‘hook-up’. Each time, it was the same thing. They’d tell me how beautiful I was, how smart, and then how they loved me. Usually right after they told me they ‘loved’ me, they would tell me they wanted to ‘take the relationship to the next step’. Creepy. Since now I think about it, most of them had the same routine. Boring, and yuck!” Jewel quivered thinking about how unsettling it felt to be mauled by all those meat-heads Megs called gorgeous. But Jewel knew that gorgeous turned to hideous when the lights when out.
Megs elbowed her. “You mean you never…did the nasty?”
Jewel stilled. “You? Did you?”
“I’m not telling first. You spill.” Megs pushed her back against Jewel’s.
Jewel closed her eyes. “Not yet.” She’d never told anyone. Most of the girls on her cheerleading team had been there and done it. They assumed she had also. And now that the thought of it sat in her mind, she pictured her and Colin’s kiss in the thunderstorm. She wanted that…when the time came, she wanted to experience the magic of Colin’s lips on her. Unfortunately, the thought also made her a bit melancholy to know that when she got back home everything would be the same. She’d play popular girl at school only to come home alone with no real friends to talk to or hang out with. Megs was the only friend she had and if Megs wasn’t friends with Amy, she doubted Amy would ever give her a second glance. Most girls found her either too much competition or considered her snobby or a slut. They didn’t want to hang with her outside of the times it benefited them.
“Earth to Jewel!” Megs turned around and pushed Jewel’s shoulder. “No way? You’re like sixteen going on seventeen already? And gosh, you had some REALLY good choices!”
Jewel’s jaw dropped. “You’re kidding, right? You think just because a guy looks hot I should sleep with him?”
Megs shrugged. “Why not? They were your boyfriends. They said they loved you. What else do you want?”
Jewel’s eyes widened. “Uhum, maybe to love them back? Maybe to think they wouldn’t ditch me right after they got the goods. Maybe to be treated…like it’s my choice.” Megs always made everything seem so simple. But it wasn’t simple for Jewel. Every time one of those guys kissed or touched her, she felt like bugs were crawling on her skin.
“Hmm. Well, I did.” Megs smirked like the cat that ate the canary. “With Kenneth. However, did you know…Jake wanted to but I told him I wanted to be his girlfriend first.”
Jewel grabbed Megs forearm. “You didn’t? After how long? I mean, you did date him a year.”
“Oh, about six months. Then we did it whenever we had the chance. Remember when I asked you to tell my mom I was staying at your house? Well, his parents were out of town.”
“Wow, I feel used.” Jewel poked Megs in the stomach. Boy, she hadn’t realized Megs was so sneaky. Jewel hadn’t suspected a thing.
“So tell me, is Colin mad at you or you at him?” Megs stretched out on the bed and propped her head up on her hand.
“Talking about me behind my back, Megs?” Colin’s deep voice floated into the room.
Jewel inhaled a deep breath, her eyes soaking up Colin’s slim, muscular form in his baggy jeans and gray t-shirt. His wavy black hair was still wet. It accented his slightly slanted dark eyes. She’d assumed he’d just showered. Jewel bit at her bottom lip and observed how Colin appeared a little uncomfortable; like he thought she was going to tell him to leave.
Megs hopped up. “Well, I’ll let you talk. Amy’s aunt is driving us into town, so Jewel and Colin, see you in an hour.” She winked at Jewel before shutting the door.
“Hi.” Jewel gave him a nervous smile. “I— About the other day.”
Colin walked over and sat on the edge of the bed. “I screwed up. I didn’t mean to scare you off by kissing you.” He slid a hand through his hair. “I just want to be with you, on your terms. Okay? If that means
Megs elbowed her. “You mean you never…did the nasty?”
Jewel stilled. “You? Did you?”
“I’m not telling first. You spill.” Megs pushed her back against Jewel’s.
Jewel closed her eyes. “Not yet.” She’d never told anyone. Most of the girls on her cheerleading team had been there and done it. They assumed she had also. And now that the thought of it sat in her mind, she pictured her and Colin’s kiss in the thunderstorm. She wanted that…when the time came, she wanted to experience the magic of Colin’s lips on her. Unfortunately, the thought also made her a bit melancholy to know that when she got back home everything would be the same. She’d play popular girl at school only to come home alone with no real friends to talk to or hang out with. Megs was the only friend she had and if Megs wasn’t friends with Amy, she doubted Amy would ever give her a second glance. Most girls found her either too much competition or considered her snobby or a slut. They didn’t want to hang with her outside of the times it benefited them.
“Earth to Jewel!” Megs turned around and pushed Jewel’s shoulder. “No way? You’re like sixteen going on seventeen already? And gosh, you had some REALLY good choices!”
Jewel’s jaw dropped. “You’re kidding, right? You think just because a guy looks hot I should sleep with him?”
Megs shrugged. “Why not? They were your boyfriends. They said they loved you. What else do you want?”
Jewel’s eyes widened. “Uhum, maybe to love them back? Maybe to think they wouldn’t ditch me right after they got the goods. Maybe to be treated…like it’s my choice.” Megs always made everything seem so simple. But it wasn’t simple for Jewel. Every time one of those guys kissed or touched her, she felt like bugs were crawling on her skin.
“Hmm. Well, I did.” Megs smirked like the cat that ate the canary. “With Kenneth. However, did you know…Jake wanted to but I told him I wanted to be his girlfriend first.”
Jewel grabbed Megs forearm. “You didn’t? After how long? I mean, you did date him a year.”
“Oh, about six months. Then we did it whenever we had the chance. Remember when I asked you to tell my mom I was staying at your house? Well, his parents were out of town.”
“Wow, I feel used.” Jewel poked Megs in the stomach. Boy, she hadn’t realized Megs was so sneaky. Jewel hadn’t suspected a thing.
“So tell me, is Colin mad at you or you at him?” Megs stretched out on the bed and propped her head up on her hand.
“Talking about me behind my back, Megs?” Colin’s deep voice floated into the room.
Jewel inhaled a deep breath, her eyes soaking up Colin’s slim, muscular form in his baggy jeans and gray t-shirt. His wavy black hair was still wet. It accented his slightly slanted dark eyes. She’d assumed he’d just showered. Jewel bit at her bottom lip and observed how Colin appeared a little uncomfortable; like he thought she was going to tell him to leave.
Megs hopped up. “Well, I’ll let you talk. Amy’s aunt is driving us into town, so Jewel and Colin, see you in an hour.” She winked at Jewel before shutting the door.
“Hi.” Jewel gave him a nervous smile. “I— About the other day.”
Colin walked over and sat on the edge of the bed. “I screwed up. I didn’t mean to scare you off by kissing you.” He slid a hand through his hair. “I just want to be with you, on your terms. Okay? If that means
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