"Please state your name and show us your student ID," The guy behind the door of the Sigma house asks me and I glance to Teddy.

"Um, okay?" I reply while digging out my ID from inside my wallet. I hand him the thin card and say "Ellie Adler." The guy takes my card and inspects my picture.

"This says Eleanor. And this Eleanor is blonde." I grimace as he hands the card back to me, "Yeah, I prefer not to go by what it says or that hair color anymore." I think back to Teddy's bitchy blonde comment on the Ferris Wheel and I tuck my ID quickly back into my wallet.

"Well you don't look like an eighty-year old grandma at Bingo so it makes sense as to why you don't go by Eleanor. Good job Teddy, she's a legit freshman but there's no way you're winning with her." Teddy nods to him before turning his attention back to the doorway. I'm confused by the door man's comment but I remain quiet as I follow Teddy down a wide hallway. I notice the dark cherry wood paneling that covers the bottom half of the walls and it blends in with the dark wood flooring. This fraternity is the exact opposite of the Kappa house. Everything is older and dark. The furniture looks like it came from a consignment store as everything is mismatched and the only pictures on the wall are the Sigma Chi class photos. Teddy takes me through the kitchen and I hear pulsating music coming from the basement. There are a few people littered about the kitchen and some are smoking different things on the porch outside but so far, it is far from a "rager."

"So why was it a good thing that I was a legit freshman?" I ask Teddy as we round the kitchen island to pull up to a black tub containing a large silver keg. He hands me a clear plastic cup before answering, "Because this is Sigma's Lucky Freshman party." My eyes widen and I hand him back the cup.

"This was a bad idea." His eyes narrow and he looks confused as he takes my cup, "What's wrong?"

I shake my head at him and respond, "Lucky Freshman? I'm not down with...that." I'm about to turn back toward the hallway when he reaches out and touches my shoulder, "Oh, you took that the wrong way. No, it's not lucky freshman as in getting lucky. It's lucky freshman as in lucky to be at a Sigma party." He notices how my head draws back like I was just insulted so he quickly waves his hands to clear the air, "I'm doing a terrible job explaining this. Okay, so it's a bit fucked up but you were in the Kappa house so this should come as no surprise to you. All the Sigma's have to find a gnarly yet unsuspecting freshman to come to this party. The freshman are to be super stoked about getting an invite and we hope that they'll go crazy once they are here. Ya know, like the freshman that haven't actually had real alcohol besides when they sneak their parent's wine coolers into their rooms in the middle of the night."

"Yep, still kind of insulted," I reply back with a light laugh and his contagious smile proves I shouldn't be.

"I know that's not you, like I said my original date bailed on me. But we are each supposed to find this nerdy freshman to get totally blitzed and the person that brings the freshman who does the most outrageous drunken thing wins." He's still smiling like this is the greatest party theme ever and I can't help but shake my head in awe.

"Yep, pretty fucked up," I say, still with a light tone and his charm is on full blast now.

"I didn't say it wasn't. But it is fun. Come on, stay just for a bit. You don't even have to drink, I knew I lost as soon as you agreed to come with me but I thought it might still be fun. That and come on, you know some of these nerds are going to do something worth sharing to your friends later." He's still grinning at me and he's genuinely hoping I'll stay. His thoughts aren't filled with romance or trying to hook up with me but rather just having fun. So I decide to stay.

"Okay, I might not agree with your theme but it's not my party. I guess I'll stay for a bit." I take back my cup from his hand and I lead him back to the keg. I pour myself a glass about half full and I wait for him to finish with his cup. He nods toward the basement and I use the banister to help descend down the steep rickety steps. The music gets louder the further down we get and I can hear squeals and laughter coming from all areas of the room. The lights are on but on low so you can only make out silhouettes until you get closer. As we snake around the room I notice that this group is definitely a crowd I have never hung out with before. You can immediately tell who the Sigma members are as most of them are donning their colors of blue and gold. The majority of them look like they live at the beach and they seem to wear their unofficial uniform of polos, khaki shorts and boat shoes- Liam's least favorite kind of people.

The party guests are about what you'd expect of a party with this theme. How these kids don't know why they are here is beyond me. It's obvious that this party is just a bunch of nerds and the Sigma Chi's are anything but. Some of the invited guys are trying to awkwardly find rhythm to the techno tunes and the girls they are bumping and grinding on just giggle in response. Other invitees try smoking things from the pipes adorning the low, stain covered coffee table and with all the coughing coming from that corner, one can only assume it's their first time.

"None of these people look like they are going to do anything worth writing home about," I say to Teddy as he leads me to the quieter corner of the room.

"It's only like ten o'clock. The real party hasn't started yet. They are all just buzzed, and I think most of them are just acting how they think drunk people should act." Teddy replies as he points to two kids by the worn in leather couch. They both are heavily swaying back and forth with their cups held high above their heads. It's mean of me, but I force myself to stifle a laugh.

"Told you it can be entertaining," Teddy affirms with a wink. I feel like I'm in an awkward situation. I was invited to a nerd party despite being a nerd, and I'm supposed to watch and enjoy these people making fools of themselves. It's what I didn't want from the Kappa's and here I am sipping on a beer while I watch girls try and dance how they think is "sexy."

"So who was your original date?" I ask Teddy trying to look anywhere but the awkward dancers and I turn to face him.

"I may have won with her actually. She was the girl with the biggest fro of red hair I've ever seen. She was trying to organize a Quidditch tournament in the commons when I ran into her. She said I could be a keeper, which at first I thought she was flirting with me. Then, fortunately, I realized that was a position in Quidditch. I told her I'd join the team if she came with me to the party." My jaw falls slightly as I remember Zoe laying out a large poster board displaying rules to a game she was trying to get started.

"Was her name Zoe?" I ask, slightly grimacing to Teddy and he nods his head while sipping his beer.

"You know her?" He asks and I laugh, "Zoe is my roommate." Teddy's eyes go wide and he responds with a loud laugh. "Makes sense as to why you were outside my dorm building now. Did she say why she wasn't coming?"

"Yeah, she smelled the bullshit. Some of the people invited just get so excited to come party at our house that they don't question their invites. That and when we say lucky freshman, they think they were lucky to get chosen or that they are getting lucky. So lot's of overeager guys here tonight." Teddy says while we scan the room. A more correct caption for this evening would be Awkward Freshmen.

"Yeah, I guess now that I'm looking at it, I can see some guys drooling over the dancing girls." I point to the dancers with my free hand and Teddy notices it too. Maybe there are some freshman here that will get lucky tonight. I look back to Teddy and I want to make sure he's not expecting anything from me. The techno music is smothering all thoughts around me so I can't hear anything coming from him.

I lift my cup to my lips again and both Teddy and I realize it's empty.

"Want another?" Teddy asks and I shrug my shoulders. He points to a sliding glass door at the far end of the basement and I realize it leads out to the backyard. I reach out and grab his arm to follow behind him through the mass of people and even touching his arm feels foreign. Like it's somehow cheating.

Teddy leads me through the sliding glass door and I immediately welcome the fresh air. There is a small slab of concrete that sits outside the door but the majority of people are still scattered around the patio by the kitchen door. There is another tub with a keg inside sitting in the corner but my attention goes to what's sitting behind it.

"Is that a tree house?" I ask Teddy as I point to the large wooden square sitting about five feet high in a large tree in the corner of the yard.

"That it is," Teddy says and he nods towards the tree. The grass rustles around our feet as we walk to the small structure and I'm in awe that they've managed to build something around the wide tree trunk.

"I can't believe you guys really have a tree house back here," I say as we walk up to the caution tape that's tied round the small rope ladder that leads inside.

"Why is it so hard to believe that a group of college guys has something as awesome as a wooden tree house in their back yard?" Teddy jokes as he pulls the caution tape off.

"Do you guys have a stack of porn magazines and a stash of weed up there too?" I ask in a sarcastic tone and Teddy shakes his head before pulling the rope over to me, "No way, a group of college guys whacking off in a tree house in the backyard would be weird." Teddy winks as he jokes back to me and I shake my head. I'm not used to a guy being so forward. Liam is always in his head.

"So was there caution tape on this ladder for a reason or were you just hoping I'd make a big ass out of myself by falling out of a tree and you'd win...whatever it is that you win from this party?" I ask while grabbing the skinny ladder with my hand.

"No, we just tape the rope off for parties so no one comes up here and destroys the thing. That and we don't want people leaving bodily fluids behind. That's what our shit leather couch in the basement is for," Teddy says flatly so I have no idea if he's joking- I decide not to probe in case he's not. I steady myself on the wobbly rope and manage to climb up the five rungs without spilling any of my beer on Teddy waiting below. I pull myself into the structure and it's actually pretty shabby chic. Two small Adirondack chairs are squeezed into the corner and a neon green shag rug sits in between them. There is a small camping lantern perched on top of small metal table and a mass of pillows makes up a bench under the tiny window. I climb further in and plop into one of the chairs as I switch the lantern on. Teddy follows me in moments later and he has to duck from whacking his head on the low ceiling.

"See pretty cool huh?" Teddy says as he slides into the chair next to me.

"Not too bad. I still think it's random. I thought most houses on Greek Row had pools. Not the Sigma's though," I joke while still looking around the small space. There are posters with half naked beer models taped lazily on the walls and a wide Golden State Warriors flag is tacked onto the ceiling.

"Actually, no fraternity has a pool at this campus. Only the Kappas and the Zeta's do. I guess the administration thinks that people could drown in pools at frat parties from being drunk. Lame." Teddy says deadpan again and once again I can't tell if he's joking. His sense of humor is different than what I'm used to so I don't immediately know if he's being sarcastic or not. He strums his fingers on his knees and he awkwardly looks around. It's finally quiet enough that I can get into his head so I decide to probe.

"So, do you bring many girls into the love shack?" I ask and Teddy laughs his boyish giggle while shaking his head, "Not so much." Not since Callie. Hmmm...I wonder who Callie is. His face drops a little at the thought and I wonder if something is there. I want to ask more but I'm not sure what to say. I take a swig of my beer and there is an awkward silence between us. Just do it. Just kiss her and get it over with. And I have to do it without thinking of Callie. Prove to myself it's over. I glance to Teddy as he is unaware that I'm in on his argument with himself. So Callie is someone he's trying to move on from but I can't let him kiss me. Why hasn't he asked me if I have a boyfriend? He's just assuming that I want to be kissed. I need to bring it up but not be obvious somehow.

"Did you have fun at the carn-" I start but I'm interrupted with Teddy's lips suddenly on mine. At first I pull back slightly but he's freaking out in his head. He's worked himself up to kiss me but it's more for his benefit than mine. He wants to feel something from this kiss but he won't find it from me. He's sad that I'm not Callie, whoever she is and I'm sad he's not Liam. We can both feel that we aren't emotionally into this kiss but our lips remain on each others. I pull back first and he looks apologetic. He bites his lower lip and I give him a small smile trying painfully to ease the awkwardness.

"Sorry, um...I actually kinda have a boyfriend," I say softly to Teddy and he finally looks to me, worry filling his chocolate colored eyes.

"Oh I'm sorry! I just-"

"No, don't be. You didn't know. But ...I should probably start heading back to my dorm." He gives me a slight nod and I start back down the ladder. I drop down the last couple of steps and land in the grass with a thud. Teddy follows me to the edge of the gate and I decide to leave out the backyard instead of trekking back through the house.

"I can walk you back to your dorm if you want?" Teddy asks me as I pull the gate open.

"That's okay. It's not that far," I reply and I hand Teddy my empty plastic cup. He gives me a small smile and a light wave but he's kicking himself for kissing me. I wave back and I close the gate behind me. I may never know who won the prize for the most awkward freshman but I do know one thing. I'm still madly in love with Liam and I'm not ready for anyone to take his place.