"Hey Brant!" says Hào to a guy shaped like a Dorito wearing swimming trunks.

"Hi Hào!"

"Hi Brant! Nice to meet you! I'm Peter, I'm a new pledge!"

(Good God.)

"You're in Chi Beta Gamma? I'm also in Chi Beta Gamma! Welcome!"

...good God.

"Yes, thank you! I feel very welcomed!" He also feels like every social interaction he has had today has failed and it's probably his fault but he doesn't know exactly what to do instead. Maybe he should try to come up with conversation topics.

How does one strike a conversation with a complete stranger at a house party when one isn't already acquainted with... anyone...

"Do you like swimming?" he asks and now he feels like he's going to be a statistic in this guy's counter of how many awkward interactions he's had today. But whatever, maybe he can get a hook into something.

"Yeah! How about you?"

"I do too! I've been swimming since I was little."

"Why don't you get in the pool?"

Because he doesn't want to get a boner realistically he isn't going to, actually, his brain just autocompleted that. 

"It's less fun in a party, I think. I mostly like swimming as a sport."

"And you don't like it as not-a-sport?"

"...well, it's fine, I suppose."

"Seems a waste to have this huge frat pool go unused."

"I think 'unused' is not the best word to describe that pool right now," he says, lifting his eyebrows and looking over at the (now much more numerous) guys in it.

"What is?"

"...what is what?"

"The best word to describe the pool."

"I think it's 'big'."

He feels like he must be going insane. 

"Are there rules against playing ball games in the pool? If we can get some water polo going that'll persuade me."

"Nah, go crazy."

"Persuade you of what?"

"Persuade me to go swimming." hhhhhhhhhhhhh. "Do you guys have a ball?"

"Yeah somewhere in the back." He looks around then cups his hands around his mouth to call, "HEY RUA!"

"I HEARD MY NAME!" calls back a tall guy who'd been trying to do something akin to having a conversation with the DJ, looking around for the source of the call.

"LOOK HERE YOU DUNDERHEAD!"

"HEY HÀO! WHAT'S UP?"