I send Maureen a thumbs-up emoji and Jayce a heart. Boozer rubs his face on my leg, wraps his paws around it, and thrusts his pink lipstick into my shin. “Ewwww, Boozer. Get your dick off my leg,” I yell, pushing him back. He smiles up at me, his tongue dangling, oblivious of my wishes, and tries again. “Get, you freak.” I yank my leg from his grasp and storm inside, swinging the door around behind me.
A note from my mom sits on the kitchen table.
Don’t forget, your father and I are going to dinner tonight.
Oh, I didn’t forget, I think to myself as I climb the flight of stairs to my bedroom. My closet is full of clothes, yet I’m struggling to find something to wear. Perhaps it’s because I know tonight Jayce is supposed to take my virginity, and I want it to be perfect. The problem is, the more I think about it, the more scared I become. I’ve seen the size of his cock and the way just his fingers inside me hurts. I worry about the pain he will cause me. He’s told me many times before he’ll be gentle, but it’s not just that. Having sex changes things.
If there’s one thing my mother instilled in me since I got my first period at the age of twelve, it’s that sex can be scary. She told me stories about people who only had sex once and got pregnant or contracted diseases. Instilling fear was partly her intention, and the other part was to make me think it through beforehand. Now, I find myself second-guessing my promise to Jayce.
My fingers hover over Jayce’s number. Calling him to say I’ve changed my mind about tonight seems rude. I need to tell him in person.
I haul out a graphic T-shirt, leggings, sneakers, and a matching hat. It’s the most unsexy thing I can think of wearing tonight.
After taking a hot shower, I pull on my pants, put on my shirt, and tie my sneakers.
Maureen has already texted me twice, wondering when I’ll be ready. I’m her ride, so she’s growing impatient. I tie my hair in a ponytail and pull my hat down low on my forehead before jogging downstairs. Muddy footprints scatter around the kitchen when I enter, and Boozer stands at the open door, wagging his tail.
Flies buzz around my head, and I swat at them as I yell at Boozer. “Bad dog. Get inside.” He bobs his head at me and crosses the threshold. I take paw wipes, clean his feet, and pat his backside. “Go lie down.” After doing a quick sweep across the floor with the wet jet mop, I lock up the house and make my way to Maureen’s.
When I pull into the driveway, her mom stands in the doorway, arms crossed, arguing with her.
It’s her outfit. It has to be. Her mini skirt barely covers her ass, and her cleavage is seconds away from busting out of the top. Her mom stuffs a white sweater into her hands and grits her teeth as she says, “Take it.”
Maureen rolls her eyes, tucks the sweater under her arm and storms away. Her emerald green skirt complements her green eyes but does little to hide her body as she sits beside me, flashing a partially bare cheek. “Gosh, she’s annoying,” Maureen says, slamming the car door before glancing at me. “How do I look?”
“Like a slut,” I say with a broad smile.
We burst into a bout of maniacal laughter as I back out of the driveway and speed down the street.
She scans my outfit and shakes her head. “What happened to wearing something sexy?”
I grip the steering wheel tighter, whitening my knuckles. “I changed my mind.”
Her eyes widen as she places her hand on my forearm, gripping it tight. “You changed your mind about banging Jayce tonight.”
My head snaps in her direction. “I didn’t say that.”
She nods. “You don’t have to. Your outfit says it all.”
I slap the turn signal down and pull into the parking lot across from the park. “Don’t make a huge deal of it.”
I exit the car and round the front as she climbs out and says, “Oh, I’m not. Did you tell Jayce yet?”
“No,” I murmur as I press the door lock button on my car, and we cross the street.
Maureen shimmies her skirt down as we enter the grass and walk along the pond, heading for the man-made path that leads to the party spot. She pulls the bottle of vodka from her oversized bag and passes it to me. “Here, some liquid courage.”
I twist off the top and take a big swig. The liquid burns its way down to my empty stomach, and I cough at once. “That shit is strong.” I pass it back to her, and she takes a swig.
She shakes her head and wrinkles her nose before swallowing hard. “It’s 80 proof.”
We press through a row of bushes and weave around a thick blanket of brush before coming into a clean flat space, a small fire burning in the center.
Jayce drops a pile of sticks into the flames and approaches us. He glances briefly at Maureen with raised eyebrows before wrapping his arms around me and whispering, “What are you wearing? Did you get your period or something?”
My face flushes, and I feel it drain of color. He’s disappointed, I can hear it in his tone. “Can we talk?” I gaze up at him as he runs his fingers through his hair.
He directs me away from the growing crowd and behind a wide tree. “You changed your mind, didn’t you?”
