Chapter 4

Thursday was a busy day for all the active Sisters. Now that the interviews for Big Sisters had been completed, it was time for the chapter to decide who would mentor who. They met on Thursday afternoon to determine who they felt was the best fit for each potential. Thursday night, after they conferred as to who would be the best Big Sister for each potential, Noelle contacted each one to tell them they were required to be at the house Friday night at 5:00 pm. She told them as well that this was a formal event and they were required to dress up. Each had to wear a skirt or dress, and formal shoes. It was preferred the dress be white.

Friday after classes, all seven ran to their dorms to get dressed. Daphne apologized to her coach that she would miss today's practice. Thankfully the season was still months out, so it would not horribly hurt her standing with the team. She was warned though not to make this a regular occurrence. Susan got to her room before Maisy. She had made sure of that. She didn't want Maisy to see her undress, or in her underwear. She had no trouble finding a white dress. She had brought one along when she came here. It was a very simple dress. No frills or anything fancy, but it would work. Maisy was disappointed to see Susan already dressed to go when she got back. "Phooey, I thought I'd finally see you in your undies or naked." She pouted. Susan looked with annoyance at Maisy and flipped her off. Maisy did not have any white dresses, so she had to don a beige skirt and white blouse. The skirt just barely reached her knees. The blouse was also quite tight. Susan hoped the Sisters would not get angry that she was dressed so scandalously despite the formality of the event.

Down the hall, Janine prepared as well. She had no white dress either, so she had to choose something else. The only skirt or dress she had was her old school skirt, the classic plaid schoolgirl uniform. She felt a little silly wearing something from high school to such a formal occasion, but it was all she had. Sadly it was a little tight on her, as she had gained a few pounds over the summer. Her roommate had not come back yet, so she quickly dressed in her room. Across the way, Sonya and Alex prepared for the event. Both owned white skirts and blouses. They undressed from their casual clothes and donned their outfits. Neither jumped at the other being naked. They had seen each other like this often enough already to lose any embarrassment this would normally bring. Both of their outfits were quite modest. Sonya's skirt was pleated, and Alex's blouse was missing a button at the top. She hoped this would not be an issue.

Daphne only had her red dress, as she rarely wore dresses or skirts. It was the one she wore to banquets hosted or attended by her team. It reached mid-thigh, but wasn't very tight or revealing, so she felt it would work. She did not have to worry about undressing in front of others. Years of showering after practice had dulled any shame at being naked around others, and she had a room to herself in the suite at Miggs Commons she shared with three teammates. Gina's roommate was back when she arrived, so she had to change in their bathroom. She, like Susan, did have a white dress. Her dress was a little fancier, with lace frills on the edges and a sweetheart neckline.

Dressed and ready, Susan and Maisy left their room and headed downstairs to the mansion. They met Janine in the common room and headed for the mansion together. At the exit to the residential campus, they met Sonya and Alex. They met up with Daphne and Gina near the house. Their hearts all beat with nerves as they arrived. They all arrived five minutes before 5:00. Jaclyn was waiting outside the door for them. "Welcome, potential Sisters." She said to them. "Please form a single file line and quickly and quietly follow me." As she turned, they lined up behind her and walked in to the mansion. Most of the house was dark, but the main room was lit by candlelight.

They knew as soon as they entered the main room this was a very serious event. All the active Sisters were dressed very formally as well. To all the potential's shock, even Melanie was dressed formally. All seven were shocked to see this. "Melanie is clothed." Maisy whispered to Janine and Susan. Both giggled. They, and the other four, all expected her to be naked like she had been at the Rush Party. Even though they had only seen her parade about naked in the house once, it was still strange to see. All the active Sisters were gathered in the room in a tight throng. Angelique stood front and center with a red book in her hand, with Noelle to her right. Jaclyn stopped them a few feet from the group and asked them to line up side by side. As they lined up, Jaclyn walked over to the group, standing to Angelique's left. Once they were in line, Jaclyn nodded to Angelique. Angelique then faced the potentials and spoke.

"Welcome girls. I am pleased to see each of you here. Tonight is actually about more than assigning you a Big Sister. The reason we asked you to come formally dressed is because this night is also Bid Night. Tonight, before we assign you your Big Sisters, we will be extending a formal bid to each of you. Before tonight, you were only considered potentials. After tonight, you will officially be pledges, or as some say associate members, of our Sisterhood." The seven potentials looked about each other in confusion. They had not expected this. They thought that the night of the party was the start of their pledging. It seemed that was not the case. Each grew nervous again, fearing they would not be extended a Bid. Angelique had seen this before. She hated each time she had to let a girl know she would not be extended a Bid. Except for a few girls last year, who turned out to only be interested so they could find a place to party and get drunk. That was not the image Alpha Alpha Mu wished to convey. They were quickly dismissed.

"The party last week was only the beginning of your Pledging. The purpose of the party you attended last week was for us to meet each interested girl and to see if we felt she would fit with the ideals of our Sisterhood. During the last week, we interviewed each of you not just to see who would fit as your Big Sister, but to get an idea of if we were correct in assuming you would fit in with us. We voted last night to see who we felt would fit in our Sisterhood. To pass last night, you needed to receive upvotes from at least sixty percent of all active Sisters. I am very pleased to see that this year all of our potentials made the cut. It's been five years since all potentials were extended Formal Bids." Angelique and a few other actives quietly giggled as the potentials all sighed in relief. At least this was not the end of the line for them, not yet. Maisy felt the greatest sense of relief. She at least knew now they wanted her to join. It took a great weight off her shoulders.

Angelique then turned to Jaclyn. "Sister Jaclyn, as our Recruiter, will you do the honors of extending Bids to our potentials?" Jaclyn nodded. "With pleasure, Wise Oracle." Susan giggled at this. She knew this was probably a prescribed ritual, but it did not make it less silly. Jaclyn stood in Angelique's place and received seven cards from Krystin. They were very beautiful cards. Off white, with gold trim around the edges. The words on each card looked to be hand-written. Jaclyn quickly sorted the cards, then walked up to the far left of the line, to Sonya. She too had a red book, which she opened and read from. "Sonya Sage, we of the Beta Iota chapter of Alpha Alpha Mu wish to extend an offer to Bid for our Sisterhood to you. Are you prepared to accept the challenges we will put forth for you to join, and do you accept our offer?" Jaclyn said to her. "I gladly accept." Sonya responded. Jaclyn then took the card with Sonya's name and handed it to her. She then stepped to the next girl, standing before Alex. She repeated the same lines, and Alex offered her acceptance. The same occurred as she then stepped to Janine, Maisy and Daphne. Despite knowing her answer, Susan was still nervous. She gladly accepted her bid, then watched Gina take her own. Jaclyn then turned to face the chapter. "Wise Oracle, the potentials here before us have all accepted our offer. They have now begun the path to Sisterhood." Angelique smiled and nodded, then turned to Noelle. "Sister Noelle, as Educator, I now ask you begin the Declaration of Mentorship." Noelle smiled and stepped to the center.

Susan watched as Noelle opened another copy of the same red book Angelique and Jaclyn had read from. "We will now begin the process of declaring each Pledge Candidate's Big Sister. Each was chosen for you among the three who interviewed for you. Each was picked as the best fit for each of you. Sisters Allyson, Margaret, Anabelle, Juniper, Stephanie, Angela and Lucy, will you please step forward and line up behind your Little Sisters. Place your right hand upon the right shoulder of your Little Sister." The pledges watched as their Big Sisters stepped out from the throng and walked behind them. Maisy, Daphne and Sonya did not react when their Big Sister's hand touched them. Gina and Alex looked back then forward again, Susan and Janine jumped slightly. Noelle then walked up to Allyson and Sonya, then spoke.

"Before we make the Declaration, we shall advise each of you as to why each Sister was chosen to be your Big Sister. For you Sonya, it was because you and Allyson came from similar circumstances and have lived similar lives. Though you are pursuing different degree paths, we feel the connection between you and Allyson is strongest of the three who interviewed you." Sonya nodded, then watched as Noelle read from her book. "Sister Allyson Von Tess, do you accept the task of mentoring Pledge Candidate Sonya Sage? Are you prepared to guide her into our Sisterhood and to assist her wherever and whenever necessary? Do you accept all responsibilities that we have conferred to you and do you accept all actions you must take as her Big Sister?" Noelle asked. "I accept this request, I fully consent to any and all responsibilities as Sonya's Big Sister." Allyson responded. Noelle nodded once, then turned to Alex and Margaret.

"Alex, we chose Margaret for you as both of you are facing a shared challenge. Both of you are facing difficulties accepting your sexual orientation. We feel as a Sisterhood that not only could Margaret guide you on our path, but that you both could assist each other in coming to terms with yourselves. Little Sisters are as much a help to Big Sisters as the Bigs are to their Littles. We could not pick a better one for you that exemplified that." Alex blushed at this. She never thought she'd be helping her Big. She was happy to help Margaret. "Sister Margaret Dennings, do you accept the task of mentoring Pledge Candidate Alexandra Capaneli? Are you prepared to guide her into our Sisterhood and to assist her wherever and whenever necessary? Do you accept all responsibilities that we have conferred to you and do you accept all actions you must take as her Big Sister?" Noelle asked. "I accept this request, I fully consent to any and all responsibilities as Alexandra's Big Sister." Noelle nodded her ascent again, then turned to the next candidate.