**Writer's comment:  The question arose as to whether Frank makes it back to Transexual.  The story is finished, so the answer is "out there"…but if I told you now, I'd have to kill you. J.**

Frank and Andrea settled into a back booth at Luigi's Pizzeria, on Denton's Main Street.  Originally they'd planned to go to Le Petit Bistro, a French restaurant that had just opened to glowing reviews, but ultimately decided that dressing up to go to a fancy restaurant would feel too much like work after the stress of the first day of classes.  They ordered a cheese pizza and a pitcher of beer, and settled back to relax and chat. 

Andrea smiled at him.  "I meant to ask you…did you make it to your 2:00 class on time?  I must say, I've never seen anyone get dressed so quickly in my life!"

Frank laughed.  "Incredibly enough, yes, I did.  Just barely.  If we ever decide to try anything like that again, I'm afraid I'll have to insist you set an alarm."

She leaned across the table and kissed him.  "Not if, Frank.  When."

As they talked, Frank pondered his feelings for Andrea.  Although they'd just met, he felt a connection with her he hadn't experienced since…well, since he'd left Transexual.  He tried to analyze what it was about her that so compelled him.  Of course, there were her obvious physical attributes…a mane of glossy, shoulder-length auburn hair, bright blue eyes gleaming with warmth and humor, an ever-ready smile, and a slim yet curvaceous figure.  Her intelligence was as striking as her beauty.  She was extremely knowledgeable in her field, but even better, she demonstrated a lively curiosity and interest in a wide range of subjects.  As their initial conversation meandered from Shakespeare on to politics, Renaissance art, religion, and, yes, the sciences, he was impressed by the many insights she was able to bring to the various topics.  Perhaps best of all from Frank's point of view, she was the first person – male or female – he'd met on this planet who was as sexually insatiable as he.  Their lovemaking had an intensity he'd been unable to capture with any of the countless others he'd been with.  No wonder he'd almost missed his class!  Despite all those advantages, he still felt there was something else to explain their bond…some mysterious chemistry he couldn't pin down and prove with Bunsen burners and formulas and test tubes.  Which was, he decided, as it should be.

After they finished dinner, they decided to take a walk down Main Street.  Frank knew he should be heading over to Janet's apartment, but, truth be told, he wasn't quite ready to face the discussion that was to come.

Andrea looked up at him.  "Do you want to go to my place?"

Frank sighed.  "I'd love to, but I can't.  I have a problem with a student I need to straighten out."

She looked surprised.  "You've run into a problem so soon?  A problem that needs to be dealt with at 8:30 at night?"

"The problem isn't academic.  It's…personal."

Her silence told him she was waiting for him to elaborate.  He tried to figure out what he could say.  Obviously the complete, unvarnished truth was not an option.  At the same time, he didn't want to lie to her.  He'd just have to tell her as much of the truth as he could, and omit the many important details he simply couldn't afford to share with her yet…or maybe ever.  At any rate, the things he could tell her would be bad enough.

"It turns out that one of the students in my freshman chemistry class is a young woman I had an…encounter with a couple of years ago."

She raised her eyebrows.  "Your freshman chemistry class?  How old is she?"

Frank hastened to reassure her.  "She's in her mid-twenties now, so she was probably 22 or 23 at the time.  Anyway, in years past, I'm afraid my sex drive sometimes made me…well, I suppose destructive would be the best word for it.  I met her at a party, and seduced her that night.  I never saw her again…until this afternoon."

Andrea looked at him narrowly.  "Well, okay, that wasn't incredibly nice of you, but I don't quite understand the big problem.  Is she still holding a grudge after all this time?"

"I don't know if she's holding a grudge.  But you need to understand, there was more to it than just a simple one-night stand."

"Oh?  What exactly does that mean?"

Frank answered reluctantly.  "Well, for one thing…she was engaged.  Her fiancé was actually with her at the party."

Andrea shook her head.  "Not nice."

Frank couldn't help but agree with her.  "No, not nice at all.  And I'm afraid it gets worse."

"I think I'm afraid to ask."

He winced, but continued.  "It turned out that it was, well, her first time." 

"You had a one-night stand with a virgin?  Did you know she was a virgin?"

"I found out before we actually had sex, yes.  But instead of deterring me, it actually made me more determined.  The thought that she'd been holding out on her fiancé, but was willing to give up her virginity for me, gave me a feeling of power."  He looked away, afraid to see her reaction to his words.  "I can't make any excuses for my behavior.  I know it was hideous.  For what it's worth, the events of that night were what made me reexamine the way I'd been living my life.  It wasn't a pleasant process, to say the least."   

She was silent for a moment.  "No, I imagine it wasn't."  She stopped walking, and looked down at the ground.  "What happened with her fiancé?  Did they get married?"

"I don't know.  She's registered for my class under her maiden name, so either they never got married, or they did and the marriage failed.  I'm sure she'd be using his name were they still together.  In any event, undoubtedly I'm largely responsible for the end of their relationship.  I don't know what I can say to make up for that."    

She sighed, and put her hand on his arm.  "I don't know, either.  Are you sure it's wise to even try?  What if it makes matters even worse?"

Frank wished he could explain why he had to talk to Janet, but he just couldn't.  "All I can do is hope it doesn't.  She wants to talk to me about it, and I owe her that much.  If she's going to be sitting in my class for the remainder of the semester, we have to try to clear the air.  So I agreed to meet with her tonight at her apartment."

She nodded.  "I suppose I see your point.  But do you really want to meet her alone?  In her apartment, no less?  Would it be a good idea for me to go with you?" 

Frank was momentarily horror-struck.  Have her come along?  Oh, of course, right after I invite Riff Raff and Magenta to tea.  "It's not so much that I want to meet her alone as that I have to.  At any rate, I hardly think my showing up with my new lover would improve her mood."

She laughed softly.  "No, I guess not.  But promise me something."

"What?"

"That you'll come to my apartment when you're finished.  I still think going over there is dangerous.  At least you'll be able to honestly tell her you have somewhere else you need to be.  Besides, I know your conversation won't be easy.  After an experience like that, I don't want you to be alone."

Frank felt as if he'd managed to escape from the middle of a minefield.  He realized he'd been terrified his confession would lead her to walk away from him for good.  He took her in his arms and kissed her gratefully.  "I promise."