Des hurls another dried tree branch into the bonfire as the three girls gather around the crimson flames that roared up into the night sky.

"Great fire building skills, Shay!" she smiles.

Shayla shakes her raven head of curls free from a ponytail and quickly peels off her wetsuit along with the two others.

Desiree eyes Mindy carefully as they scoot closer to the fire, enjoying the warmth and allowing the heat from the pit to begin drying off the damp bikinis they wore underneath.

"You know what, I still can't believe it!" Des pokes at Mindy, "...you're really not one of us anymore!"

Their voices go up in a chorus of giggles on the beach that night.

Shayla squats down, finally taking her place by the fire, "So, tell us again. What was it like?"

"I'm not gonna tell the story again. You guys are making me feel weird about it now. It was umm...it was good, okay!" 

Mindy rubs her arm, looking a little disconcerted.

"Just good?" Shayla wrinkles her nose, "How long did it last?"

Mindy shakes her head in frustration, having re-hashed the details for what feels like the millionth time.

"I- I dunno," she stammers, "Like, 20 minutes?"

"Huh!" Shayla puffs, "All that fuss for just 20 minutes?"

"Stop putting her on the spot Shay!" 

Desiree scoots closer to her friend and gives her a warm hug. 

Mindy smiles back at her shyly.

"You really love him, don't you?" Des questions and Mindy nods her head slowly.

"Yeah-"

"Okay, then why do you look so sad all of a sudden?"

"It's just....I've been thinking..." Des seeks out the answer in her friend's wavering eyes, "W- what if he won't be as interested in me anymore? You know, now that we've..."

"Aww, Minds! Don't think like that!" Des looks quickly over to Shayla who is now looking on at Mindy with a rueful gaze too.

"How many times has he texted you today?"

"...four" she grumbles, feeling silly.

"See! He's definitely still interested and you guys are planning on going to the same University together right?"

"Yeah..." Mindy grins realising how crazy she sounds for worrying about Sam. They say that men are dogs but if that were true then Sam would be a Golden Retriever- lovely to look at, fun-loving, playful and ever so loyal!

Mindy's eyes shine back at her, full of vulnerability.

She wasn't a virgin anymore. There was no going back.

All the girls had vowed in their friendship to only give it up to someone who they truly loved and Mindy had found that in Sam.

He was also Des' next-door neighbour and childhood friend for the past eighteen years. Both their mothers were practically inseparable. 

Well, used to be.

"I know Sam. He's a good guy," Des rubs Mindy shoulders comfortingly while taking a careful look at her friend.

All the novelty and boldness had worn off of Mindy now. 

After their long afternoon of surfing, sun- bathing and a heated debate over penile aesthetics, the three of them were totally wiped!

This was their last summer as high- schooler's in Long Palm Bay.

None of them had ever left this town in their lives. 

Well, except Shayla who's mom sent her off to Paris every Spring break to see her dad.

"Did you know that  1 in 10 girls end up pregnant the first time they have sex?" Shayla blurts out all of a sudden. Shay tended to blurt things out, a lot. 

I was just one of those things Shayla did but this time Des didn't find it that funny. Her freckled face growing a scowl almost immediately. 

"First of all, where did you get your stats from? That's absolutely not true. And second, I'm sure that Sam and Minds were careful." Des concludes, rolling her eyes exhaustedly in Shay's direction. 

But then, she blinks slowly- a doubtful ripple of fear going through her body before she turns to question Mindy just to be sure, "You guys were... careful, right?"

"Of course!" the other girl squirms, going pink.

"And like, even if, let's say... you were careful,"  Shayla waggles her fingers  at the last word, " How are you so sure he he did it properly because the way I saw Same roll the condom onto that banana one time in eighth grade still stays with me to this day!"

Des hides a reluctant chuckle.

"Shocking!" Shayla shook her head but stopped right away when she sees Mindy's eyes go glassy.

"Oh, I'm sorry Minds!" Shayla apologises, her face resembling that of a lost kitten now that she thought she'd hurt her friend's feelings.

"I'm just excited for you and curious. That's all!" she flops down next to them on the sand.

"Gosh, I wonder when I'll find a guy worthy of all this!" she snickers, motioning her hands along the length of her bronzed body.

All the girls threw their heads back in hysterics.

"I hope I find somebody too!" Des sighs longingly, staring into the flames. They reflecting in her eyes and Mindy grins with admiration for her best friend.

"You'll find someone soon," Mindy soothes, rubbing her back, "Maybe even this summer! Ahh,  you're so gorgeous! Every guy at Palm Mist High is lining up around the block to date you!"

"And to fuck you!" Shayla pips.

Desiree covers her ears from the callous words of her companions, "Ewwww!" she groans, "If you think that I'm giving myself away to any of those idiots that go to our school. Let alone, in this God- forsaken town...you've another thing coming!" she laughs dryly.

Long palm Bay was a small town. Everyone knows everyone. 

"If I date a guy from this town, I'd probably know his mother's, grand-mother's second cousin and her brother's uncle might even be my father's second cousin- twice removed!" Des splutters.

The other other girls exchange amused looks.

"Nope! No way in hell!" Des declares, turning to look at Mindy pointedly when she remembers, "Uh....no offence, Minds!"

"None taken!" she laughs carelessly. Feeling better after her pep talk from the two, she gets up and starts rooting around in her satchel in search of snacks.

"What about you Des?" Shayla asks, out of the blue.

"What about me?"

"Have you heard anything back from your University yet? I can't believe you only applied to one place!"

"That's because I know I'll get in!" Des shot back, feeling mildly defensive.

Mindy flashes her a genuine smile, "I'm sure you will but if it were me, I'd be so nervous!"

Mindy was right. Desiree had taken a huge risk. She applied to only one institution of higher education while all her peers applied to every single one they thought would have them. With preferences, of course but not wanting to take the chance of getting rejected and having nothing left to fall back on. 

Des had no plan B. It was Le Cordon Bleu in Paris or nothing.

Her dad was one of the best chef's in the country and she wanted to make him proud.

She wasn't a brainy academic like Mindy or a fashonista like Shay but she had her own thing and that was cooking. 

If she got into Le Cordon Bleu, she and Shay would study in Paris together and live at her dad's place. No rent meant more spending money for partying and plenty of time to meet cute French boys!

Desiree sighed again loudly and both girls did the same as they sat around the fire, pondering on their hopes and dreams for the future. 

High School was over and it was time to step into the real world.

                                                        ***

"I'm sorry, Sir but we're closing in fifteen minutes." 

Des tries to smile at her last minute customer but it comes out looking like more of a sneer.

A greasy bald guy with a huge beer belly grunts unpleasantly before turning around and leaving the 'Wave Crave'.

This was her punishment.

She stayed out far too late the other night with Shay and Mindy so her dad put her in charge of the beach bar instead of letting her work the restaurant in town.

It was a Friday night too and he knew that things would be crazy. 

Des was left to handle managing five staff and making sure all the rowdy customers left by the time they were ready to close at 11.

"If you can stay out late partying then you can stay out late doing something that's gonna benefit your life!" her dad scolded her the night before after she was caught crawling through the window at 4am, thinking that he was still asleep.

Desiree bid the other staff goodnight and stayed behind to close up.

Tiredly, she fastened the pad lock on the doors and flinging her bag over her shoulder, she made her way to her car.

Turning the key in the ignition she groans loudly in dismay when a sputtering sound gargles from the engine!

"Fuck my life!" she rests her forehead against the cool leather of the steering wheel.

Why did her dad insist on giving her a piece of shit car when they could literally afford a new one? 

No. He wanted to make her work for it just like everything else. Which is why she decided to do just that, all through the summer so she could afford a nicer one. 

Or at least, one that she could drive without it breaking down every other day!

"Hey!" a voice called out to her from a shiny blue Sedan as she walked along the road into town.

 She'd called Shayla who would meet her there and give her a ride the rest of the way home.

Keeping her eyes focussed straight ahead, she continued trundling down street. 

"Hey, crop top!" the voice called out persistently and Desiree gasped, folding her arms over her tummy.

How freakin' rude!

"Are you gonna walk all the way in the dark by yourself or are you gonna let me give you a ride?"

Desiree turned her head, ready to spit insults at the mouthy bastard who dared to try and cat call her when all she wanted was to walk home in peace.

But when she turned to look at who the culprit was, her breath got stuck in her throat.

The hottest guy she had ever seen in her life drove alongside her slowly, matching her quickened steps as she walked. 

He reclined lazily in the driver's seat, arm propped up on the car door with his elbow jutting out of the window.

He raised an eyebrow at her momentarily shocked expression and she cleared her throat, coming to her senses.

Then he smiled. 

A slow smirk that spread up into a boxy grin and Des was certain that she slightly wet herself.

"Um, I don't need a ride but thanks!" she squeaked turning her eyes quickly back to the road.

As if nothing else could go wrong that night, she felt a sudden splash of wetness land on her nose.

Then another on her eyelid, then it came more quickly until she picked up her pace to a light jog when the rain began to fall heavier.

"C'mon, you're gonna get soaked!"

"Fine!" Des breathed to herself.

She only needed a ride into town and then she would get out of this strangers' car. And hopefully in one piece!

Des got into the car and the guy turned up the windows to keep the rain out.

She folded her arms protectively over herself, body turned slightly towards the door in the event that she would have to launch herself out again for some reason.

They drove along in silence and he moved his blonde locks out of his eyes slowly, swiping it behind his ear.

"So are you gonna' tell me your name, or what?" he asked.

His voice was soft, deep and smooth.

A tiny spark of intrigue tingled within her for a quick second before she regained her composure.

"I don't even know yours!" she shot back with a reproachful look.

"My name's Taehyung," he smirked, "....all you had to do was ask."

"Ugh!" Desiree scoffed and shifted herself closer to the door. 

No matter how hot this guy was she still didn't know him. 

She cursed the rain. He could be a complete psycho for all she knew! 

Maybe getting wet wasn't the end of the world. It certainly wasn't worth her life in exchange!

"Tell me your name," he drawled in a low voice, "I don't bite." he finished, laughing to himself.

Desiree appraised him once more.

This time taking in his full form. He looked fit but not too athletic, his skin sun kissed just like hers was from endless days by the beach and his bleach blonde hair made him look like a rockstar. The colourful tattoo that peeked out of the neckline of his t-shirt didn't help make him look any less sexy either and Desiree squirmed uneasily in her seat at the sensation of heat that spread over her chest and neck, flooding up to her face.

Turning away she muttered, facing the window, "My name is Des."

"Nice to meet you.....Des." he replies, pulling into a popular spot in town.

Des clambers out of the car with haste as soon as it comes to a stop.

"Thanks for the ride," she says, looking back awkwardly. 

Maybe she was over- reacting? He hadn't done or said anything inappropropraite during the entie ride so there was no need to be ungrateful.

"Hey, wait a sec!" he grabbed her hand before she could fully exit the vehicle, reaching into the glove compartment.

"Oh shit! Just when I thought he was an ok guy...am I gonna die now?" she thought.

Des looks down at her hand surprised to find that he has her palm held open and is writing on it with a sharpie that he produced from the glove box.

She stares at the digits scrawled on her skin, wordlessly.

Taehyung winks at her cheekily before allowing her to close in the door after her.

"Call me whenever you need a ride!" he yells, pulling off into the night.

                                                             ***

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