TheBanyanTree: SUB: Kiss and Tell?

[pat.martin]

            Standing in front of my bedroom mirror, my critical eyes stared at my semi-clothed image.  I didn't like what I saw.  I wasn't pretty or shapely like most other girls of my age.  At fifteen, dressed in sensible cotton underwear and a push-up bra, I resembled a pale-skinned beanpole with freckles and wispy brown hair.  

Most of my classmates were, as Mom said, more 'developed' than I was.  Although I hated the word 'developed', I sure wished it would happen to me.  I wanted to be the same as everyone else: I wanted womanly curves; I wanted to date; and I wanted to tell my friends all about my first kiss - if it ever happened.

My dog, Tippy, a spaniel cross, watched from the bed as I buttoned up a pink cotton blouse and zipped up my jeans.  Every few minutes, he whimpered.  Tippy was a worrywart, just like me, and when I felt excited or nervous, he did too.  He sensed that something was up.

            I sat cross-legged on the bed and dumped the contents of my makeup case onto my lap.  Using a small hand mirror, I applied black eyeliner and mascara, foundation, rosy blush and pale pink lipstick.  By the time I finished with my face, I felt good about how I looked, in spite of my boyish figure.  

            I smoothed Tippy's silky ears.  "What do you think?" He furrowed his brow and tilted his head sideways.  His tail thumped against the mattress.  

            My large, emerald green eyes - my only good feature - studied my reflection once more.  I puckered up, imagining a boy's mouth on mine.  Finally, I applied a coat of lip-gloss to my never-been-kissed lips.  I was ready.

            "Patsy, you're friends are here!" Mom called from the kitchen.

            "Coming!" 

              Linda, a school friend, and her boyfriend, Eddie, waited on the back porch.  As promised, they'd brought along a boy for me.

            "Hi," Linda said, passing me her carryall.  I had invited her to stay overnight, and we planned to sleep in the tent pitched in my backyard.  Eddie, his arm draped over Linda's shoulder, nodded his greeting.   

            "This is Wayne."  As Linda introduced the stranger, she watched me closely, trying to gauge my reaction.

            "Hi," I said with a polite smile.

            "Hello," he replied.  Our eyes met and lingered as we quickly appraised each other.  Wayne loomed over me.  He was heavy set with a square jaw and short dark hair.  A flourishing field of poppy red pimples covered his face.  He wore well-worn jeans and a white tee shirt that showed off his tan, muscular arms.  I didn't find him attractive.

            In spite of my disappointment, I decided to make the best of it.  Except for my brothers, I had little experience even talking to boys, let alone dating.  This would be good practice.  And who was I to judge him?  Skinny and shy, I looked more like a twelve-year-old playing grownup, than I did a girl in her middle teens.

            Tippy bounced around the visitors, barking and wagging his tail.  "This is Tippy," I said, bending down to pet him.  

            It was a beautiful summer evening, a perfect night for a stroll.  Linda and Eddie linked hands, and Wayne and I walked next to each other, arms by our sides.  Wayne pulled out a cigarette, lit it and drew heavily on it, then passed it to me. 

            "Want a drag?"  

            "No, thanks."

            He slid it back into his mouth and smoked as if he really enjoyed it - long, deep inhalations and snail-slow exhalations.  He blew smoke circles overhead, watching my face as if he expected me to be impressed.  But in my mind, he had already struck out.  

            Later, beneath a dim, yellow streetlight in front of my house, it was time to say goodnight.  Linda melted into Eddie.  Their parting kiss went on and on.  I could hardly bear the silence.  

            As I stared longingly towards home, Wayne pulled out a tattered billfold.

            "I've got something for you," he drawled with a mischievous grin, and passed me a rumpled business card that read: If you keep this card, you owe me a date.  If you return this card, you owe me a kiss. If you throw this card away, you owe me both. 

            I passed the card to Linda.  She read it, showed Eddie, and handed it back to me.  Three smirking faces waited for my response.  

            For a moment, I didn't know what to do; I felt trapped.  A date was out of the question; I wasn't interested in Wayne.  Then, my curiosity took charge.  Heart hammering, I passed the card back to Wayne and stared up at him, uncertain what to expect.  He stepped closer and hugged me so tightly I wondered if he could tell I wore padding in my bra.  Bending down, he firmly planted his lips against mine, and to my disgust, passionately probed my virgin mouth with his tongue.  

            Tippy, not only perceptive of my moods, seemed to sense what was on Wayne's mind.  My dog, my best, most trusted friend, jumped on my leg and made a frenzied attempt to mate with it  

            "No!" I shouted. 

            I broke away from Wayne's repulsive smoky tongue and shook my leg frantically to dislodge the highly aroused dog.  It wasn't easy. I kicked with all my might - once, twice, three times before he finally let go.  My cheeks flamed; my stomach churned.  I turned away from the light to hide my shame.

            "I've got to go," I muttered and escaped up the driveway with Tippy leading the way and Linda hurrying to catch up. 

            Much later that night in the tent, I listened to Linda's slow, rhythmic breathing as I tossed and turned.  I relived my humiliation countless times as Tippy, forgiven, slept soundly at the foot of my sleeping bag.  

            Nothing could have prepared me for the nightmare of my first kiss.  And nothing and no one could ever make me tell.

 

###
      
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.remsset.com/pipermail/thebanyantree-remsset.com/attachments/20030626/35704375/attachment.htm>