Barbie: Beyond the Trip

Frat Flop Fury

In the typically boisterous and noisy Brooklyn dwelling, the early Tuesday morning moment was unnaturally yet warmly welcoming, quiet and peaceful. The next-door God-siblings Jackson and Jayla were away on a field trip for the next few days in Queens, Mr. Roberts was away on business and would be gone all week and weekend, and Mrs. Roberts was occupied in similar fashion in a long flight to the Grand Cayman Islands. And with the lure of the tropical destination, she had chosen to take an extended weekend trip relaxing, solitarily enjoying the features of the island life.

Which left both Barbies to occupy themselves for the time being.

Easy peasy.

"UUUUGGGGH!!!"

Barbie lifted her head abruptly at the sound of distress. Her study session in the living room for her midterm exams was interrupted, causing Etta to immediately screech and bolt for the nearest safe spot under the couch.

Straining her neck towards the upstairs, she saw her roommate trudging downstairs.

"Everything OK?"

Brooklyn walked over and plopped heavily down on the recliner, slouching across the armrest. With a grand frustrated wave of her hands, she rolled her eyes at the ceiling.

"I'm just so BORED!"

Finally understanding, Barbie chuckled and nodded, "Well I'm glad one of is... I have so much to study for, it's driving me crazy! This musical composition midterm is going to be huge... 300 points!"

Brooklyn whistled sympathetically, shaking her head at the thought of having to do that. She pointed to her best friend wryly.

"I am so glad I'm not in your shoes!"

Their good-natured teasing was cut off by a ringtone announcing an incoming call. It was Barbie's phone. She reached over on the couch and grabbed at it, smiling instantly when she saw the caller ID.

"Hey Ken!"

Her boyfriend's grinning face reached hers, "Hey Babs! How's the study sesh coming along?"

Barbie chuckled, and smirked at Brooklyn, "Oh it's coming along, but I'm taking a break now thanks to Brooklyn", accepting the other girl's wink and finger point 'you're welcome' sign. "What are you up to?"

"Well...", Ken began, glancing sideways, "I kinda got some news..."

Barbie perked up at her boyfriend's vague announcement, "Oh? What kind of news?"

Ken scratched the back of his neck, suddenly embarrassed over something... "Well, you know my roommate, Chase, right?"

To that, Barbie nodded that she did in fact recall the dark-haired, hazel-eyed, athletic boy from Montana. Chase Howard, Ken's roommate, was a vibrant and extremely extroverted young man who was eager to jump into any adventure. If you mentioned a party, Chase was there with a smile on his face and a pizza in his hands. Ken had only known the tall, cheerful man for a few weeks so far since joining NYU, but he could tell his roommate would be a friend for life.

"He kinda... wants me to... to pledge at a fraternity with him"

Blinking in surprise, Barbie lit up, "Really? What kind?", but then she became slightly confused, "I thought you weren't into that kind of thing"

Shrugging his change of mind, Ken quirked his mouth, "I wasn't, at first... But Chase said that the one he wants to pledge into is an academic frat with people from all over the world. A lot of the Bio guys I have class with are in it. I was reading a little about it and it seems like it's really neat; apparently, they're not into the kind of hazing or craziness like some of the other ones full of the athletes get in trouble with", Ken grimaced his distaste for how some of the other fraternity boys get their reputations as girl-chasing drunks. He smiled again, "This one seems different, and I'm... kind of thinking about it... What do you think?"