EIGHT

-8-
“Touched for the Very First Time”

My life as a monk was about to end and I couldn’t have been more excited. Contrary to the belief of what I told some of my friends, I did not have sex with Heather that first night. After spending a good four hours down at the jail, I returned to a sleeping girl and a warm bed. We shared some kisses and talked for awhile, but at this point I was worn down from the long night. I didn’t quite have the energy to pursue much more that the kissing. I did happen to find out that she was a virgin as well, so maybe that was part of the reason I was suddenly tired. Before she left the next morning I did use my early morning, half asleep charm to get her phone number and by the end of the week, we would have our first date.

That Monday after the beach blowout, school started. For the first time in a long time, I was actually excited about school. After toiling through my first year, I was finally able to take some classes that I was interested in. I was still in the Criminal Justice/Pre-Law program. For some reason, part of me had wanted to be lawyer. I was more interested in the research aspect than being in the courtroom, and that was always part of my hesitation. To help with that fear, and hopefully combat it, I enrolled in an Acting Class. I figured that by performing in front of people, I could explore more of who I was. My confidence was at an all time high, but I still had a lot to gain.

Other than acting, I took a History class. It was one that was beyond the usual 101, basic stuff. I had always been interested in history. I went above and beyond to find books outside the realm of normal education. I figured that if I ever switched majors, it would be to history and this way I would have a head start. I also had a Science class, I think, and maybe Intro to Art. Those were two classes I really had no interest in, but they were required by the school to complete my degree. That’s one thing I never understood. Colleges obviously want you to be a well rounded person, but why I need Art to be a lawyer, I’ll never know. Just like math to a Theatre Major or Science to a Phys. Ed. Major, a desire to learn is only judged by one’s own interest in the subject. And in Art, I had none.

School aside, the first week was topped off by the date with Heather. My sense of adventure had no yet developed with the ladies. That lack of experience showed with the proverbial and classic dinner and a movie date. I figured it was simple enough to work. I would get to know her during dinner and that way I didn’t have to blow it by being boring during the movie. The beauty of a movie is that if dinner doesn’t go so well, you still have to sit next to your date for two more hours. This would give a person plenty of time to plan an awkward out strategy for after the movie. This is exactly how my youthful mind worked.

Except for, as it turned out, dinner went exceptionally well, at least in my eyes. We went to some tiny, Italian restaurant, very romantic and very cozy. It was tucked away on the west end of town and I was hoping to impress her. I threw on my nicest blue collared, button up shirt and matched with my favorite pair of blue jeans. It was noting over the top, perhaps a little underdressed, but I thought I looked good. Better than average, at best, but I hoped it would do the trick.

Heather, well, she was a knockout that night. She wasn’t formerly dressed, either, but to me she was a ten. She wore these black dress pants that formed perfectly on her tiny ass. Heater wore this pink silk top that was the ideal compliment to her pants. Her green eyes sparkled and she smelled like heaven. Heather, at this moment in my history, was the most gorgeous woman I’d even laid eyes on. I’m not talking celebrities or people you see in magazines or ads. I’m talking about a real girl that I had an opportunity to share air with. This is all that I could think during the entire dinner.

Dinner flew by. I stuck with my usual spaghetti with meat sauce while she tackled the Chicken Penne. I would have ordered some wine, but I’d left my fake I.D. at home. It didn’t even matter, as I hung on every word she said. I’m sure some of what she told me had already been said on the night of the party. My memory is usually solid as a rock except that night was still fuzzy at the time. Heather even seemed to laugh at the lameness of some of my jokes. This indicated to me she like me. It would take a fool to miss these signs. In the game of love, though, I was a fool.

The movie I cannot remember. It was probably something romantic, along the lines of Runaway Bride or some other Julia Roberts movie. I really had no interest and was simply seeing it for Heather’s sake. The only thing I remember about the actual movie is that Julia Roberts was riding a horse in a wedding dress. That’s because about half way through the movie, my moment of relaxation finally occurred. I was sitting there, and my eyes constantly were moving between Heather and the movie screen. My feet continually stuck to the soda stained floor as I fidgeted. It was then the moment occurred. My palms had been sweating for the past half hour as I contemplated holding her hand. I had done more than this on our first night together, but I kept telling myself that it was only because the booze had done the rationalizing. After a few half-hearted attempts to place my rough hand in hers, Heather finally quelled my fears. She firmly grasped my hand. With eloquent ease, she placed both her hand and mine on the inner part of her lap. For the first time all night, my mind finally stopped to race.

The movie ended and I drove her back to the dorms. I parked the car and walked her back to the front doors of the building. The plan was to walk her there and pray to God that I could steal a kiss. She had the softest lips and I had wanted to find them again. Everything went as planned. I leaned in, to kiss her, and she kissed back. This lasted only a few seconds before she stopped me. “Wanna come up,” she cheerfully queried.

Being the prude that I was, I asked, “What about your roommate?”

“She’s gone for the weekend. So you should come up.”

I did not even hesitate. I nodded yes and she smiled. At this point, my mind stopped doing any thinking. I was alone with this girl who clearly liked me and my heart began to beat faster. I followed her up the stairs and playfully slapped her ass a few times. She giggled and coyly told me to stop it. I could not wait to get to her room.

We get to the room and immediately fall onto the bed. The kissing began and the groping immediately followed. I fumble wit the hooks on her bra as I try to undo it under her shirt. She politely smiles and removes her bra as I take off her shirt. She then practically rips off my shirt and throws it across the room. As I lean on my elbow and attempt to calm my nerves, Heather brushes my slightly long bangs from my face. “Let’s have sex.”

It sounds like something a girl would say to Freddie Prinze, Jr. in a movie and I stifle a laugh. “Are you sure?”

A silly question and her only answer is to kiss me deeper and longer than before. I had my answer.

I’ll spare you the silly details, but let’s just say I found the gold and enjoyed it. In fact, I found gold three times that night and it was worth every second. She didn’t complete me, as Jerry Maguire stated ever so bluntly, but she made me enjoy life so much more. Nothing can describe that feeling of being connected with one person and letting that feeling explode into an emotion of pure delight.

Yet as the sun rose that morning and Heather’s naked soul fell asleep in my arms, I’d never felt so alone. I had this pit in my stomach. Maybe it had been the early stages of love. I’ll never know. I couldn’t push the feeling aside and I realize now that I simply put a hex on myself. Heather and I were good for a solid month, but after that, things started to slide downhill. Now that I’d had sex, I wanted to explore other girls and what they knew. Heather was great, but by New Year’s Eve of that year, I’d moved on. I had parlayed my experience and confidence into meeting the girl I’d end up dating for two years. That girl is the girl I still call the love of my life to this day.