Judith

Chapter 1.

I was raised by a good protestant family. My boyfriend was the quarterback of the football team; and I was prom queen and president of the celibacy club.... Why was this happening to me???

I promise I didn't mean to. I got paired up with her in swimming. I had heard the rumors about her; but I wasn't one to feed into gossip... The lord says love thy neighbor, right?

Whether or not she was a hussy, the girl could swim and that was all I cared about. I needed some help with my own swimming and I was grateful to be her partner.

"My folks have a lap pool- if you want to come by and do some extra work..." she said once after class, clearly exasperated from having lost yet another relay race (my fault, naturally).

-Let me tell you a few things about my partner: her name was Alondra, and she never let anyone get away with mispronouncing it. She had raven black hair and porcelain skin, legs that went on for miles and dainty, delicate hands. her plump lips and blue eyes were magnetic; and she carried herself with all the poise of a high society lady.
Alondra was THAT girl. You know her- the unexpected rebellious beauty queen; someone who walked a fine line between sensuality and innocence. She used to wear bright red lipstick to the pool; and (by some form of magic) it never smeared, contrarily the water only seemed to intensify the color. -
I'm not sure when I fell in love with her. It may have been the first time I heard her laugh... or perhaps the first time I caught a glimpse of her bare face in the locker room. Truth be told, it was some intoxicating mixture of every second I spent with her.

Now we're here.

"My folks have a lap pool- if you want to come by and do some extra work..."

I was terrified and overjoyed.

"Yeah, I could use the help. I'm sure you're tired of losing..."

"Winning isn't everything J", she winked at me and began to scribble her address on a piece of paper.

J? I had a nickname? And that wink... What was that? I knew I was blushing; but I sheepishly smiled and waved goodbye.

That afternoon I  decided to forgo my usual swimsuit, replacing it with a cotton candy pink and white polka dotted two piece that my mom bought me on our last vacation. I was shaking from the moment I rang the doorbell; and my nerves only got worse by the time I got to the backyard and saw her in her striped black and white bikini.
We got in the water; but instead of swimming we stayed in one corner. She talked about music - Joan Jett and the Blackhearts... things my mom wouldn't let me listen to- and I found myself focusing more on her lips than on the words falling from them. She said something or another about "Crimson and Clover" and all I could do was nod.

She burst out laughing and said "Judy, are you even listening?"

I half smiled; knowing that I had to make this count.

"No I wasn't listening," I said "I couldn't."

She looked a bit confused; but before she could say anything else I leaned in and kissed her.

She kissed me back.

That was how the best and worst summer of my life kicked off.

Author's Note

xxx
A