January 1993, 30814, RMF

I was a sophomore at the time, two months shy of sixteen, and the guy was a senior.  He was six-one or six-two with close cropped hair and hazel eyes, tattoos and never without a pack of smokes.  

It wasn‘t until we arrived at the party that I realized he had just turned twenty-one.  I felt all eyes on me and heard the hoots and hollers of ‘jailbait!’ and ‘cradle-robber!’ and felt my face turn red. After removing my shoes at the door, I was offered one of everything in less than a quarter hour, ranging from cigarettes to beer to liquor to illicit drugs. I declined all, and was declared a ‘straight-edge’, but the guy’s sister sat down beside me and said not to worry about it, for the most part she was, too.

We socialized for about another half hour, and then the guy stood up from where we sat and beckoned me down the hall with one finger. I followed, amid catcalls from his friends. He drew me into a bedroom just off the living room and then shut the door.  It was dark except for a strip of light filtering in from the porch, and when he removed my glasses, I was unable to see anything more than six inches away.  

He knew I had never been kissed, and was very scholarly about the whole thing, carrying on for a full five minutes about what girls had done and not done that he did or did not like, sort of as a loose set of rules to follow.  Then, taking one last sip of his mixed drink, he leaned in and kissed with lips so soft and a jaw so strong, tasting like strawberries and some unknown liquor. His hands roamed wherever he wished and I was in no frame of mind to stop him, though I had no toxins in my system other than infatuation and teenage hormones. When we emerged an hour later, I still retained my virginity, but I assure you we had broken at least five laws in the state of Georgia.

Brielle, The Wood Shed

I was young. I don’t know how young, but we were living at South Leo Street in Seattle so I couldn’t have been older than 8. I was inside probably watching Square-One when my sister came in with a dare for me. She wouldn’t say what, but she persisted. I reluctantly followed her outside and around the side of the house where one of the neighborhood kids was waiting for me inside the woodshed. He was a light skinned little brother with an orange-ish Afro. I remember him having an orange-ish hue all over, actually. He was lanky with big brown eyes and crooked teeth. Not exactly the cutest boy on the block.

She pulled me up to him, plopped herself down on a garbage can and ordered us to kiss. I didn’t want to at all, I don’t think he did either, but Elyse egged us on. He leaned in, I leaned in, we kissed. A split second wet peck, yuck. But that wasn’t all. The moment our lips touched were we were ambushed from all sides. Out from behind the piles of wood, the stacked tin garbage cans, from the bushes and even the roof came the entire youth population of Beacon Hill. pouring out from every crook and cranny with wild enthusiasm. In an uproar they screamed, laughed and pointed their fingers at me and the poor little orange one as we ran away as fast as we could.

V

I remember coming into to school the first week of my senior year. As I started to make my rounds before class, I got the strangest look from the most beautiful girl. It was a look that I never got before. A look I have realized is a look of lust. She flashed a quick smile and ran away.

Holy crap that girl was sooo cute! "Janine, who was that girl? She's adorable." Janine looked at me in crazy way, took a deep breath and said, "She's my sister. And she's a freshman." Holy shit a freshman! And I was a senior! That's the ultimate rocking of the cradle!

We decided to walk after school to a local Chinese buffet for some grub. The food should have gave me a sign, cause it was absolutely atrocious. We walked to the bus stop so I could see her off. And I said, "so I’ll see you later" and she said "ok." And she held me, and I held her.

And we looked into each other's eyes and I knew for the first time I was going to really kiss a girl. I kept thinking about all the kisses on TV with lips and tongue and how sensual they were. And I remember how I practiced on my pillow and how I saw porn stars kiss and I tried to keep that in mind. Then I leaned in closer and closer... and closer…

and SMACK! My teeth went straight into her teeth. No lips, no nada...just teeth. All I could hear was her saying "Ouch."

I wanted to die! I pulled back in horror and told her I was sorry, but I knew that I had destroyed the first kiss experience.

But she was nice enough to teach me how to be a good kisser. So months of kissing and kissing and kissing taught me how to be the smooze artist that I am today. I never forgot that kiss with that girl. I felt that I would never ever kiss a girl, then all of a sudden it happened. Even though it was a bad one, I wouldn't change it for the world!

Lela S., 14

I was fourteen and feeling like a bit of a late bloomer during the summer of my freshman year. Having never been kissed, I made a doubtful $5 bet with my friend Emily, who was always encouraging me to get into trouble, that I would get a kiss before the end of the summer.

One weekend in July, I went to visit a friend in a nearby town. We went over to a party at her friend Josh's house in the evening and there were only a few of us there. Josh started putting the moves on by sitting down next to me and reading his poetry out of a journal. As I studied his profile, I realized that this was probably my best chance to win the bet.

As the night wore on, we bleached Josh's hair, giving him a sexy peroxide aroma. He offered to walk us home, and Josh and I lingered behind, sitting down on my friend's porch.

"You're so pretty," he said shyly.

"Really? Well, I was wondering...this will sound kind of lame, but I've never kissed anyone before and I made this bet with my friend that I would before the end of the summer. Will you help me win the bet?" Ack! Can you believe I admitted I was only doing it for money?

"Oh, Lela. I would have asked if I could kiss you anyway. I can't believe this is your first time." He looked slightly honored, probably wondering if he was being set up.

We stood up and opened our mouths. He started rolling his tongue around in a clockwise circle for thirty seconds, and then went for a wild counterclockwise roll. I'm not sure what I did, probably just wrestled for some tongue space of my own.

Finally, on the verge of a tongue cramp, he pulled out and we took a few deep breaths.

"Well, I'd better go inside. Thanks," I said, eager to go inside and gossip.

We parted ways and I went inside feeling totally underwhelmed, hoping that's not what I was in for with every upcoming romance. But at least I had won the five bucks.

Will D., Chicago, IL

I was on a double date with Cori N. We were in 7th grade and our parents had dropped us all off at the theatre for a couple of hours. I had thought about kissing her, and her friends had encouraged me on the phone all week to go ahead and seal the deal at the movies Friday. They assured me that she wanted it.

So I sat in the theatre, nervous, sweaty, trying to decide when and how to make this seemingly simple thing happen. First I figured, I could put my arm around her. That part's easy. So I did. She seemed stiff but I figured she was just nervous anticipating the approaching kiss. We sat like that for most of the movie. Finally I felt embarrassed for not having already kissed her like my date had his girlfriend.

I went in for it. She was facing forward, eyes locked on the movie... Austin Powers maybe? I had to go around the side of her face to get to her mouth, she wouldn't turn her head towards me! I kissed her, I can't remember if she kissed back, but if she did it was less than magical. Then it stopped. She stopped it. Not me.

All of a sudden she left the auditorium... without saying a word. Her friend followed her out. I sat there silently wondering what I had done wrong. First a minute went by, then another couple of minutes, then finally her friend returned to inform me that Cori was crying in the bathroom. She wasn't ready for things to move this fast, I was told. I tried to apologize and she was receptive. Within a week or two I think I broke up with her. Of course, she'll always tell the story that she got her first kiss too early from this asshole that dumped her after she wouldn't put out. I only kiss boys now because everyone knows that boys don't cry.

LJL

It was Columbus Day weekend, junior year. Kelly's parents were away for the weekend. We three girls invited over three private school boys, and we had spent the day preparing. We made trays and trays of red jello shots - for six people.

Boys showed up around 6pm so we could start getting our drink on. No one liked the jello shots. I ate every hand me down. I think I got up to eight. Jay and I were sitting on the couch. The prude me (now and then) thinking how weird it is that someone can get so close to you, like have their arm around you and you smell their breath, and you have only shared maybe five sentences.

I think I knew what was going to happen next. So I excused myself - repeatedly grabbed at walls, pianos, coat racks, as I made my way to the bathroom. I threw up in the sink. Didn't even make it to the next porcelain bowl. Girl friend comes in to check on me, and I wail:

"Don't tell anyone I threw up. SSh no I'm serious. Don't. Tell. Ammnywuun. Ssssh" finger to lips. Of course, all patrons of this party could hear me.

I returned to the L shaped couch. Jay threw is arm around me, threw one hand on triangle shaped AA right cup, stuck his tongue out and then into my mouth.

It wagged a lot and I tried not to pull back at the utter atrocity of a post-vomit kiss. It happened for like two minutes. Then I recoiled from the drunken fog, pulled myself from the blaring light of the living room and passed out on a bed somewhere.

Karla Keffer

Tom was one of the few guys at my school who was nice to me. He was two years older than I was, but he hung out with my friends and me after school - he had to wait for his brother to pick him up because they lived in a school district that didn’t have bus service, I think. He was cute - not gorgeous, but that was fine, because in my experience, the most gorgeous guys were also the nastiest.

I thought I would die when Tom started going out with one of my friends, because I’d decided he was the only possibility of my ever getting kissed. But they broke up after three weeks or so, and one afternoon a few months later, I found myself alone in the school library with Tom. We’d taken to poking and tickling each other, which was nothing brothers and sisters wouldn’t do, but I kept hoping until that afternoon, when we were poking and tickling, Tom asked if I wanted to make out. The only condition was, I couldn’t tell anyone. Since I was thirteen, I was fine with that. We made out for about an hour in the deserted library, necking and petting, until his brother showed up to take him home. Fortunately, we’d heard him coming. It was probably the best makeout session I’ve ever had - Tom was an amazing kisser, so gentle - but it still bugs me that I wasn’t allowed to tell anyone. And I didn’t for years, until Tom graduated from high school and I figured it was safe.

jb

a girl whom i had a crush on walked me home after this party. I had been so cool all night and i was funny and warm in the way you can be when you’re with someone you like. We went inside my house and were talking and getting closer when i just had to throw up. I went to the bathroom and barfed and while i was recovering she came in and sat down and cradled my head in her lap. i told her i was sorry i had barfed because i wouldn't be able to kiss her. then she leaned down and kissed me.