Walter and María continued to embrace each other in the middle of the street, completely enraptured with one another. They were all giggles and smiles.

However, when they leaned in for another kiss, they were quickly broken apart before their lips could meet.

“María! What are you doing? You’re here with me. Besides, he’s not even in my frat. He’s from across the street,” said an angry, slightly inebriated fraternity brother wearing seersucker and pastel colors who seemingly came out of nowhere to disrupt Walter and María.

“Actually, I’m not in a fraternity,” said Walter

Complete shock ran across the frat guy’s face. “What?! You’re kidding me! He’s not even Greek, María.”

“Well, actually I am,” retorted Walter. “We eat lamb at Thanksgiving. “

As he finished his quip, however, a number of the frat guy’s brothers started to make their way out into the street, and he wished he had acted more confirmative toward the frat guy.

“But I guess your contention is less racial,” continued Walter.

“Is this guy giving you any trouble, Bernie?” asked one of the frat guy’s brothers.

“Get this,” started Bernie, “He’s not Greek, but he thinks he can get with María.”

The group of frat brothers smiled and chuckled.

Just then, inside the bar, Peter noticed Walter standing in the middle of the street, next to a girl and surrounded by a group of men wearing seersucker and pastel clothing. He broke away from Liz, despite her protests, and headed for the door and outside toward Walter.

Liz followed, hanging back to gauge what was happening.

“You stay away from María, man, and we’ll leave you alone. All right?” said Bernie, pushing Walter away from María and taking her by the hand.

Walter knew he was outmatched, so he did not make a move.

“What?” asked Bernie sardonically. He laughed, turned and walked back toward his side of the street.

The rest of his brothers followed. María looked back longingly, but she did not fight it. She knew that Bernie, even though she was not interested, could be very protective of her, and she did not want him to hurt Walter.

As they reached their side of the road, continuing to move off, Peter arrived. “What was all that about?” he said.

Walter was still following María lovingly with his eyes. “I just met a girl named María,” said Walter.

Peter was confused. He took his eyes off the group of frat guys walking away and looked at Walter.

“What? No. With those guys,” said Peter.

Walter was still staring after María in a trance. “Walter!” exclaimed Peter.

“Oh, sorry,” said Walter as he turned to walk back toward the bar where the formal was being held. Peter followed.

“Hey, man, what’s going on?” asked Peter.

“I just met the most beautiful girl,” said Walter.

“Yes, I’ve gathered that,” said Peter. “But why did those guys crowd around you?”

“Oh, I think he was here with her,” said Walter. “And those were his friends.”

“The frat guys?” said Peter.

“Mm-hm,” said Walter. “They were upset that I was with María since I wasn’t in their frat.”

“Damn it!” exclaimed Peter. “I hate those people. With their seersucker and their ties, they think they’re so cool.”

Just then, they reached Liz who had been watching the unfolding event. “Who are you talking about?”

“Frat guys,” said Walter.

“What’s so bad about fraternities?” asked Liz. “They always throw really nice parties in their houses.”

“But they always shut their doors in our faces,” stated Peter.

“What? When?” asked Liz disbelievingly.

“Always,” emphasized Peter.

“Unless we bring girls,” added Walter.

“I know, it’s like that all over SMU too. Student Senate, Student Foundation – it’s all heavily Greek,” continued Peter.

“Oh, come on, guys. Life is all right here at SMU,” retorted Liz.

“If you’re all Greek here at SMU,” added Peter in Walter in unison.

“Oh, please, you guys can be so bad sometimes,” said Liz.

“Us?” said Peter. “What about you? How many girlfriends do you have who are non-Greek – and I don’t mean acquaintances; I mean friends.”

“Umm . . . I have a few,” began Liz. “Umm . . . well, Abby.”

“I thought she was your roommate last year,” said Walter.

“She was,” answered Peter.

Liz looked a little bit stunned. Maybe all of her good girlfriends were Greek. But was that really her fault? She was always around Greeks; plus their personalities matched. She had nothing against non-Greeks. She just never had the chance to get to know them.

“Well, nevermind,” said Walter. “I’m hungry. Let’s eat.”

Later that night at Café Brazil, Peter, Walter and Liz were shoveling down their delicious late-night breakfast dishes (Liz’s friend Rachel had gone home; Walter was one of her worst dates ever, she would later say repeatedly).

As they finished up, Walter noticed the group of frat guys walk in, along with . . .

“María,” said Walter effervescently, as he stood up.

Peter and Liz turned to see her walking through the door and then looked back at Walter who was still staring directly at her.

“Oh, lord, not these guys again,” said Bernie, noticing Walter in the corner with Peter and Liz.

Bernie made a direct line for Walter. His crew, as well as María, followed. When he reached the table he spoke directly to Walter: “Look, I don’t want to see you around my girl ever. OK?”

Walter looked to Peter and then over at María. She smiled and looked away shyly.

“Don’t even look at her, man,” commanded Bernie.

Walter did not say a word. He took out a pen from his pocket and scribbled down something on his napkin.

“Hey, what are you doing?” asked Bernie. “Did you hear me?”

“Yes,” said Walter contritely. “However, I don’t think María wishes to be called your girl. And furthermore, me and my friends were here first. Now I know you feel entitled to this restaurant, as you do with most things, but we’re not leaving, and I’ll look at whoever I damn well please.”

Bernie looked squarely and toughly into Walter’s eyes, but Walter did not flinch.

“OK. Fair enough.” said Bernie. “But in the future, stay away from her, comprendes?”

Walter looked directly at him and then looked past him and over at María. Walter nodded for her to come over to him.

Bernie, dumbfounded, moved back as María moved forward. Walter held up the napkin he wrote on so María could read it. Bernie tried to look around María to see the note, but he could not.

María smiled when she finished reading it and looked down. Walter crumpled up the napkin and placed it into his drinking glass on the table.

Walter looked over at Bernie, smiled and sat down.

María turned and began walking away. Bernie’s gaze broke away from Walter as María passed him. He followed her.

“María,” began Bernie, “What did that note say?” María continued to walk away. “María!”

As Bernie followed María away and the rest of Bernie’s friends followed him, Liz turned to Walter: “What did you write to her?”