The Last Year of Innocence

Chapter Seventeen

Kara:

“I can’t believe it!” Shirelle’s voice pierced Kara’s thoughts.

            “What’s wrong?” Kara asked.

            “Clifton dumped me,” Shirelle huffed.

            Kara’s jaw dropped to her chest. “What? Why?”

            “He said he didn’t have time for me with finals so close.”

            “Finals are three months away.”

            “That’s exactly what I said. That’s not the real reason anyway.”

            “What’s the real reason?”

            “He’s been after me to have sex with him. I wouldn’t so he dumped me.”

            “Are you sure?”

            “I’m sure. He’s been bugging me about it since we met, but I kept finding ways to put him off,” Shirelle explained. “Anyway, I guess he got tired of waiting and he’s moving on. The finals just give him the perfect excuse.”

            As much as Kara hated to admit it, Shirelle’s theory made perfect sense.

            “This just sucks,” Shirelle said, heaving a sad sigh. “And you know what sucks even more? I’ll bet if I had fucked him, he would’ve dumped me because he got what he wanted and didn’t need me anymore.”

            “Maybe,” Kara conceded.

            That made sense too, and she wondered why boys and dating and sex had to be so complicated when they were only fifteen. It scared her to think it would only get harder as they got older.

            “So, what’s your secret?” Shirelle asked.

            “What do you mean?”

            “How do you get Ethan to stay with you?”

            “I don’t know. I don’t really think I get him to do anything.”

            “Are you two having sex?”

            Kara’s face grew hot. “No.”  

            “Irina’s right, you know,” Shirelle said. “You’re the luckiest girl in school to have a guy like Ethan. He’s totally hot and really nice and doesn’t pressure you for sex, and he’s obviously crazy about you the way he’s always doing stuff for you.”

            “I guess,” Kara agreed

            The truth was Kara did think she was the luckiest girl in school for all those reasons and more, but Shirelle’s words had suddenly given her a taste of doubt. She and Ethan had been dating for nearly the entire school year and had done very little in the way of sex. Besides that, they also saw little of each other during the school day. Even their nights of hanging out at the student center were gone, having been replaced with them taking turns writing in his journal. Maybe Ethan didn’t have to pressure her because there was someone else he could get what he wanted from. Maybe she’d even made it easy for him by giving him that stupid journal so he could write in it instead of having to see her in person. Maybe, but Kara hoped she was wrong.

Ethan:

As soon as he spotted Kara and Shirelle coming toward him, Ethan sensed something was wrong. His suspicions were confirmed when Shirelle sauntered past him without saying her usual hello.