The River--Chapter 3

By now you may think that my whole life was figured out by me at a very young age because of Bruce. Well, this isn't exactly true. You see, I know how episodes of my life would  play out once the song clicked in my head. For example, when I felt like I needed a boyfriend and adventure and a baby when I was coming up on seventeen, I knew to follow the words of "The River." It was divine. The thing is, sometimes I don't know which song I gotta act out; it always just presents itself to me in a real obvious sort of way. You'll see. But for now, let me go on with my life with  JJ.

I started to lose my nerve after he spread the blanket on the banks of the river. He asked if I wanted to sit with him or what. 

"I want to dive in," I told him.

"Dive in?! It's April; do you know how cold that water is?"

"I know." 

I looked at my exposed hands and wrists and saw orange streaks. QT application wasn't so smooth. And it appeared to be rubbing off on my white shirt. JJ saw me looking at all that orange. I kept thinking, tan and wet, tan and wet.

"What's all that orange stuff all over the place?" JJ asked.

I shrugged. "Must've gotten something on me, I guess."

Tan and wet, tan and wet.

I walked over to the river--just about five feet away from the blanket, too close to be too brave-- and kicked off my shoes. I stuck a toe in and was sure I'd die if I tried to swim in the water. The water was so cold my toe turned numb and my ankle ached. Was that a snake by the water? Or was it just a twig? JJ watched. He seemed confused, unfamiliar with the lyrics in my head.

Suddenly the song played loud in my head; it meant go, go, go. JJ must go with me. I tore off my pants without even unzipping them. The tunic followed (it sure was orange now). I turned to face JJ head on and undid my bra. His eyes were like yellow marbles and I wasn't sure he was even breathing. He never broke my stare.

My slightly discolored pubescent body was standing, streaked, in only my cornflower print granny pants. I told JJ to join me. In a flash he had whipped off all his clothes except for the tighty whities and stood next to me. Our underpants like a chastity belt, we both clung to the last vestige of our virginity, then ran into the water. and ran right back out. 

Tan and wet; tan and wet.

Now I could see through JJ's underwear, and I knew he could see through mine. We ran, freezing, back to the blanket. 

We held each other in an awkward sort of way; we were real, real cold.

Then, closer than I had ever been with a boy before, I kissed him long and hard. I poked my toungue and sucked his. He liked this. Quickly the granny pants and the tighty-whities were tossed aside and I had my first kiss, my first boyfriend, and my first boink, all in the same day.

I knew I'd have to continue these river trips to ensure the  wedding coat for JJ's nineteenth birthday.