Slave to Broken Hearts and Sex Appeal

"Oh, wow. This is nice." I say, admiring my surroundings.

The Christmas party is being held at a fancy country club. There's a buffet and tables set up. A large Christmas tree sits in the very corner.

"Did you get the gifts?" Frank asks.

"Of course. I told you I was."

Frank looks relieved. I don't know why he expected me to forget. More people showed up than I had originally thought. Most of the people in attendance were cooks that worked back in the kitchen. I didn't recognize them. All ten waiters and waitresses showed up. Several of them came with dates. Frank greeted all of them and introduced me I politely said "hello" and pretended to remember their names.

Frank's boss comes up to us and tells us to leave the gifts under the tree and that the gift exchange would be done at eight o'clock. It's about seven now.

"Hey. There's Ian." Frank tells me, pointing directly at him.

"Frank! Don't point at him. God, don't you have any manners?" I snap.

He ignores me.

"Let's go say hi."

I follow Frank over to Ian.

"Hi, Ian!"

Ian turns around and smiles at Frank.

"Hi Frank, how are you?"

He has a Welsh accent, not an English accent. Frank was wrong.

"This is Gerard." Frank says, gesturing towards me.

I shake his hand and mutter a greeting. He's attractive and I hate it. I don't want to be attracted to someone else. That's what broke Frank and I up in the first place. I decide my best option is to avoid him as much as possible.

"Hey. Gerard. I didn't expect to see you here." Adam says, approaching us from behind. I'm glad to see him. He's a welcomed distraction.

Ian walks away to chat with a blonde waitress who has apparently been flirting with him all night. He doesn't seem sincerely interested but, he keeps a polite front.

By the time midnight comes around, I'm exhausted. Parties are mentally draining for me. I have to keep up with names and faces of people I'll probably never speak to again. Frank, on the other hand, is wide awake. He's sipping at a glass of wine, telling his coworkers about the time his parents caught him watching porn when he was eight. He had accidentally stumbled across it and before he could close the window his dad walked in. He didn't have the heart to tell them he wasn't interested in women anyway.

Ian offers me a glass of wine. I reject his offer, telling him that I don't drink alcohol. He tells me he really doesn't either but, the blonde waitress had given him a glass and he didn't want to be rude.

Such a gentleman.

Adam falls out of his chair, completely hammered, and hits his head on the floor. For a second, I worry, thinking he's hurt but, he starts laughing hysterically, easing my fears.

"Frank. I think we should go home now." I mutter under my breath. I don't want to sound like I'm not having a good time. Even though I'm not.

"Aw. Why? Let's stay a little longer. You need to get out and have fun. Stop being such a hermit all the time." He wraps both of his arms around me and lays his head on my shoulder.

He's right. I do need to get out more. That doesn't mean I want to.

Finally, two o'clock comes around. The manager announces that it's time for everyone to go home. Frank wants to say goodbye to Ian. I tell myself it's only a little crush. I probably won't see him much after this. Ian gives Frank and I both a hug goodbye and tells us he's taking Adam home.

Such a fucking gentleman.