She really didn't know why she had let herself get dragged into this. It wasn't as if she was some brainless bimbo who enjoyed this sort of thing, but somehow, between Jane's pleading and Jeffery's not so sympathetic looks, she had given in to going. To a party. To a college party at that.

She didn't even really remember how it had come up in the first place. Jane was visiting her (and Jeffrey, inadvertently) in Boston, and had decided that it would be fun to go to a party. Particularly, a fraternity party. Jeffrey had thought about this for a moment, and then taken Skye to the side, explaining that it was probably the safest way for Jane to be introduced to such things, what with having older-sibling supervision and all.

She, of course, argued that it was impossible. She wasn't even in a sorority, much less a fraternity, and Jeffery's school didn't have a Greek system. Jane had taken this news quite broken-heartedly, before Jeffrey, ever so helpfully, pointed that while Skye wasn't in it herself, she did know a few guys who lived in a frat house, and all the parties were open-door. The glare he earned in return for that comment could have started another ice-age.

But the two of them were undeterred. Jane fell to her knees at her sister's feet with a very dramatic, "Come on, Skye! You're a sophomore, and you still haven't been to a college party! Don't you think it's high time you experienced the lighter side of campus life?"

Jeffrey, on the other hand, took a more practical approach. "Honestly, Skye, how bad can it be? I mean, come on, you go to MIT! You school has the most studious frat boys in the nation!"

She snorted. "Let's just say we work hard, and then we play hard..."

He shook his head, obviously not believing her. "Sure, Skye... Because nerds are so naughty..."

"Nerds...?" She raised one eyebrow.

"Geeks?"

The other eyebrow.

"Geniuses?"

"That's better."

And so Jane had catapulted them into two hours of primping and preening, painting and posing, until - finally - they past her inspection. Skye, who had been crammed into a skin-tight purple number that she wouldn't have been caught dead in, snuck a pair of jeans and a t-shirt into her bag before leaving, glancing around to make sure that Jane hadn't caught her. Jeffrey, gazing at her in amusement, winked before pushing her into the backseat. "I didn't think you'd go for that dress." he mumbled discreetly. She just smiled. He knew her all too well.

Even if the houses hadn't been clearly marked, there could have been no mistaking which one was hosting. The three-story Victorian vomited people, music, and lights out of all windows and doors, and the front lawn was a maze of coolers, couples, and discarded cups. Apparently, they were late.

As soon as Jeffrey had stopped the car, Jane was out in a flash. Within seconds she disappeared from sight. Skye had a momentary OAP flash of responsibility, before she reminded herself that Jane was 18, and this had been her stupid idea in the first place. Jeffrey, however, was more diligent. Leaving Skye, who he knew was perfectly capable of fending for herself, he hurried off in pursuit of the slightly more flighty Penderwick sister.

Skye, struggling to walk in the ridiculous heels and skin-tight dress, made a bee-line for the ladies room, anxious to get out of those clothes before she was strangled to death. Despite having the grace of a pregnant elephant, she could feel the eyes on her back as she pushed and shoved her way through the masses. Maybe it was because of her clumsiness, but she had the strangest suspicion that it was more the fault of her costume.

Once safely through the threshold of the restroom, she leaned back against the door with a sigh of relief. Mission number one: get out of the dress. As the itchy material fell around her now-sneaker-clad feet, she began to relaxed. With the proper gear, even she could handle one party.

Or at least, that was what she claimed before she stepped back out into the mash. All was going well until she reached the drink table. "What do you mean, you don't have any water?! How can you not have WATER?"

The man behind the table just flashed her a sympathetic smile and shrugged his shoulders. "Well, it doesn't really seem to be commodity tonight. How about a coke?" Deciding that it was better than dying of thirst, she nodded, and with a quick word of thanks, turned back to the party.

She had only been standing there about two seconds when she was jostled from behind. Whirling around, she found herself face to face with a hunched over man. He staggered, his alcohol-heavy breath engulfing her face as his hands grabbed her waist to steady himself.

"Hey... Aren't you a pretty one..." His drawl sent shivers down her spine as she wiggled to extract herself from his grasp.

"Let go of me."
He just smirked, swaying on his feet as he tried to get his eyes in focus. "Now, why would I want to do that? Look at me; live is gooood! I've got a hot momma - OWWWW!"
He lurched, grabbing the shin that she had just kicked.

"Sorry, got to run!" And then, as quickly as she could through the mobs of party-goers, she ran away.

10 minutes and many failed attempts later, she finally found an unoccupied corner that she could claim for herself. How had she let herself get into this? Well, it was going to be the last time, that much was for sure. Never again would she let Jane sweet-talk her into anything so stupid.

Speaking of which, where was Jane? Letting her eyes scan the crush, she saw lots of terrible dancing, lots of red plastic cups, and no Jane. Jeffrey, however, was on the other side of the room. He was sitting on a couch with a flock of girls around him, looking very uncomfortable.

Thrilled to finally see something that made her want to smile, she let her eyes rest on the spectacle for a few seconds. It served him right, the schemer. That would teach him not to try and get her to any parties.

Just as she was starting to worry that maybe she should try and find Jane, she felt hands on her waist. Jutting her elbow backwards in a move she had picked up in a self-defense seminar, she spun around to see who her attacker was. And she was greeted by the sight of the same drunken thug who had grabbed her earlier. She knew that she only had a few seconds to get out of there before he recovered and tried to get her again.

And so, she did what any smart, self-respecting girl would do.

She ran to Jeffrey Tifton.

Well, it's a start. I'm hoping for two or three chapters, but time will tell. :-)