Robin opened the door, practically
ripping it off its hinges in her excitement. "Jessica! And Lila and Cara--what a surprise!"
Jessica was full of the dignity of her office. "May we come in, Robin? We have something totally serious and vital to tell you."
"Sure, sure, Jessica, come on in. This is so terrific--having you here and all. . . . Can I get you something? A soda maybe--or I could fix chocolate shakes? We've got some really great eclairs. Or how about some ice cream sandwiches?" Robin's steady stream of nervous chatter visibly annoyed Jessica and made Cara and Lila yawn.
What's the matter with me? thought Robin, finally slowing down enough to notice their reactions. Why do I always say the wrong things around people I want to impress?
"Oh, gee, I'm sorry," she said aloud. "You don't have time to listen to me babble on and on about food."
Assuming her best president-of-the-sorority pose, Jessica announced, "Robin, you are fortunate enough to have had your name put up for membership in Pi Beta Alpha. You are now officially a pledge."
The smile of pure happiness on Robin's face was so heartbreakingly sincere and grateful that it almost made Jessica change her plans. Almost, but not quite.
"Oh, Jessica, thank you! And you, too, Lila and Cara! This is so super I can hardly believe it's happening to me! When do I start? What do I do?"
Frowning, Jessica tried to hose down Robin's burning enthusiasm. "You know, Robin, being a member of PBA isn't just wearing a special jacket and spending time with all the best people in school, or even being in on all the really important things that happen in Sweet Valley."
{ A slightly subdued Robin vigorously nodded
. understanding.
"As a pledge," Jessica continued, "you have to do certain things--things that prove you are worthy of being a Pi Beta. You have to prove your loyalty to us." , "I'll always be loyal to Pi Beta Alpha," Robin swore. "All my life!"
"That's easy to say, Robin," Cara interjected disdainfully.
"She's right, Robin," said Jessica. "Some of the things you will be asked to do may be a little difficult for you."
"Nothing would be too hard, Jessica, nothing in the whole world. No matter what it is, I'll do it," Robin vowed.
It was like taking candy from a baby. Jessica plunged on.
"OK. Tomorrow. Right after school. Girls' gym. Don't be late!"
As the three sorority girls got up to leave, Lila whispered to Jessica, "What a drab little existence. Let's get out of here before she offers us another eclair!"
An ecstatic Robin closed the door and headed straight for the kitchen. Pulling a whole cherry cheesecake from the refrigerator, she began eating to calm her nerves. At last! She, Robin Wilson, was actually going to be a Pi Beta Alpha. She was going to be popular. All she had to do was get through pledging. How hard could that be?
"Tell me everything, Jess. How did Robin take the news?" Elizabeth dropped her books on a table and descended on her sister. Jessica was wearing leotards and exercising with Jane Fonda via video cassette.
"Do you think my thighs look all right, Liz?" Jessica asked worriedly, flipping the TV off and throwing a towel around her neck. She decided to do fifty extra leg lifts, just in case.
"Your thighs are not important right now. What happened with Robin?"
"Thighs are always important. Anyway, Robin took the news with disgusting offers of food
and undying loyalty. I really think that girl wants us all to be as fat as she is."
"Jessica!"
"OK, OK. The wimp is happy. Does that make you happy? Do you mind if I finish exercising?"
"Not at all." Elizabeth peered at her sister. "Where did you get all that gold, Jess?"
"Gold? What gold?" Jessica wiped her face off with the towel.
"Those earrings you're wearing--they cost ten times more than your allowance, which I know you just spent on albums."
Jessica placed protective fingers over the small, delicate earrings. "These? Don't be silly. I didn't buy them. Lila's aunt sent them to
ripping it off its hinges in her excitement. "Jessica! And Lila and Cara--what a surprise!"
Jessica was full of the dignity of her office. "May we come in, Robin? We have something totally serious and vital to tell you."
"Sure, sure, Jessica, come on in. This is so terrific--having you here and all. . . . Can I get you something? A soda maybe--or I could fix chocolate shakes? We've got some really great eclairs. Or how about some ice cream sandwiches?" Robin's steady stream of nervous chatter visibly annoyed Jessica and made Cara and Lila yawn.
What's the matter with me? thought Robin, finally slowing down enough to notice their reactions. Why do I always say the wrong things around people I want to impress?
"Oh, gee, I'm sorry," she said aloud. "You don't have time to listen to me babble on and on about food."
Assuming her best president-of-the-sorority pose, Jessica announced, "Robin, you are fortunate enough to have had your name put up for membership in Pi Beta Alpha. You are now officially a pledge."
The smile of pure happiness on Robin's face was so heartbreakingly sincere and grateful that it almost made Jessica change her plans. Almost, but not quite.
"Oh, Jessica, thank you! And you, too, Lila and Cara! This is so super I can hardly believe it's happening to me! When do I start? What do I do?"
Frowning, Jessica tried to hose down Robin's burning enthusiasm. "You know, Robin, being a member of PBA isn't just wearing a special jacket and spending time with all the best people in school, or even being in on all the really important things that happen in Sweet Valley."
{ A slightly subdued Robin vigorously nodded
. understanding.
"As a pledge," Jessica continued, "you have to do certain things--things that prove you are worthy of being a Pi Beta. You have to prove your loyalty to us." , "I'll always be loyal to Pi Beta Alpha," Robin swore. "All my life!"
"That's easy to say, Robin," Cara interjected disdainfully.
"She's right, Robin," said Jessica. "Some of the things you will be asked to do may be a little difficult for you."
"Nothing would be too hard, Jessica, nothing in the whole world. No matter what it is, I'll do it," Robin vowed.
It was like taking candy from a baby. Jessica plunged on.
"OK. Tomorrow. Right after school. Girls' gym. Don't be late!"
As the three sorority girls got up to leave, Lila whispered to Jessica, "What a drab little existence. Let's get out of here before she offers us another eclair!"
An ecstatic Robin closed the door and headed straight for the kitchen. Pulling a whole cherry cheesecake from the refrigerator, she began eating to calm her nerves. At last! She, Robin Wilson, was actually going to be a Pi Beta Alpha. She was going to be popular. All she had to do was get through pledging. How hard could that be?
"Tell me everything, Jess. How did Robin take the news?" Elizabeth dropped her books on a table and descended on her sister. Jessica was wearing leotards and exercising with Jane Fonda via video cassette.
"Do you think my thighs look all right, Liz?" Jessica asked worriedly, flipping the TV off and throwing a towel around her neck. She decided to do fifty extra leg lifts, just in case.
"Your thighs are not important right now. What happened with Robin?"
"Thighs are always important. Anyway, Robin took the news with disgusting offers of food
and undying loyalty. I really think that girl wants us all to be as fat as she is."
"Jessica!"
"OK, OK. The wimp is happy. Does that make you happy? Do you mind if I finish exercising?"
"Not at all." Elizabeth peered at her sister. "Where did you get all that gold, Jess?"
"Gold? What gold?" Jessica wiped her face off with the towel.
"Those earrings you're wearing--they cost ten times more than your allowance, which I know you just spent on albums."
Jessica placed protective fingers over the small, delicate earrings. "These? Don't be silly. I didn't buy them. Lila's aunt sent them to
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