I moved away from Auburn when I was 12. My dad took a stab as a security contract for an oil company, so we spent the next six years constantly moving to different, dangerous Middle Eastern countries. Eventually, he burned out and went back to being a PI in Auburn, and that's how I found myself here.
Here is Auburn, Mississippi – a small town with 400 students enrolled at the local high school. Here is where I grew up playing with my older brother, Tim, and his best friend, Matt, who was between us in age. The last time I saw Matt he was a gangly 13-year old boy who had cooties. Of course, I was a chubby 12-year old girl who had cooties too. We were still friends despite the cooties part, in the "I can climb that tree faster than you can" kind of way. A lot had changed since then. For example, I now had a reason to wear a bra, and I hear Matt finally made starting quarterback on the football team.
I wasn't sure if it was him at first. He was taller, but no longer gangly. 6'2" and well-proportioned, I recognized him more from knowing he was the quarterback than the image I had of a 13-year old boy.
"Matt! I haven't seen you in forever," I gushed. He paused, and my stomach clenched as I saw a shadow of doubt cross his angular face now lacking the prepubescent roundness, I remembered.
"Samantha?" He said after a moment's hesitation. My heart was, of course, crushed. The transition from new kid in school to dating the star football player wasn't progressing as hoped.
"Uh, no. Sarah, actually. Remember? Tim's little sister?" Maybe not the greatest way to be remembered, but it was something.
"Sarah? Oh, yeah. I remember now." He paused again looking me over, then I realized he was checking me out. I guess I had changed too. No longer chubby, my chest was topped with cantaloupe sized breasts, and my legs showed no signs of their former flabby selves, and my hair had gone from girlish pigtails to a womanly mane down just past my shoulders.
Nothing really happened for the first couple months of school. We had a few classes together, so we talked occasionally, even flirted a few times, but for the most part life was normal. Then November came, and guys started asking girls to homecoming. I turned a couple of guys down in hopes that Matt would ask me, but I was starting to regret that with only two weeks left. Then he did. I was walking on air for most of the day, and my girlfriends were congratulating me knowing how badly I had wanted to go with him. Except for Tara. Tara had gone out with Matt last year though, so I wasn't really surprised. Until we talked...
"Sarah, I heard Matt asked you out," Tara said as she primped in front of the mirror in the restroom.
"Yeah?" I replied somewhat timidly, aware of their history.
"He'll expect you to put out, you know."
"Not exactly surprising. He's the quarterback after all. I'd be surprised if he wasn't expecting it."
"So you're going to?"
"For him? I think so." Not that it was really any of her business.
"Well, Matt has a very... 'strong' personality, so just watch out." That was a bit mysterious.