed long and said, "There once was a man from Nantucket. His dick was so long he could suck it. He said with a grin as he wiped off his chin. If my ear was a girl, I would fuck it."
When she finished, Nate stared at her momentarily before bursting into laughter. "Oh, that's funny," he said.
Shawna beamed as she walked behind Nate and gave Claudia a thumbs-up over his shoulder. "He's a keeper," Shawna mouthed.
***
Before they reached the Hootenanny, they had one more club meeting. The sisters planned an elaborate trust fall for the pledges. They blindfolded them, loaded them into cars, and drove to the HRT building. Since the pledges couldn't see, they didn't know where they were. The sisters used this to their advantage because they wanted to make the unknown part of the test.
Once they arrived, they individually brought the pledges up the fire escape outside the building. The steps led to an opening in the loft. A rafter hung above the door. They had the pledges grab it and shimmy out a short distance while Hailey spoke from the theater floor. They had already started deconstructing the haunted house, meaning her voice echoed loudly in the open space. This made it seem like she stood deep in a chasm below the pledges, creating the illusion they were hanging above a long drop. The truth was that a mattress lay five feet beneath them. Chloe went first.
The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.
"Chloe, do you trust us?" Hailey asked.
"Yes, Sister Hailey."
"Then drop!"
Chloe hesitated, but she let go with a frightened squeal. The noise switched to nervous laughter when she landed on the mattress, and the sisters steadied her.
The other pledges had various reactions. Claudia dropped without waiting, and Hana swung wildly, making the sisters anxious. Kennedy did about as well as Claudia, and Tamara struggled to maintain a grip. However, they all trusted the sisters enough to let go. After it ended, everybody seemed to enjoy the experience. Claudia even asked to go again. She wanted to do a flip, but they wouldn't allow it.
***
The Hootenanny arrived at last. Keisha chose a beautiful corner of the local state park. Thankfully, she picked a night with comfortable temperatures. Keisha worried it would be too cold but had a backup plan in case the forecast called for a chilly night. The park had a building they could have used. Since everything worked in their favor, they settled in a picnic area against a rock outcropping. A small waterfall provided the perfect backdrop for photographs. The location was where Felicia set up a barrel and a hay bail. They sat on these with their dates while Felicia photographed them. Tamara wanted to place Jack the donkey in the shot, but Felicia nixed the idea. She let Tamara set Jack on the stage as a compromise. He watched over the proceedings.
Then, they had a stage with rows of hay bails for seats in front of it. Keisha wanted to hire a jug band but couldn't find one in Harrison. Thus, she settled for recorded music. They also had an area to the side for dancing. As far as entertainment, the pledges planned a few skits.
Everybody but Kennedy brought dates, but Kennedy seemed fine with being alone. She enjoyed the company of her fellow pledges and sisters while eating the delicious barbecue Keisha ordered. People also dressed up. Barb wore a cow costume, complete with udders, while her date dressed as a farmer. He seemed pretty amused by the getup.
Meanwhile, Hana and Ben blew everyone away. Ben dressed as a gunslinger, and Hana wore an elaborate saloon girl outfit. The low-cut top caught people's attention.
"Damn, Hana," Barb said when she saw it, making Hana blush.
While Ben and Hana wowed everyone with fancy looks, Shawna and Felicia won the cutest couple award. Shawna donned overalls and a straw hat. She wore her hair in twin braids and painted freckles on her face. Plus, she blackened one of her teeth to make it look like it was missing. When she smiled, she looked adorable. Felicia selected a cute, checkered dress to complement this appearance and curled her hair. Shawna couldn't stop playing with her curly strands while wearing a smile you couldn't remove if you tried. Felicia had to photograph the couples, but Shawna kept her company as promised. Felicia didn't even mind Shawna was staring. Shawna observed her while chewing on a strand of hay.
"Who's gonna take our picture, Squeaks?" Shawna asked.
"I have a tripod and a timer," Felicia explained.
When their turn came, Shawna wrapped her arms around Felicia, pulling her close. Shawna refrained from kissing her because she had promised to take things slowly to ease Felicia's fears, but it took everything in her willpower to resist the urge. She settled for a kiss on the cheek instead and sighed in relief when Felicia smiled and returned the gesture. Their photo captured the moment when Felicia kissed her cheek, forever immortalizing the act. Shawna planned to frame the picture and put it on her wall.
Later, they sat on the hay bails and ate dinner. A low murmur of conversation filled the air.
"I like your costume, Sister Barb," Hana laughed. "But I have to ask what your deal with cows is?"
"We lived on my grandparents' farm for a few years when I was little. I always loved playing in the pasture with the cows. They bring back fond memories," Barb shrugged.
"Hailey doesn't seem to share your enthusiasm," Kennedy said.
"Well, I might have flung a few cow patties at her as a joke."
"Ew!" Hana replied.
"There were more than a few!" Hailey yelled, not hiding her lingering annoyance all these years later.
Next, the pledges did their skits. First, they reenacted the infamous flag football game. Claudia made it seem like she wiped the floor with Dana this time. Tamara played Dana's part, but Claudia might have gotten more aggressive than intended. She muttered an apology before doing pro wrestling poses, which drew cheers from the crowd. They followed that skit with one poking fun at Marla. Chloe portrayed Marla, but the sisters could tell she wasn't entirely comfortable with it. Claudia wrote most of the scathing jokes.
"You're too relaxed, Chloe. Walk around like you have a stick up your butt," Claudia instructed during rehearsals.
Finally, they imitated the sisters in their last skit. None of the jokes cut too deeply, but Hana seemed scared. Shawna glared at her after seeing Hana's imitation. However, Hana scored a dominatrix costume from Malloy's wardrobe, which Shawna enjoyed.
"I might have to raid Malloy's stash," Shawna joked.
After the skits ended, they moved to the dance floor. Tamara taught them how to line dance because she was the only one with any dancing experience. They still fell out of sync and chuckled at how uncoordinated they were. No one cared that they were awkward—the fun more than made up for it. If the line dancing wasn't enough, Tamara showed them how to do square dancing. This delighted them, especially when Shawna lifted Felicia and twirled her.
"Put me down," Felicia said.
Shawna obeyed and pulled her into a deep hug filled with laughter and more kisses on the cheek. However, they weren't the only ones growing more intimate. Keisha played lighter music for a slow dance, and they watched Hailey and Dan closely. Hailey and Dan didn't notice, but anticipation hung in the air. The longer they danced, the closer they got. Soon, Hailey realized they were less than an inch apart.
"Fudge it," she muttered and kissed Dan. Years of pent-up feelings flowed. The kiss deepened quicker than expected, resulting in an outpouring of passion that threatened to overwhelm them. They elicited hoots and hollers, but neither heard them. Hailey and Dan became too caught up in the moment. They tried to make up for lost time in one kiss.
"It's about damn time!" Shawna yelled, and Felicia playfully swatted her arm. As the kiss continued uninterrupted, Shawna added, "Get a room, you two."
Shawna's outburst caused Hailey and Dan to chuckle, ending the kiss. They caught their breath and gazed into each other's eyes. "Did you say fudge it?" Dan asked.
"Yeah, well, sometimes you have to say that," Hailey explained.
Dan shook his head and kissed her again. "I love you, Hailey," he whispered when the kiss broke.
"I love you too," she replied.
The love spread among the sisters and pledges. A few more couples made out, and Barb couldn't help but wonder where Hana and Ben disappeared. She smirked and muttered, "Go, Hana. Get you some."
Elsewhere, Shawna and Felicia sat on a rock and watched the sunset together. Shawna sat behind Felicia, wrapping her arms around her and holding her close. She thought she could have remained there forever and been happy. Felicia leaned her head, resting it against Shawna's cheek. She could feel Shawna's heart beating. It was a comforting sensation. While they cuddled, Keisha took Felicia's camera and captured the scene so Felicia and Shawna could cherish the memory.