22...

There was this party, this god awful sorority, college party. I mean awful is a given, but this was particularly bad. Cheap bargain rate beer in the keg, generic store brand vodka the only hard alcohol, and veggies and dip as the snack selection. And these were the bonuses of the party.
Frank didn’t have anything against the greeks in general, living with those sort of generalizations was just dumb. But these were Mary’s sorority sisters, ladies he had attempted to meet and be friendly with, people to whom he had assumed the best. However after all of the fake smiles and snide comments that these ladies assumed he was too stupid to get, he was forced, yes forced, to call her sorority the F.B.I. – Fucking Bitch Institute.
At this particular soiree, one was supposed to be dressed in red, or wear shirts with flowers, or some such nonsense. Naturally, Frank had decided to go a different way and wear a black cardigan with no shirt underneath, and shorts.
“Nice outfit,” a woman named Kristen said as she passed. Her sneer could have stripped paint.
Frank had promised Mary that he would be on his better behavior, especially after she had seen him walk in with what he was wearing, but he was far too sober for this shit.
“Thanks Kristen. Your tits almost pop right out of that top!”
The fake enthusiasm dripped down the hallway walls.
Kristen turned and gave him a look like she had just seen a big, fuzzy, cute dog run down by a lawnmower – and then fucked. Frank couldn’t help flashing a toothy grin. Mary was going to hear about that one and would be charging down this hallway any minute.
“I better get a smoke before that,” Frank mumbled to himself.
Beginning to pay attention to the people floating around this hallway for the first time, Frank flagged down a brawny guy walking past.
“Hey man, you gotta smoke?”
The guy gave Frank the incredulous look that he probably reserved for losers. Frank gave him a hearty thumbs up and a “thanks anyway” just to piss him off. Frank looked down at his vodka and cranberry and finished it off with a grimace.
“Here you go,” a voice that resonated with laughter and mystery said.
Frank looked to his left. This mirthful looking, dark-eyed girl glanced at him sideways with just the hint of a smile. She held a cigarette out to him in way that made it seem like the end of a magician’s trick.
“Thanks,” he said, plucking the smoke away. He couldn’t help smiling at this girl, there was some gleam in her eye that made his body tingle. “You’re saving my life.”
“Or putting it in terrible jeopardy,” she looked at him fully and seriously. There was this fullness to her lips that knocked the air out of Frank’s lungs, kicked away his coolness.
“Yeah,” he said lamely, laughing even more so.
“Frank!” he heard Mary shrilly shout.
He glanced over to his right with the wary eyes of a tired gazelle who knows he’s done for. He saw her eyes touch on the girl to the left and narrow to razors. She crossed the remaining ground like a machine. Frank nearly closed his eyes and braced for impact when he saw this woman jump in front of him, right into harm’s way.
“Hey Mary,” this woman said with what seemed a practiced nonchalance. “That blouse looks fantastic!”
“Um, thanks.” Mary was fumbling.
“I was wondering if I could borrow Frank here for a second. He’s got the answer that will solve this heated debate outside. It will only take a minute, and then he’s all yours.”
Frank looked at this girl, whose focus never left Mary, and tried to hide his incredulous smile.
“Seriously, it would just be for a minute.”
“Um, yeah. Okay.”
“Thanks so much!”
The woman grabbed Frank’s arm and charged towards the door.
“What debate?” Frank asked.
“Whether or not you want to have that smoke sometime tonight,” she turned with a mischievous smile and continued on.