Born 01 - Born

rod I think. I saw a flash of silver anyway."
    She looks horrified. She crosses herself, and it's the first time I've seen someone do that in a long time. "No wonder you come back and attacked Eric. You ain't never gonna have sex after something like that."
    I laugh. I'm not traumatized from the event. I explained what had happened to me when I saw Anna in the center. I know what a virgin is. I know I am not, not technically.
    "I feel okay with it. It was bad for a day. I've done worse things in my life."
    She accepts it and smiles. "Ain't that the truth." She sips the cider in the firelight and I forget everything. I let it burn and float away with the ash from the logs.
    "So you ain't picked one of them brothers? They both like you."
    I shake my head. "That's a dilemma."
    She giggles, "Not a bad dilemma, if you ask me."
    I shrug and sit on the log. I hear a twig snap and look to the right where the path is. I laugh instantly. Will is naked. He's holding clothes over his genitals. "I want my clothes, Emma. Now."
    "What?"
    "You took my clothes." He raises an eyebrow and walks into my tent.
    His bare butt almost makes me stop laughing. It's muscled and for a split second I glance at Meg. She makes a biting gesture like it's an apple. I nod and follow him to the tent.
    I contemplate for a split second just taking the clothes off and standing naked outside of the tent for everyone to see. I might actually be safer outside naked than inside and half naked.
    I stand there for a second and contemplate my dilemma and how much it just got worse.
    Looking down at the outfit, I can't believe I never noticed how huge the clothes I'm wearing are or that they smell just like him.
    "Emma. Now." His voice makes me jump and without thinking, I step into the tent.
    I can't see him in the dark of it. I am grateful. That means he can't see me, either.
    I pull the shirt off and hold it out into the darkness. His hand meets mine. I take the clothing in his hand and pull it on. I pull the pants down and feel weird being half naked in front of him. I hold the pants out for him but he pulls me into his naked embrace. My t-shirt is the only thing either of us has on. His hands are on my bare backside.
    His lips meet mine. He pulls me up and squeezes the air out of me. His face is buried in my neck. My feet touch the floor of the tent again and his lips drag up and down my throat until he meets my lips again. He sucks and kisses and I feel lost in it all. His tongue meets mine as his hands roam my back and bare bottom. I hear myself moan. My skin is on fire. I don’t even know what I'm supposed to do next. I can feel his body against mine and I know what he wants to do next. I panic and push him away.
    He laughs a throaty laugh. "You're a little tease. It's only going to last so long."
    I stumble back and quickly pull my pants on. My body feels funny. My pants feel tight and constricting. I feel weird about his hot and cold routine. My brain instinctively reminds me of the girl in the short shorts kissing him.
    "I don’t want to be a notch on someone's belt, Will." I walk out of the tent and feel proud of myself. I love when I can use lines from Granny's romance novels. It feels like she handed the wisdom down to me through the books.
    I don’t actually get the image of notching a belt every time you make love to someone but Will is exactly like the roguish men in Granny's novels. He is too good looking and cocky.
    I want to be the virginal bride who falls for the right guy. The guy like Jake. Honest and loyal and fun and sweet.
    I stand at the fire and let the heat seep into me.
    Meg glances up and smiles. "That tent's been awfully busy lately."
    I frown at her. "Remember you're fifteen, please. You aren’t twenty-five."
    She shrugs. "Ain't no one getting to no twenty-five, Emma. We gotta live for today and enjoy what we got right now. Two months ago, I had a momma. Now I got you. I'm grateful. Even if you are a pain in the ass."
    I snort at her.
    Sarah walks up and snuggles into my arm. I think about the creepy guy who got his dirty old man claws into Meg, and I whisper in her ear, "You stay with me, Meg, Mary, or Anna at all times, okay?"
    She glances up at me and nods. "Okay."
    "Don’t go in the woods or tents with anyone you don’t know or any men. Men are the devil."
    She responds with a shiver and a cuddle. I should probably follow that advice, as well.
    "I like Will and Jake," she turns and whispers.
    I hug her tighter and walk