Chapter One
Sara“Hey, did you hear about it?”
“What, what?”
“That rumor that’s going around…”
I leaned in close to my two friends, Alicia and Caroline. Technically, we were supposed to be in the middle of class, but the professor hadn’t arrived yet. We were seated near the back of the room, which was virtually empty, so our conversation wouldn’t be overheard anyway. There was a quiet buzz in the room as everyone else focused on their own conversations, a buzz that would drown out our whispers if anyone did happen to be close enough to hear us. Alicia still looked around before she leaned close and whispered to us, her long blond hair another screen.
“There’s this new chat line going around school. I didn’t believe it when I first heard about it, but it’s true! Can you believe it?” She broke into giggles, her blue eyes alight with delight, and Caroline and I started to nudge her to get her to go on.
“Just tell us what it is, already” Caroline said, with a look of excitement her green eyes curious as she leaned in, her own long red hair a further shield. “I haven’t heard any strange rumors around school.”
Alicia grinned. “It’s called, ‘Sext line.’ Can you guess what it’s about?”
My eyebrows jumped up. Just from the name, I had a vague idea, but who would be crazy enough to start something like that?
“What is it?” Caroline asked, her pale skin flushed with excitement.
“So, it’s like this.” Alicia moved even closer, and lowered her voice a bit more. “You call the line or text I guess, and you get to meet up with a hot guy. You know, for sexy time.”
My jaw dropped in shock.
No way!
We were in college, but I didn’t think people would be this crazy! Was the line operated on school grounds? If it was, why weren’t they worried about the school’s staff finding out? Whoever it was. They would be in so much trouble!
“I hadn't heard that one,” Caroline admitted, her eyes a little wider, but she didn’t look nearly as surprised as I was. “Where did you hear about this? I’m pretty sure we know all the same people, but I’ve never heard about this.”
Alicia waved a dismissive hand. “Oh, you wouldn’t know who it was even if I told you. I was in the field and some sophomores were talking about it. But wouldn’t it be interesting? I wonder who’s doing it. All I know is it can’t be another freshman, maybe a senior?”
I bit down on my lip as I listened to them chat about it with lots of whispers and giggles. I wasn’t paying attention to the talk anymore. Aside from just shocked, I felt a little uncomfortable. Sex was something I thought about often, which wasn’t unusual. I was eighteen years old, I’d just started college, and it wasn’t a surprise to find out it was a pretty hot topic.
When I first came to the school, I wasn’t so naïve that I thought people would be single-mindedly focused on their school work, and the drive to graduate with good grades so they could get a job. It wasn’t like that in high school, and college was supposed to be freer. I was still surprised when the hottest topic of conversation was about sex, especially from the girls. Though if I was honest with myself, it wasn’t all that unexpected.
Even in high school, girls liked to whisper about who was dating and how far they’d gone. Only a few months had passed since I graduated high school and started college, but the conversations were so much more open.
It left me feeling a bit embarrassed.
“What about you?” Caroline asked, those blue eyes a dagger that held me in place.
I’d been lost in my own thoughts and blinked at them when I found Alicia and Caroline staring at me.
“Huh?” I blurted out, confused, my brown eyes now turned back to them.
Caroline rolled her eyes. “Don’t tell me you weren’t listening? Have you done it or not?”
I was still confused. “What?”
“Sex,” they both said, and leaned in close to whisper the word, before they broke into giggles.
“We’ve both done it already,” Caroline continued. “What about you?”
I froze. I knew the answer they wanted to hear. I forced a smile and pushed back my blush while I shrugged.
“Of course, I’ve done it,” I said confidently. “I’ve done things like that loads of times; I can’t believe someone is doing it like this. It’s for pay, right?”
I’d heard that much of the conversation, at least. I was a good actor when I wanted to be, so they took me at my word, and internally, I sighed in relief that they’d bought it.
Of course, it was a total lie. I didn’t want them to think I was a virgin, but the truth was I’d never even dated a guy before. I’d never so much as kissed a guy before. The most I’ve done was hold hands with a boy once, but I was in junior high, and it was for an activity in gym class.