My eyes open suddenly. What time is it? My heart 
flutters as an image of Mark pops into my head. I roll 
to my side and glance at the clock. Four o’clock in 
the morning! I’m wishing it was 7am so I could get up 
and start my day. Trying to fall back asleep… trying 
to ignore the excitement… I just can’t get him out of 
my head. 
I walk into first period and join my girls. I’m half 
listening to their conversation as Mark walks in and 
pretends he doesn’t see me. I whisper to my best 
friend Erika that I too can play that game. We laugh 
together, she thinks I’m crazy with this whole game 
thing. My older sister tells me that guys like a girl 
who plays hard to get. Erika continues to laugh at me. 
The day is dragging and dragging, but finally school 
ends and I meet Mark in the parking lot. I love riding 
in his car. I get such a rush when he drives fast. I 
feel so free driving with the windows down, listening 
to music too loud. We drive to his house, he wants to 
change clothes before we go out. We pull into the 
vacant driveway. His parents are both at work and his 
little brother is in daycare. 
I feel myself getting nervous… a good nervous! He’s so 
cute and I can’t wait to make out with him. We walk 
upstairs to his room and before I know it, we’re 
grabbing each other and making out on his bed. He 
begins feeling up my shirt and I like it. He starts to 
unbutton my Levis. 
I still feel good, but I remind him that we shouldn’t 
go too fast, that we should be taking things slow. He 
says he understands, that he doesn’t want to pressure 
me. I believe him. 
He continues to touch me, but this time something 
feels different, something doesn’t feel right. I 
realize that his pants are down too, he’s struggling 
to put himself inside of me. I don’t  want this, I 
tell him. It’s too soon, I want to wait a while. But 
you’re just so sexy baby, he tells me. I want to make 
you feel good. I don’t want it, I tell him again. He 
does not hear my words.