Donna and Joey dated heavy over the next week. They saw each other every day and and most nights too and became very familiar with each other's personalities and mannerisms and grew closer with each passing day, each passing moment. Always making time for the other, no matter the circumstances. Joey was forever the gentleman and Donna was the heart of the relationship. They each needed what the other offered and were a true couple, a team ready to take on the world.
There was only one thing missing. One thing both knew was inevitable and indeed one thing that was necessary.
The Deuce pulled onto a secluded, grassy spot adjacent the water line at the lake. They were surrounded by forest and all its earthly nocturnal music. The moon was high and the canopy of stars stretched before them. The lake was calm and looked of glass as it reflected the moon and stars. It was perfect. It was romantic. It was serious.
This was the moment both anticipated—fantasized, yet dreaded. Yes, it was serious. All would be told here and all would become clear as boundaries, both emotional and physical, whether self-imposed, or enforced by social stigma would be held firm or broken through determination, persistence and desire. A game of finesse, a game of subtlety. It was a new game they both knew needed to be played. A teenage right of passage—the ritual of parking.
Joey was confident, cocky with other girls but Donna was not another girl, she was his girl. He knew it the moment he saw her. This was not a distinction he had made with any other girl as all others were all others. She was his fragile china doll that required care in handling. Something to cherish. Something more than part of himself. In some ways, he cared more for her than he cared for himself.
Donna stood before her emotional precipice and Joey was the motivation to enter a realm of magnificent unknowns or remain an innocent observer—to play it safe. Donna knew the future was exactly what she made it. Here is where she wanted to be. Or she could easily go home and hide in the safety of her room guarded by her mother and father—as it has always been. Her mother's words rang strong in her mind, she was in trouble. Not with any person, she was in trouble with herself, her conscience as her mother already knew. Knots began to form and tighten in her stomach. No longer could she stand the tension, the anticipation, the waiting, the wondering. "It's so beautiful out here," she offered as an opener.
Joey, seemingly lost in thought, responded, "Yeah, I used to come here to think."
"About what?" she asked.
He looked thoughtful. "Whatever was weighing heavy on my mind at the time. I spent a lot of time here when my father died."
"Becoming the man of the house that fast and in that way must have been terrible. That was a lot of responsibility to put on a young man," she said with a hint of sadness.
"I was a kid," he said,
Donna looked at him. "I don't know that you've ever been a kid," she said with a sparkle in her eyes. She continued, "I'll bet you were runnin' things from your crib," she laughed.
Joey smiled. "I worked it out."
"As you always do," she said glowing.
"As I always do," he agreed.
They sat for a moment in silence. Donna then laid a gentle hand on his and spoke soft. "I know we've not been going together for long and I don't want to give the wrong impression here..." she halted mid-thought.
Joey sensed her trepidation. "There is no impression here. Nothing you say or do here or how you feel is wrong. You understand me?" he said emphatic. Feeling the weight of the moment, he continued, "Maybe it's best we leave," he said as he attempted to reach for the keys.
Donna squeezed his hand and looked deep in his eyes. "No," was all she said.
Joey looked deep into Donna's eyes and it seemed forever as his thoughts raced and feelings swelled from within and thought no other thing in this whole world that could make him feel the way he felt right now.
She became lost as she gazed into his eyes and could almost feel part of her inside him, there with him, with his thoughts and feelings, her thoughts were his. Knots diminished and were replaced with a warmth and flutter of excitement and anticipation. She felt herself being pulled toward him, as if she had no control, she could not stop even if she wanted to, and she most of all did not want to. A slow edge forward as if time itself were slowing for her to experience and enjoy the most wondrous of moments.
Their lips met and Joey quickly realized this was not just a kiss. This was passion. An electricity not felt before made this new, exciting, frightening and irresistible. They were engaged in a gentle embrace as their warm bodies fed off one another and Joey's thoughts and actions seemed to follow a course; a natural course as if he were just a spectator, a bystander of his own actions. A heightened sense of tactile he felt, in detail, her entire form as her body pressed against his. He began a slow movement of his hand from Donna's waist up along her torso and she in a gentle, instinctive, proper motion, resisted his advance. Mere moments passed, Joey, again, repeated the action. She but touched his hand, then released. Knowing her relinquish was wrong, she felt, somehow, it was so right as she traced his hand's movements with her body in anticipation of its destination; in anticipation of his continued gentle caress.
With tender touch he guided her to a more comfortable position and she offered no resistance. Their eyes met which added to the growing swell of emotions of desire, yearning and lust. She felt his warm breath as he gently kissed her on the neck. Donna sensed her grip on rational thought began to slip away only to be replaced by a wave of new and exciting emotions as Joey experienced the tug from eons of instinct lead his thoughts as he pressed against her body and began a gentle bite between her neck and shoulder. She reacted with a deep breath and squeezed his arm, dug in her nails and became surprised at her own reaction, not knowing these feelings ever existed, that they would take control no matter her intentions. Unsure of the correct decision or proper action and overcome by a yearning she did not understand and how it could be so painful physically, she knew, instinctively, the only way to make it stop was to continue.
Donna stroked Joey's hair in a frantic manner as he, losing control with each caress, with each kiss, responded with more intense strokes of desire as he furiously fumbled to undo the buttons on the back of her dress. She ignored him and continued with her own adventurous journey as she ran her hands along his taught body experiencing the trim athletic frame. Her young nubile form exposed, Joey's lips caressed realms no boy's lips have ever explored as instinct alone drove his actions to more daring heights. This only seemed to fan the flames of her desires as she pulled on his black mien and breathed heavy in his ear compelling his touch to move from her waist down her leg as he gave light, brief momentary strokes then wandered toward her inner regions. In a clumsy manner she grabbed his hand, paused briefly, then guided him toward its destination as she continued her frenzied passion leading her to the most important decision of her existence as she then, as if driven by a thousand generations, reached for him.
