clutched the letter to my chest. I couldn’t believe it. Not only was I definitely going to college, but I had options . The word reverberated in my soul. Options! That’s why I had studied so hard in the first place, wasn’t it? So that I would have options?! Surely, that’s the most Carol and Dawn ever could’ve wanted for me, and now their wish had come true. Maybe they hadn’t fucked up so bad after all. Maybe neither had I. It felt like my future- everything- was all going to work out after all. I was so excited I couldn’t move. Which was okay because I didn’t feel like telling anyone just yet. I wanted it to be my happy secret for a few minutes. I rolled over onto my stomach and unfolded the other papers. There was one about dorm selection and one about meal plan selection. Which I planned to study carefully when I calmed down. There was even one about freshman orientation that made me roll my eyes. Cause I knew the drill. Finally, there was a formal letter from the lacrosse coach explaining what I would be a part of if I said “yes.” I mumbled yes to myself the entire time I was reading the material. I could already see myself in the white and green uniform. I could imagine grabbing a quick dinner in the busy cafeteria after practice with my teammates before returning to my perfectly decorated dorm room to study something fascinating. I could picture myself getting dressed up for class and holding my notes to my chest while I walked across the campus. Then I got scared. Because it was far away and I wouldn’t know anybody. I would have to start over with nothing but a clean slate. But I could tell by the way my insides were spinning that it was a good kind of scared. The first good kind of scared I’d felt in a long time. And I had no idea whether or not I could do it. All I knew was that there was only one way to find out.
Chapter 14: Dawn
Lover #5: The Less Experienced Lover It is inevitable in any sexually active woman’s life that she will come across someone who has less experience than she does. And while she might not have the opportunity to learn new things in this situation, being the more experienced lover is still a position of great responsibility. I took a guy’s virginity once. He was an old friend and a colleague, and after a few drinks one thing led to another. He was also an athlete and in excellent shape. So I let him do most of the work, though I like to think I made it worth his while. The rug burns on his knees the next day were the stuff of legend, or at least, the stuff of a pretty amusing inside joke between the two of us. Obviously, a woman with my extensive experience has had the upper hand on more than one occasion. However, in times like these, it is important to consider what it’s like to be the more nervous party and make the other person comfortable. For example, fast and furious isn’t an appropriate sexual setting in this case. Plus, chances are that the other person will remember every last detail more vividly and for much longer than you will. So take your time. Make it special for them. Maybe even try and teach them something new like your previous sexual partners so kindly did with you. But I’d also like to include a warning here. Not all men enjoy sex recreationally. In order to be a sexually responsible woman, you must not use your powers for evil. For example, you will only regret seducing someone who has strong feelings for you that you can’t reciprocate. It’s wrong to lead people on and give them false hope whether the circumstances are sexual or otherwise. Most women I’ve known who have close male friends have at least two that would sleep with them given the chance. And not only would they sleep with them, but these friends often harbor feelings that go way beyond that. And just like you wouldn’t want someone to play around with your feelings and use you as a means to an end, don’t do it to others. Mutual play is fine.