Page 99 of The Apple Tree

“But he’s taking you to a movie after the game tonight. That’s a step. Right?”

I nodded.

“What movie?”

“Dirty Dancing.”

“What? NO! You can’t see that movie without me. We agreed we’d go together.”

“I’ll seeFatal Attractionwith you.”

“I heard it’s a stalker movie. I want to see a real love story.”

“I’m giving you a moment-by-moment account ofmylove story. What more could you possibly want?”

She slammed her book closed and grinned. “I want to know about the sex. You’re too vague. What position do you do it in? Do you orgasm? Does he go down on you? Does he kiss you afterhe does? That freaks me out. Like, do you really want to taste yourself?”

I giggled. “I didn’t think about it. He did. It wasamazing, and then we kissed, but I was focused on how he looked at me and how he felt inside of me, not how I tasted in his mouth. I must taste pretty good.” I smirked.

Erin covered her mouth to suppress her laughter. “That’s …”

I sighed. “Doesn’t matter. Ilovehaving sex with him. I feel like such a perv with a one-track mind. It’s all I think about when we’re together. He’ll talk to my dad about football, and I think abouthisballs and how they sound slapping against me when we’re doing it.”

“Oh my god!” Erin cackled, falling onto her back.

Clifford jumped on her and started licking her face.

“I have it bad for him. If he dumps me, I will not survive. And it’s not just the sex. It’s the way he smiles. It’s like he gets me. Whenever we look at each other it’s like we’re sharing a secret.”

“Well, you are,” Erin said.

I shook my head. “Yes, but not that one. It’s been this way since the first day we met. It was one look, and this instant feeling like …” I bit my bottom lip.

“Like what?”

I shrugged. “I know it sounds stupid, but it felt like recognition.”

Her nose wrinkled. “Like you’d met?”

“No, like finding something you were looking for. Like, ‘Oh! There you are.’”

Erin gave me a blank stare.

“Doesn’t matter. I’m just saying I love everything about him. He’s playful and such a good dad. I swear I fall harder in love every time I see him just being a dad to Josh. Ugh!” I growled, hugging my fists to my chest. “He’s so manly and rugged, yet smart and caring. He’s just …”

“Perfect?”

I sighed. “Yeah.”

“Oh, Eve, it just feels that way because he’s your first love.”

“I don’t know. I’ve liked other guys, and I’ve wondered if my feelings were love. But this is different. My heart skips so many beats just thinking about him. I may never know what I want todoin life, but I know I want tobewith him.”

I curledmy hair at home and tucked my dress, shoes, and illegal makeup (not mom-approved) into a bag and headed to the game.

With a few minutes left on the game clock, I left the school and headed to the lake. My car light wasn’t ideal for applying makeup, but I made it work. Then I changed into my red dress. My mom always called it raspberry red. It was one of the outfits I wore for my senior pictures.

Sleeveless.

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