*Note to readers: While the main character of Katie is 17 in the first portion of this story, she does not engage in any sexual activity until she is 18. So, with that said, happy reading, God Bless, give my regards to Thelma Lou, and Hakuna matata!*
*
My mother considered the age to for a girl to become a woman was 13. Well, I was 17, not far from my 18th birthday, but I guess you could say I was far from a woman. I guess I was half-kid, half-woman. I liked to glam it up and wear makeup and wear small skirts and midriff-baring tops. But there was also the juvenile side to me, still, who liked to play basketball or softball with the boys out on a court or field, or in the street. You might say I was "one of the boys."
I was far from an ugly duckling. I actually thought of myself as quite cute and maybe even desirable when dressed in the more form-fitting clothing. I had light brown hair, thick, and a few brown freckles sprinkled across the bridge of my nose. I had slanted, green eyes and a slim, lean figure, with long legs and a small behind. I was quite proud of my figure being 34B-24-34.
Contrary to stereotype, being "one of the boys" didn't mean they didn't want to take me out on dates. In fact, this was a whole world opened up to me of boys who wanted to date me. The boys liked just about every girl, but when they were with me I think they liked someone who wasn't primping and fussing all the time. While I had a few close girlfriends and was not catty or anti-girl, I could see where the boys would get exhausted. Girls are very exhausting and even I had trouble keeping up with them at times.
It was the beginning of September in my senior year of high school. It was a muggy afternoon after school and myself, my boyfriend, Andrew, and two of his friends, Brad and Mikey, were all hanging out on the front porch of my house. Andrew and I were sprawled out on the porch swing and Brad and Mikey were sitting on the stoops.
"Yeah," Brad said, "but what you lack in boobs, Katie, you make up for with brains," he said to me jokingly.
"Well, what you lack in cock you make up for in....do you make up for it?" I quipped.
"How'd you know that about his cock?" Mikey laughed.
I leaned over and kicked him playfully. He grabbed my foot and started to pull on it. I started to giggle and he stroked my calf like an old lech. I kicked him again, laughing, accidentally hitting his nose. His hands went up to his face.
"Now what?" I challenged.
"Damn," he said, his voice muffled by his hands. "Girl, that hurt!"
At that point my Dad came out onto the porch. He observed the scene then looked at me curiously. "Katie, honey, could you go down to the basketball court and pick up Pauline? It's almost supper time."
I nodded. The basketball court was just down the street and Andrew and I walked alone together while Brad and Mikey went off someplace to do whatever it is they do, like vandalism or whatever their hobbies were. Andrew and I walked mostly quietly, with just a little small talk. I didn't have that rowdy, loud rapport with him as I had with other boys. He was a very shy one. We had been dating for about two months, and I hated to admit it, but I felt very bored with him and I didn't want to sleep with him. He was also extremely intelligent while I struggled by in school and I felt he held that over me at times. Arrogant, I guess you could say. I wondered how he managed to befriend punkasses like Brad and Mikey or how these boys could stand Andrew's arrogance. But here I was, dating him. And why? I knew the ending of our relationship was near, that I was just stalling because it's hard to dump anyone at all.
When we arrived at the basketball court I saw my 12 year-old sister Pauline playing ball with a few of her friends. At that point Andrew said goodbye to me and kissed me on the cheek, heading for his own house.
"Hey Paulie!" I hollered out. She probably heard me but chose to ignore it.
There was a chain link fence surrounding the outdoor basketball court and I spotted a man watching from a different side of the fence. I called out to her again and she reluctantly jogged over me, stating that she was in fact starved and why hadn't I called her earlier if I had been standing there?
We walked across the street when I heard a voice behind me.
"Excuse me, Miss." I turned around. It was the man from the other side of the fence. He had walked up to me. "I think you dropped this."
He handed me a bracelet that had fallen off my wrist and onto the ground. It was very special to me. A nice boy who I knew, but who had had to move away, gave it to me, with it engraved especially to me, the engraving saying: "To Katie: The cutest babe since Bardot. - Tim." Okay, not exactly Robert Frost, but I still held it close to my heart.
I smiled at this very cute man. "Well, thank you. I'm glad you spotted it, it's very special to me."
"You're welcome, Katie."
"How did you - oh, of course," I laughed, "the engraving." I stuck my hip out and slipped my hands (as well as the broken bracelet) into the back pockets of my jean shorts. "Who might you be?"
He chuckled. "Well, I'm not Tim." I giggled with a little, flirtatious lilt I had learned from one of my girlfriends and touched his forearm slightly, leaning over as I laughed. "Jim's the name," he said, sticking his hand out. I shook it.
"Nice to meet you," I said. "Come here often?"
"Usually after school's been let out. My niece is one of the girls who was playing today."
"Katie," Paulie said impatiently. "Come on! I'm hungry!"
I laughed. "Well, I hope to see you around again."
He smiled, "Likewise."
Paulie then pulled my arm and we started our short walk back home. I asked Paulie if she knew anything about this guy named Jim. She informed me that he was "old" and that his niece, Melanie, was her new best friend. That was about all the information she knew, she said, as she dawdled as we walked, picking up yellow dandelions along the way.
I had a heavenly feeling about this Jim character. He looked maybe 33 or 34, about twice my age, but I would be legal soon and then....Ah! Why did I let my imagination take over like that? Yes, he was a nice man. He was friendly, but he was probably nice to everyone and he was also probably married. Still, I wondered if I should go to the court the next afternoon.
The next afternoon, right after school, I found myself primping in front of the mirror. I had been sweating like a hog so I put on another layer of deodorant and a clean, crisp white t-shirt tucked into another pair of my infamous, short jeans shorts. It didn't take me long to figure out I was interested in Jim and I wanted to know more about him.
On the walk to the court I found myself daydreaming about him. I was a tall, long girl of 5'6", but his height, which I guessed to be around 5'11" or 6'0" seemed to dwarf me and disable my senses in the most hormonal way. He also had very thick black hair and black eyes. He had to be what looked like a slim or medium build, but with very slight muscle underneath.