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My Wonderful Obsession Part 16: Summer Love (Revisited) Mom and I were right in the middle of housecleaning the next day when the phone rang. She picked up and started chatting with the caller, so I assumed it was for her. But a minute later she came and handed the phone to me. I had rubber gloves on so I just cradled the phone in my neck so I could keep working. "Hello? Who's this?" I almost demanded, a little perturbed at being interrupted when I was so busy. "Hi Sandy, it's Mark." "Oh ... Mark!" I fumbled with my gloves, trying to rip them off, and in the process dropped the phone on the floor! I snatched it up after the first bounce, but the battery door had come off and the contents had fallen out. It took me thirty precious seconds to put it all back together, get Mark's number from the bulletin board, and call him back. Then I waited with bated breath for him to answer. Thankfully he did, and I spent the next two minutes apologizing for cutting him off, while he tried to get a word in edgewise. "It's okay, it's okay," he was laughing. "I deserve worse after leaving you standing all alone in the parking lot last night." "Oh, I didn't mind," I assured him, while relishing the memory. "It was all for a good cause. Did you get to the airport in time?" "Did I ever - Mom's plane was an hour late. I was kicking myself for not calling ahead. I could have driven you guys home after all." "Don't worry about it, Mark - we were fine. Kath's Mom came to get us and we dropped Ben off at home too." "That's great, but I'd still like to make it up to you." This was beginning to sound interesting! I decided I could have some fun with him. "Well, let me see ... how about a dozen long-stemmed roses? Isn't that the usual sucking-up gift?" "That's all? Wow, you're easy to please, aren't you? I was thinking more like a pair of diamond earrings! Maybe one or two carats ..." "Okay, you talked me into it - I would have settled for the roses, but if you're determined to give me diamonds, who am I to argue?" We both laughed, and I noticed Mom smiling at me from behind the kitchen counter. 'Oh my God,' I thought, 'what must she be thinking?' "Actually, I was hoping you WOULD argue 'cause all I can afford are the roses - the diamonds might have to wait." "Mark, come on, really ... don't you dare buy me anything. I had a wonderful time yesterday - all day - and I should be buying YOU something, not the other way around." "This conversation isn't going the way I planned," he said in mocked annoyance. "I was hoping I could talk you and Kath into going on another hike next Friday. And maybe dinner again afterwards. Are you free?" "Oh, that sounds great!" I gushed, sounding maybe a little too eager, but that's exactly how I felt. Then I remembered something depressing and checked our household calendar on the door of the fridge. "Oh, jeez, I have to work a catering job that evening. It starts at four, so I can't go hiking either. How about Saturday?" "Uh, I promised to help my Dad with something that day. That's too bad." He sounded genuinely disappointed, but not as much as I was. "Maybe some other time?" "I'd love to. I'm sorry ... are you and Ben still going to go?" "Yep - we kind of promised each other we'd get out every weekend for a hike or something else physical. So far we've managed to stick to it." "Well, Kath and I would be honored to join you anytime you need a couple of slowpokes to keep you guys from overdoing it." "What? You did just fine - half the time we were having trouble keeping up!" 'No wonder I got so sweaty,' I thought. 'We were so worried about slowing them down that we went way too fast!' We might have gone on chatting like this forever, but Mark got summoned by his mother to do something and we had to end our call. I plunked down on one of the island stools and contemplated our conversation, feeling quite low on account of having to pass on the chance to spend some more time with the guy I was crazy about. Mom noticed my mood, of course, and when she asked what was up I explained the situation. "Sandra, he's a very nice boy and he certainly seems to like you a lot. I'll admit, I'm a bit surprised too. You're very attractive, but I don't understand how boys think - maybe your generation is just more accepting than mine." "Funny, that's what Kath said to me. If it's true, that's good enough for me." "Are you attracted to him?" I took a deep breath. "Yes, Mom, I am ... he's different from any of the other guys I know. He IS nice. Kind of romantic, too." "He does seem to be interested in you," Mom said thoughtfully. "He wanted to speak with me first - I think he was trying to get to know me. If he wasn't interested in you I don't think he would have done that." What Mom said made sense, but I still couldn't imagine why Mark found me attractive, in spite of all the nice things he'd told me. "It's a mystery to me," I said, "but I'd kind of like to see where it goes, if you think it would be okay." "Well, I can't see any reason why I wouldn't - I don't have to worry about you getting pregnant, do I ... even though you're not taking those pills anymore." Mom was smiling, so I knew it was fine with her, even if she was mistaken about the pills. I forced a laugh to cover my uneasiness. "Anyway, I like double-dating - it's kind of low-pressure. I don't know if I could date just one-on-one. What would I talk about?" Now it was Mom's turn to laugh. "Oh, that's never a problem if you're with someone that's compatible. You dated Julia - what was that like?" "That was different - you know. I didn't have to worry that I was impersonating someone else." "Hmm ... I've spent a lot of time with Sandra, and I don't think you've ever impersonated her. I thought she was just another side of the real you." 'Wow,' I thought, as I silently nodded my total agreement with her wise words - 'Mom's so amazing. She really KNOWS me.' ***** Later that day, after I finished up at home, and before I got in the shower to clean myself up, I decided to get some exercise. On warm summer days my running outfit had to be female, because there was no point trying to hide my sports bra let alone my long hair and curves, so it was just as well that I was Sandra full-time. I wore a pair of black lycra jogging shorts and a pink mesh top, and tied my hair into a ponytail with a pink scrunchie. I'd also bought myself a new pair of women's Nike trainers with a pink swoosh on the side - just to look coordinated! While I was pulling all this on, I gave Kath a quick call as each of us usually did to see if the other was free to go too. Five minutes later we were trotting down the sidewalk side-by-side. "Did you get a call from Mark about going hiking again next Friday?" I asked her. "Yeah, but it was Ben calling. I told him I had to work on Friday. But I said I could go on Saturday." "That's what I said too, but Mark can't go on Saturday. Can Ben?" "He said he'd get back to me. I hope he can - I'd love to do that again ... and again, and again ..." "Me too. That was such a fun day - and the evening wasn't so bad either. Like, double-dating with you is so perfect! But we have catering jobs for the next three Fridays, so I'm a little pissed ..." "You could come with me and Ben - if he can go on Saturday, that is. I'd share him with you ... well, okay, maybe I wouldn't after all." "Thanks, FRIEND," I giggled. "Just for that, I'm not going to share Mark either. If I ever get to see him again, that is." "You could take Friday off work and go with him," Kath suggested. I thought about that for a few seconds and slowed down to a walk. "I dunno, I wouldn't want the Taylors to have to find a sub for me. It wouldn't be fair to them. And what about you? Why shouldn't YOU take the day off?" "That's easy - I need the money. You've got two jobs, so maybe you can afford to. Besides, I might be able to go with Ben the day after. And don't worry about the Taylors, they can easily get someone else if they need to. If I were you I'd go for it." "But it would just be me and him," I protested. "I need you there for backup!" "You do not, silly. I'd be doing the same thing the next day." "Not exactly the same thing, if you know what I mean." "Let's not go into all that again," Kath laughed, with a serious tone in her voice. "Listen to me - you're a nice girl, going on a date with a nice boy, and you'll have a very nice time. It's that simple. Got it?" Of course I GOT it, and deep down it sounded totally wonderful, but I still had misgivings. "What if Mark doesn't WANT to do a one-on-one with me?" "So ask him and you'll find out. Why are you being so difficult? There must be a ton of girls out there who'd jump at the chance to spend a day with Mark McCowan. Just do it, Sandy. And make sure you wear that perfume he likes - maybe you'll get your big kiss after all." "KATH! Get real! And like, what makes you think I want to kiss HIM?" "Hah! Only the fact that you're desperately in love with him, that's all." "Will you STOP??" Now I was laughing and shaking my head. "You're making a big deal out of nothing. I like hanging out with him, sure, but don't forget - I'm still a boy and he knows it. And I'm not gay - and I don't think he is either." Kath just smiled at me with that know-it-all look she was so good at. "Sandy, now YOU get real. You might have been a boy once upon a time, but you aren't anymore." She gestured at my body and said, "It's time you admitted that your boy days are over, so you might as well get with the program." ***** The next day I phoned Mrs. Taylor and asked if it was okay with her if I took Friday off. I said I had an opportunity to go on a hiking trip, and I might not be back in time to go to work. "No problem at all, Sandy," she said cheerfully. "We may have too many girls there anyway - it's not a very big function. You have a great time!" My heart was beating hard and fast as I dialed Mark's number. His sister Megan answered, and we exchanged a little small talk before she went to get him to come to the phone. "Hello? What's up bro?" he asked, which totally threw me off. "Uh ... it's Sandy, Mark." "SANDY!" he exclaimed. "Oh, sorry - Megan just said it was one of my friends on the phone, and I thought ..." "You mean I'm not one of your friends?" I kidded, regaining my composure and trying my best to sound hurt. "Of course you're one of my friends, just not ... oh, forget it. Thanks for calling. I mean, why are you calling? Jeez, that didn't sound very nice, did it? Let me start over ... to what do I owe the honor of this call?" That was great, I thought - he'd put me totally at ease, which was very good considering what I was about to do. "Well, do you remember the last time we talked and you said you wanted to make up for leaving me at the restaurant?" "Uh-huh?" "And you offered to take me on another hike this Friday and even to dinner again?" Of course, he'd offered to take more people than just me, but that was a small detail, wasn't it? "Yes, I did ..." "Well if the offer still stands, I'm available now." "You are? That's great! How about Kath?" "Uh, that's the problem - she has to work. She already talked to Ben and I think they're making plans to go on Saturday. So it would just be you and me ... if that's all right." This was by far the scariest part of the conversation. I was asking Mark to convert his double-date offer to a single, and I had no idea how he'd respond. "Hmm, hmm ..." I heard him musing. "So let me get this straight - just you would actually go with just me ..." "Uh, I guess that's what I'm saying. But if you don't want to ..." "I'll have to give it some serious consideration," he said, sounding very tentative about it. I began to feel awful, like I'd way overstepped my position with him. "It's all right, Mark, I was just thinking ..." He cut me off. "Okay, I've given your suggestion a great deal of thought - and I'D LOVE TO!" "MARK! You were just stringing me along!" I'd never felt so relieved. "You're so mean!" But now at least I was laughing. "Are you sure you want to hang out with just me all day? Without Ben and Kath for comic relief? I should warn you, I'm pretty boring just by myself." "I LIKE boring. Wait - no, I didn't mean that - what I meant is, after this whole conversation, boring wouldn't be so bad. Umm ... that didn't sound too good either, did it?" I could tell Mark was having fits. "It's all right, Sandy, you can insult me all you want - I can handle it. As long as you'll go out with me." My heart leaped when he said that. He really wanted to go out with me! So I replied, "Mark, I don't even have to think about it." "Then it's a date," he said, sounding genuinely excited. "Can I pick you up at the same time, like nine?" "Earlier if you want - why don't we stop for breakfast on the way? I'll buy, since you're doing the driving and all ..." "Sounds good. Make it eight then - is that too early for you?" "No, I don't mind getting an early start. See you at eight." ***** I had a feeling that my dinner date with Mark on Friday evening could be a memorable one, so I was glad my regular appointment with Karen was scheduled for Wednesday. That morning I rode my bike to Turning Heads, arriving fifteen minutes early. While waiting I thumbed through a copy of 'Seventeen' magazine as I usually did if I had to wait. But this time I really WAS seventeen, so the pictures and articles seemed a lot more relevant than they ever did before! Now that I had a boy in my life, sort of, I went straight to an article on dating. Karen greeted me and wished me a belated happy birthday, after noticing which mag I had and kidding me about it. She said I could keep reading it while she worked on me, and the article was so relevant to where I was at that I happily obliged. She started by washing my hair and then waxed my legs and underarms, as she usually did, but this time she asked me if I also wanted a bikini wax. I'd never had that done before, but knew what it was all about from reading 'Seventeen' previously. I thought about it for a moment, and even though I felt a bit nervous having Karen get that intimate with my male parts, decided it would be a good thing to have done for wearing a bathing suit. Anyway, I told myself, if I was going to spend the whole summer as a girl, then this would certainly help me feel like one! Surprisingly, the bikini wax went fine and I successfully avoided getting an embarrassing erection by thinking about Mom's accounting system the whole time. In Karen's salon chair afterwards, I was enjoying having my long hair cut, dried and styled. I really liked having it parted to one side, and Karen agreed it looked better on me that way, so she had talked me into trying a pretty new style she showed me in her 'do' book, that wouldn't require taking off too much length. "Well Sandy, your extensions seem to be holding up nicely," she informed me as she did the finishing touches. "I think they'll last till school starts. What are your hair plans for then?" "Uh, I'm not totally sure. I really love having long hair, but I think I'd have to quit school to keep it. So I guess I'll be going short again ..." "That's a shame - long hair suits your face so perfectly. Maybe after you graduate?" "For sure! But that's like, another whole year. After this summer it's going to be so hard to go back to regular, boring ... uh, you know." Karen just smiled and nodded her understanding. "Uh, Karen," I said, as I admired the new look in her big mirror, "it's very nice ... but do you think you could try adding some more volume? I was wondering if it'd make me look a little more, um ..." "Oh, so you want the 'big sexy hair' look, do you?" Karen laughed. "Sure, honey, we can do that. All we need's a little volumizer spray. You must be trying to impress someone!" She took a spray can from her shelf and began lifting sections of my hair with a brush, spraying each part, until my hair looked twice as thick. I saw the whole thing in the mirror, and I couldn't believe how easy it looked. The end result was a lot sexier than I could have imagined - my hair now curved around my face on both sides and settled lightly on my shoulders in big sweeping curls. "Wow, that's incredible," I gushed. "You've done it again. I'll never go to another hairdresser!" "I hope not!" Karen laughed. "Can I send one of these home with you?" "Oh YES," I said with enthusiasm. I could hardly wait to try it out myself for Friday evening. I just knew Mark was going to be blown away! I'd also managed to book a manicure and pedicure on short notice - grooming that I always did myself. Karen worked on my feet first until the skin was nice and smooth and nails trimmed, then she started on my hands. "You're definitely getting a woman's hands, Sandy," she told me as she filed my nails. "Nice long fingers and narrow nail beds." I was happy to hear that, but thought of what Mrs. Thomas had told me about finger lengths. 'Can't have it all,' I said to myself. But I was very happy that my hands at least looked like they belonged to a girl. "So what do you have in mind for color?" Karen asked as she inserted foam separators between my fingers and toes. "I'm going on a date on Friday, so maybe something real pretty but not too loud," I replied. "Do you know what you're going to wear?" "Not yet, so maybe it should be able to go with anything." "I have just the thing - a new color we just got in." Karen proceeded to brush a shimmery metallic white polish onto my nails - two color coats, and then two of high-gloss sealer. I absolutely loved the result, and knew that my nails would sparkle and shine in the sunlight on our hike - and hopefully even more in the candlelight later that evening! Soon I was all done - as I was paying the bill, I thanked Karen for everything - including using the new version of my name - and left her a nice tip, then went out to unlock my bike. It was a shame to have to fasten my helmet over my beautiful hair, but I always wore one and this time would be no exception. 'Just wait till Friday night!' I thought excitedly. ***** On the Friday morning I slept in till seven-thirty, since I didn't need to take a shower or do much more than put some clothes on. The night before I'd packed a picnic lunch for two and filled a couple of water bottles, then stored them in the fridge. I also found a small blanket and folded it into my day pack, and put sunscreen and bug repellant into one of the pockets. And I'd asked Mom to help me pin my hair up, a task she really seemed to enjoy. Everything was ready an hour before bedtime, and on a whim I decided to practice a couple of new makeup looks I'd seen in 'Seventeen', hoping that one of them would be appropriate for my dinner date. Where last time I tried to downplay my 'fem' look as much as possible, on this outing I felt that Mark could handle a bit more - like my nice nails for example. I'd also chosen the clothes I would wear during the day - the same borrowed shorts as last time, but I thought maybe my yellow tank-top would be cooler, and nicer-looking, than the old baggy tee-shirt. But back to getting ready - as before, I put on a plain white pair of cotton panties, but not the gaff. I knew it would be too uncomfortable for hiking, and peeing in the woods would be way too inconvenient. Luckily the shorts were loose enough around the crotch that nothing showed. When I was all set I took a moment to make sure I looked acceptable. I had absolutely no makeup on and no jewelry either, but with my feminine facial features, my hair-free arms and especially legs, my pinned-up hair, and last but not least, my perfect nails, no one would ever imagine I wasn't a normal teenage girl. That suited me just fine. Today I didn't really want to look much like a boy. The doorbell rang five minutes early, and I said a quick goodbye to Mom, who was just getting ready to leave for work. "Have a wonderful time, honey," she said, "and please be safe." 'Whatever that means,' I thought as I opened the door to see the guy I was in love with standing there looking at me with a big smile, which of course I returned with interest. Mark (ever the gentleman) opened the passenger door for me and we headed out in an easterly direction. Soon we came to a strip of restaurants. I scanned the row of tall signs for breakfast possibilities. "How does IHOP sound?" "Suits me fine," Mark replied. "I could go for a short stack of hotcakes." "Maybe you should get the tall stack," I suggested. He had a puzzled look on his face. "Why, do you think I need the extra carbs?" "Yes, you might have to carry me back to the car later!" That got a laugh from him. After we parked I let myself out, mainly because Mark wasn't fast enough, but he made up for it by holding the restaurant door open for me. We got a small booth by the window, and we both ordered orange juice to start. "You don't drink coffee?" I asked. "Not really - I guess I'm not old enough to have that habit. How about you?" "I could say the same thing. My brother drinks it all the time, but he'll drink anything you put in front of him. I'm not much into booze either - it just doesn't taste any good to me." "Yeah, same here. See, I told you I was boring. No bad habits at all." I laughed, "Well here's to two boring people!" We clinked our juice glasses together. "Yeah, we'll get along just fine," Mark said with a big smile, and I fervently hoped he was right. After a great breakfast of hotcakes, sausage and scrambled eggs, which we ended up sharing with each other, I paid for our breakfast and we jumped back into the car. The weather looked fabulous, just like the previous Friday, meaning it was going to be another hot one. Soon we were outside the city limits on a two-lane highway. Mark had chosen another nearby state park with a lake for our outing, and we were hiking by about ten-thirty. The day was even warmer than it was a week earlier, and it was very humid, but I was really enjoying myself. I liked hiking, but I also decided I could handle having Mark to myself! As before, he had me stay in front, saying that he could see past me better than I could see past him. I wondered if he was enjoying more than just the view of the trees! I knew that unlike the roomy tee-shirt, my tank-top couldn't hide the curves of my waist and hips! My earlier nervousness about whether we'd have anything to talk about proved totally unfounded. We talked about the play, school, mutual friends, our families, our backgrounds and interests ...just about anything except us - I mean our relationship. That suited me fine, as I was still quite nervous about what Mark thought of me and felt about me. I knew exactly how I felt about him, but there's no way I wanted to risk spoiling a fun outing by getting into that kind of stuff with him, so soon. We did talk about other people's relationships though - Ben and Kath's, to be specific. Mark told me that Ben was very interested in her, and I added that she had a crush on him. It was fun sharing privileged information like that, even if it was a bit like gossiping. But I knew that what I said about Kath would get back to Ben, and I hoped the same might happen when Ben and Kath talked about us! We stopped for lunch at a grassy spot beside a quite inlet of the lake, and I laid out the old blanket for us to sit on. I quickly pulled off my shoes and socks to cool my sweaty feet in the water. I know Mark noticed my flashy nails, because they seemed to keep catching his attention, but he never mentioned a thing about them. The conversation just kept flowing, and in no time we were packing up to leave. But there was one little thing I had to do first. "Can you just wait here a minute?" I asked. "I need to go hide behind a tree ..." Mark grinned, "Sure, take your time." So I walked a few steps into the forest until I found a private spot where I couldn't see him anymore, and unzipped to take a much-needed pee. But before I was done I caught sight of Mark's face a short distance away, obviously doing the same thing. For an instant our eyes met, then he immediately looked away, and I felt a wave of embarrassment. A minute later we both gathered up our packs and set off again, neither one saying a word for a while, but soon we were back into our normal banter again and I forgot about the awkward moment that had just taken place. The trail was now a lot wider, so Mark and I were able to walk side by side for a while. I liked that better because it was easier to talk and be heard. But what I also liked a lot was the smell of the forest and the sound of birds. I mentioned that to Mark more than once and was happy to hear that he felt the same way. "There's nothing better than getting out of the city into more natural surroundings," he said. "It recharges your batteries." That made a lot of sense to me, but I also liked the exercise my legs and hips got. I told Mark I thought hiking was way better than walking or jogging on a flat surface like a sidewalk, because with hiking you were always going over uneven ground with lots of ups and downs, working different joints and muscle groups. At least that's what Phil had told me he learned in his kinesiology course in college, and now it made a lot of sense. We were still about an hour from the car when the sky turned very dark and the wind came up. The sound of thunder could be heard in the distance. "Sounds like we might get wet," Mark announced. "No kidding," I agreed. "I didn't pack a raincoat - did you?" "Nope - this wasn't in the forecast. Let's just keep going and maybe we'll beat it." We quickened our pace and soon we were almost jogging along the trail, dodging rocks and roots. I began to feel very light on my feet and was even enjoying myself - other than a bit of discomfort as my little boobs bounced up and down. But before long we felt the first raindrops and less than a minute later it was a full-fledged deluge, complete with sound and lightning effects! We stopped and took shelter under a big tree, but that only helped for a short time, until the water made it through the leaves and began pelting us with huge droplets. "Well, we might as well keep going, kid," shouted Mark above the din of the storm. We're not going to get any drier standing here - and we shouldn't be under a tree with all this lightning around." I nodded agreement, so off we trotted down the path, which looked like a mini-river with all the rainwater funneling into it. In seconds our shoes were full of muddy water and our clothes were soaked right through, but we kept going because there was nothing else we could do! I was in front, which in retrospect wasn't the best idea because I was going faster than I should have, and twice I slipped and fell right onto my butt on the sloppy trail. The second time I ended up sliding down a steep part and getting mud all up one side of me! Mark slipped and stumbled after me and helped me up. "Are you okay?" he asked, sounding concerned that I'd hurt myself. "I'm good - I was going too fast. But I'm a total mess!" Mark was obviously holding back laughter. "You could say that ... you're not your usual well put together self, that's for sure." "I don't believe it," I moaned. "Every time you take me out hiking, I end up looking like I've been through a war. Except this is a lot worse than last time. Do you know how much of a clean freak I am?" "I've heard. But don't worry about it, Sandy - as long as you're not hurt, it'll all wash off." "I'm all right," I repeated, not at all sure how much of a lie that was. For me, broken bones were easier to contemplate than looking awful. We finally got to the car a half hour later with no further mishaps, just as the sky was clearing. But I was still too messy to get in, so I pried off my sopping wet shoes and socks and went over to a nearby stream. Mark used his hat to scoop clean water and dump it on the muddy areas. "Stay still," he ordered, as he used his free hand to rub off the mud while I looked on. I wondered how he felt about touching me like that, especially since most of the mud was on my hips, butt and legs. Not that I minded - for me, the clean-up process had become a sensual experience! I suppose it was a good thing I didn't have mud on my chest, but I'm sure he noticed the shape of my breasts showing through the wet tank-top! And I was getting very chilly so my nipples looked huge! When he thought I was clean enough to go, Mark surprised me by gathering me up in his arms! "Remember, you said I'd have to carry you to the car." I was so shocked that all I could do was laugh and giggle. "Mark! You're so crazy!" But it was a smart thing to do, because my feet would have got muddy all over again on the walk over to his car. Mark pulled the blanket from my pack and used it to cover my seat, then I climbed in. He took a towel from the back and put it on his seat, and we drove away with the heat turned all the way up - not at all like the last time! We chatted all the way back to my place, Mark keeping his eyes on the road except at red lights, when he'd turn towards me. I couldn't help but notice his eyes darting down to my chest at least three times ... but strangely I didn't mind. 'How in the world could I feel sexy right now, like this?' I wondered. Then I looked down and saw my protruding breasts and my flashy nails and I actually did feel a bit sexy! At about four we arrived at my house. I folded up the wet, dirty blanket while Mark grabbed my pack and shoes and carried them to the porch. I was relieved to see that his car was still clean inside. "I'm sorry for getting so filthy, Mark," I told him sincerely. "Am I ever looking forward to getting all cleaned up!" "And I know how WELL you clean up," he smiled. "Uh, do I get a repeat performance tonight?" "Is that what you want?" I asked demurely, sounding unsure, but excited by what he just asked. "If it's no trouble ..." "Well sir, for you I don't mind going to a little trouble. But I'll need at least an hour and a half this time," I said, even though I was sure it would take a week to get all the dirt off me. Mark nodded, and said "How does two hours sound?" "Great!" I nodded. "I can get EXTRA cleaned up!" He gave me a huge smile and was about to get back in his car when Mom appeared at the front door. He saw her shocked expression and spoke first. "I'm sorry, Mrs. Johnson - Sandy had a little too much fun on our hike. I think there's some laundry to do ..." "It's a good think she does her own laundry," Mom said wryly. "Sandra, I've never seen you look so dirty! What happened?" I did my best to explain to Mom how my 'accidents' took place, and I was surprised to find I was almost in tears about being such a mess in front of her. "Maybe you're not cut out for this 'hiking' activity," Mom suggested, and I noticed a pained expression on Mark's face. "Oh, Mom, I had a fantastic time," I responded, wiping my eyes and making sure to exaggerate my enjoyment for Mark's benefit. "I love being outdoors and I love the exercise. We just got unlucky with the weather, that's all. Anyway, I'm going to have a nice long shower. Mark and I are going out to dinner later." Mom's expression changed from concern to approval. "That sounds a lot more civilized to me," she said. When I got into the house I wiped my bare feet and crept gingerly upstairs, trying not to get any dirt on the carpeting, but when I caught sight of myself in my vanity mirror I knew why Mom was shocked. I barely recognized myself, I was such a sorry sight. There were mud streaks all over me, even on my neck! So I immediately stepped into the shower and stripped off my disgusting clothes - there were even mud stains on my panties! But before showering I had to undo my hair, and it was only another few minutes before there was clean hot water running all over me, with dirty water running down the drain. I took extra time with my hair, shampooing it twice and applying creme rinse, then pulling the knots out with a hair pick and finishing with conditioner. The rest of me got scrubbed with a soapy wash cloth and a back brush, and about half an hour later I felt almost clean again. Happy to not be in a hurry, I took the time to properly blow-dry my hair and brush it back into the style Karen had given it, then I sprayed it in layers with the volumizer and lightly brushed it again until I was satisfied. How wonderful it all looked - my very own 'big hair'! Next I rubbed baby oil into my upper chest, shoulders and legs, to give a nice gleam in the evening light. That was a boy-attracting hint I'd read in 'Seventeen' magazine at Turning Heads. 'Wow,' I thought - 'it's so cool being seventeen!' While I was applying makeup I thought about what I was going to wear. I knew I needed something extra-pretty to make up for what I looked like after the hike, and the only thing I owned that would measure up was the white eyelet summer dress from my Disneyland trip. I know, it was over-the-top feminine, but Mark was expecting something nice and I wanted badly to show him just how pretty I could look. "He deserves the best," I told myself out loud. It was still nearly an hour before Mark was due back, so I spent extra time perfecting my makeup. 'Tonight I'm giving him the full meal deal,' I promised myself. Eyeliner top and bottom and shimmery eye shadow, finished off with a careful application of mascara. 'I need to thank Mom for my long lashes,' I smiled. 'Genes are wonderful things, aren't they?' I'd never used the blush kit Natalie had bought for me, but I remembered how to use it. 'Tonight's definitely the night,' I thought, as I applied a little of the deep pink powder to each cheek with the huge soft brush. Next I fitted my gaff, not for the first or last time wondering what it would be like not to have a penis and scrotum to hide away. 'They're a real bother' I thought. But as I pulled on the laciest pair of white panties I owned, I forgot about my male parts. Even though the dress was satin-lined, I decided I also needed my lacy half-slip to max out how feminine I wanted to feel. How cool, I thought as I looked in the mirror, that I now had the waist and hips to hold it perfectly in place. The dress hadn't been out of my closet since Julia had tried it on the year before, and it hadn't been on me since I got it wet at Disneyland. I'd kept it safe in the drycleaner's plastic covering all this time. As I slipped off the cover, I remembered that I'd told Julia we'd save the dress for a romantic date - except now I'D get to wear it on the romantic date, not her! But as I carefully pulled it on I could feel my growing penis pressing against the gaff, and my feminine reverie was momentarily lost. 'That's weird,' I thought, 'it hasn't done that before'. Then I glanced at the clock - ten minutes to go! - and I completely forgot about that 'little' problem. The buttons at the back would have to wait for Mom's help. In the meantime I applied a pale red lipstick, and tossed it into my purse. Then I found a set of two inch diameter white-gold-plated hoops I'd never worn, and inserted them into the tiny holes in my ears. The matching bracelet had five smaller hoops, and I needed a little baby oil on my hand to ease them on. 'Anything else?' I asked myself. 'Just shoes' - and I found my white strappy sandals with the two-inch heel, relieved that they still fit me perfectly. Just then I heard the doorbell. I could hear Mom's and Mark's voices while I looked myself over, then Mom called my name. I stuck my head out the door. "Mom, can you please help me?" When she entered my room, Mom's face expressed surprise. "Mom, what is it?" I asked. "You've seen me like this before." She shook her head. "Not really, honey. This time you look so much more beautiful. For a moment I imagined it was your wedding day." I was floored. I did say Mom's intuition was pretty sharp, didn't I? Was she foreseeing something that would really happen to me? My heart began to pound at the thought. "Oh, I see you need some help," she said, as she began buttoning the back of my dress. The top became quite snug as she worked upwards, and I had to slip my hand down over each of my breasts to settle them properly into the dress's bra cups. "I think you've grown a bit up top, Sandra." Mom was right, and it was mostly in my bust. If anything, my waist was the same as last year, but I'm sure my breasts were twice as prominent now. 'That's a good thing', I thought, as I recalled how perfect the dress looked on Julia. I could still see myself in the mirror and you can bet I was pleased with the improvement. The padded cups of the dress acted like a push-up bra, and for the first time ever I could finally show off some real honest-to-goodness cleavage! My breasts actually bulged a little above the sweetheart neckline - and the sight made my heart skip a few beats! "You're not wearing a fragrance tonight?" Mom asked innocently as she finished with the top button. "Oh my God, how could I forget?" I replied. "He even made a special request." "Well, you'd better wear some then," Mom laughed. "Do you want to borrow one of mine?" "Um, no actually - Natalie picked one for me and I've worn it around Mark before. I think he really likes it." I found the small bottle in my medicine cabinet, and Mom took it from me, expertly spraying a small amount behind my ears, below my neck, and on my wrists, rubbing it lightly in each spot. Then she leaned close to me and sniffed. "It's a very pretty fragrance," she agreed. "Now you're even more beautiful, if that's possible." I couldn't help giving Mom a hug, and even a light kiss on the lips, something we rarely did considering how much we cared about each other. "I love you so much, Mother," I told her as sincerely as I could. "I love you too, honey," she said. Now fix your lipstick and get going - your young man's waiting for you." Mark was looking expectantly up the stairs when I started down. I could tell from his expression that he was thrilled, which was a good thing since I was too. "Alexandra," he said, his head slowly shaking, "you're completely gorgeous. I was hoping you'd get dressed up, but I wasn't expecting this ..." "Well, sir, you look quite wonderful yourself," I purred. He did, too - he looked exactly like one of those young male models I always admired in the store catalogs. The kind I never saw in real life, until now. He was wearing a pair of light gray pleated slacks with a baby blue shirt, open at the neck, and a navy sport jacket. On his feet were a pair of black sandals but no socks - a touch of his personal style, which I liked a lot even before this occasion. I went straight to Mark and gave him a little hug, letting our cheeks just touch each other. "My favorite perfume, too," he said, as I backed away to look at his face again. "How could I forget that?" was my more-than-honest reply. "Mmm ... you smell nice too. Very nice." "Glad you like it - I bought it with you in mind." "What's not to like? Everything's perfect. So where are we off to tonight, mister handsome man?" "Oh, you know me, it has to be a surprise. But I'll give you a hint - there's a pair of big golden arches." "I was afraid you'd say that - now I'm worried I'm not dressed well enough!" Mark laughed. "Such a good sport you are. I guess we should be going - our reservation's for six thirty." Mom was standing nearby, listening to our banter with a smile on her face. "Wait - I need a picture." She ran to her office and came back with her camera. Let's step outside," she suggested. Mom directed us into a few different poses, always touching each other like holding hands or with my arm around Mark's waist and his around my bare shoulders. 'Thanks, Mom,' I thought, 'this is such a treat!' Just then a gust of wind blew my hair over my face, and Mom said "Sandra, you need a cover-up - what if it gets chilly?" I was about to protest, but she dashed into the house and emerged a moment later, handing me a white lace shawl. "Here, this should do," she said. "Mom, this is beautiful - are you sure? How do you wear it?" She showed me (and Mark) how to wrap the shawl around my shoulders, with the tasseled ends draped at the front and held in place by a hand. That way I could show off my nails! I thanked her and gave her another hug for being so generous and considerate, then she wished us a fun evening as Mark opened the car door for me. "I should've rented a limousine, or at least borrowed Dad's car!" he said ruefully, but I told him I loved his little Corolla and that seemed to put him at ease. We drove for about thirty minutes, and soon pulled up at the covered entryway of what looked to me like a very expensive French restaurant. Before I knew what was happening, my door opened and a man in a uniform took my hand to help me out of the car. "Good evening, mademoiselle," he said. "May I help you?" "Hello," I answered nervously, as I tried to exit the car the way Natalie had taught me - legs together! Then I looked for Mark, who was handing his car keys to another man. He came over and took me by the arm, leading me through the entrance door which was being held open by yet another well-dressed man. "Mark, this doesn't look at all like the golden arches!" I whispered as we approached the maitre-d's station. "So I got lost," he joked. "This place will have to do. Reservation for McCowan?" he said to the maitre-d. "Welcome, Monsieur McCowan. Nice to see you again." As we were being led to our table I noticed that some of the females in the restaurant were 'sizing me up'. "I hope I'm dressed well enough," I said, feeling even more nervous. Mark laughed again, and whispered, "I don't think all those people are staring at you because you don't look good enough! I'm pretty sure they're envious." We arrived at a lovely round table for two in a corner with picture windows on both sides. It was covered in a white tablecloth, and a small bouquet of yellow roses stood in a French country vase. The place settings were obviously intended for a couple, since they were next to each other, not opposite. The man held my chair for me - this had never happened before! I sat as nicely as I could, remembering to smooth my dress under me, as - you guessed it - Natalie had taught me. "May I take your wrap, mademoiselle?" the man asked, as I was removing it. "Uh, no ... can I keep it with me?" I definitely felt out of place here! "Of course, mademoiselle." He took the shawl from me, expertly folded it and draped it over the back of my chair. Then he lit the candle at the center of our table. Mark was clearly enjoying himself - 'At my expense?' I wondered. "Just relax, Sandra," he smiled. "Remember, we're the customers - they're here to look after us." "I'll try." But I couldn't help noticing what he called me. 'He must have heard Mom say that name,' I thought. "Mark, this place looks a little expensive ... I'm not sure I can afford it. I'm not working tonight, remember?" He leaned a little closer, still smiling. "Can I tell you a little secret? I wasn't going to tell you at all, but since you seem worried I think I'd better." "What is it?" I asked nervously. "Tonight is my Mom and Dad's treat. When I told them we were going on a dinner date they told me I should bring you here and they insisted on picking up the tab." "Oh Mark, they shouldn't have. Why would they do that?" He shrugged, "I think they like you. Can't say I blame them - what's not to like?" I was going to argue that point, but decided to ask another question instead. "So why here?" "They entertain important clients here, so they know it's a good place and the restaurant knows our family too," he explained. "Now I know why the man said 'Nice to see you again'. You must come here a lot." "Just on special occasions - like birthdays, graduations, that kind of thing," he said. "AND dates!" "So how often HAVE you been here on dates?" I asked, trying my best to sound suspicious. Mark caught my drift and laughed. "You probably won't believe it, but this is the first time." I was about to say no, I didn't believe him, when we were interrupted by the arrival of a waiter, who asked if he could recommend an aperitif or cocktail. Mark told him sure, as long as he didn't mind serving alcohol to minors. The waiter immediately apologized and said he could get us non-alcoholic versions of any cocktail, or a soda or juice. "I also have a very nice non-alcoholic champagne from France," he offered. Mark looked at me, I nodded my agreement, and a minute later the waiter was pouring two glasses of the fake bubbly. "Bottoms up," said Mark, and we clinked our glasses then each took a sip. It tasted a bit different, but it was refreshingly fizzy enough, which suited me fine, and besides I thought it was quite romantic to be sharing a bottle of champagne. I wondered if Mark did too, because he seemed to be staring at me a lot as we chatted. At first I had trouble returning his gaze, looking instead at the lipstick smudge on my champagne glass. Finally I spoke up. "Mark, how come you keep staring at me? Is something wrong?" He seemed surprised by my question. "Staring? Oh, sorry ... it's just that you've done it again. I mean, you look spectacular. Your hair, your dress - everything! And I happen to know what you looked like a little while ago." "Oh, you don't think I looked spectacular then?" I giggled. "Sopping wet? Covered in mud?" "Well, now that you mention it, you WERE kind of attractive, but in a different sort of way ..." This was already getting more serious than I ever expected, even though I was sure Mark was only trying to be amusing. Just then another waiter appeared and asked if we needed help with the menu. Mark told him we hadn't even looked at it yet. Then the waiter told us about the chef's specials and said he'd be back in a few minutes to take our order. We both opened our menus to see what other options there were. "You've been here before," I said. "Why don't you order for me?" This was yet another tactic I'd learned from 'Seventeen' magazine! "I don't know," Mark said with a smile, "that's a lot of pressure." "I promise I'll love whatever you choose for me. I like everything." "Even escargot?" "Uh ... I've never tried that - maybe something a bit more normal." "I'll do my best," he promised. "Do you like seafood?" "Most kinds." When the waiter returned, Mark expertly ordered appetizers, and for the entr?es he chose Coquilles St-Jacques for me and Boeuf Bourguignon for himself. I felt like I was dating a real man-about-town! "You HAVE done this before," I said when the man left. "I'm going to bribe the waiter to tell me who you were out with last time." Mark was clearly enjoying this. "Sure, go ahead, but you might want to save your money. I had lunch here with my Dad." "Are you SURE you've never brought a girl here before?" "Like I said, you're the first." When Mark uttered those words it struck me that he really thought of me as a girl! That realization somehow relaxed me, and I knew from that point on that Mark expected me to be 'his girl' that evening. And I knew I could do it - I just hoped and prayed I could do it well enough to please him. In no time Mark and I were once again deep in conversation about ourselves - our backgrounds, our parents, our siblings, our friends, and our likes and dislikes. As usual, my hands did a lot of my talking and as I'd hoped, my gorgeous nails sparkled and shone in the candlelight - catching Mark's attention several times and helping me to feel ultra-feminine. "Can I have a closer look?" he asked at last. I held out both hands for inspection, and as he took them in his my heart missed a beat. "They're very nice," he said softly. "I had them done just for you ..." "Thank you." I barely remember the arrival of the appetizers and the main courses, although I do recall that my Coquilles St-Jacques (otherwise known as scallops) were to die for. What I mostly remember was how Mark seemed to be totally captivated by me - he was always looking at me - at my face, my hands, or the sweetheart neckline of my dress - and never at anyone else, even when a nice looking girl passed by. I found myself more and more able to return his gaze as the evening went on. Eventually we turned our chairs so we were directly facing each other, and I was able to cross my legs giving him a good view of my legs and the hem of my dress. Mark was also quite funny to be with - and very positive, which I really liked. I don't think he said anything mean about anyone or anything. It seemed like every time he opened his mouth I smiled or giggled at what he said, and as a result I kept getting compliments about my smile. But sometimes he got more serious, and at those times I felt a little uneasy when he complimented me or told me he liked me. But as the evening progressed I loosened up a lot, and was able to give him my best dazzling smile in return, and even tell him how much I liked him too. Before dessert arrived I excused myself to go to the ladies' room, and ever the gentleman, Mark rose too. 'This guy was very well brought up,' I thought. The ladies' room was gorgeous - there were fresh flowers, fragrant potpourri and pretty hand towels, and the bronze taps and washbasins were spotless. I felt quite privileged to be able to be in there! Before leaving I spent a couple of minutes perfecting my makeup again, and re-applying lip color. In the soft light I noticed the skin on my legs and shoulders was still glowing beautifully from the baby oil - no wonder Mark couldn't take his eyes off me! I'd never felt so pretty as I did at that moment. When I got back to the table, our cr?me brule? was waiting. Mark rose and helped me get seated. "Dig in, Sandra." I loved how he said that name! I must admit, by now I was feeling quite amorous, even without any alcohol - the atmosphere and the company were intoxicating enough! My body was still turned towards him, with my bare legs crossed, in full view, and I felt ever-so-pretty in the white eyelet dress, my long hair draped around my neck and down in front on one side. Kath's description of me as 'eye candy' came to mind, and judging by the fact that Mark couldn't take his eyes off me, I knew she was right. 'Could it get better than this?' I asked myself. As I soon found out, it could and it would! "You have beautiful legs," Mark said. "They look so silky smooth - can I touch?" "Help yourself," I giggled, totally loving the nice compliment - and aching for him to touch me. Mark was still holding a dessert spoon in one hand, but with his other he ran his fingers over one of my knees and down the shin to my sandal. His mouth formed a 'WOW'. Then he put down the spoon and there were two hands on my leg! He began stroking the skin on my calf and I couldn't resist saying, "So you're a leg man, are you?" He laughed and nodded, "But they're SO silky-smooth! Can you blame me? Then he lifted my leg and slipped off the sandal to examine my foot. The lacy hem of my slip came into view as he did that! "Beautiful feet - so soft! I like your nails, too." "I get help." One of his hands found one of mine and he held on, stroking my wrist with his thumb. His eyes traveled from my fingers, up my arm, and settled on the bodice of my dress. "Did I tell you how much I like your dress? It looks so amazing on you." "Thank you ..." Could he possibly come up with more compliments? Could I stand any more? The answer was yes, and yes! "You know, Sandra," he said softly, shaking his head, "YOU are an absolutely stunning girl." I felt myself melting, but I managed to say, "Says the incredibly handsome man." He just smiled back at me and I began to feel desperate to kiss him. But we'd never done that before, so I didn't want to get my hopes up in case it didn't happen and I ended up disappointed once again. Mark let go my hand and gently put my leg back where it was. I leaned over to slip my sandal back on, wondering what would happen next. "Nice view from here," he said, and I looked up, realizing that he was staring at my cleavage ... things were definitely getting intimate now, and I began to think we needed to take a breather! Mark must have thought so too - he said it was getting late and we should be going. But I didn't want the evening to end so soon! Not yet! The waiter hadn't brought the check, so I asked, "Don't we have to pay?" Mark looked at me and shook his head. "Remember? My parents' treat." "Oh yeah ... they shouldn't have done that." "Let's not go into that again," he smiled. "How would you like to go for a short walk before I take you home?" "That sounds nice," I said eagerly. "How are you in those shoes?" "They're not exactly hiking boots, but if you don't make me run I'll be okay." Mark helped me with my shawl, and when we got outside I was glad to have it around my shoulders - the temperature was probably only about seventy-five. Not quite enough for the skimpy sundress I had on, but not exactly cold either. "Are you going to be warm enough?" Mark asked, genuine concern in his voice. 'I will be if you put your arm around me,' I thought. "Um ... I think I'll be fine - I'd really like to go for a walk. But no rain or mud please." He just chuckled and shook his head. The restaurant was across the street from a small public park. "Give me your hand," he said, and before I knew what was happening we were holding hands and crossing the road, which fortunately had very little traffic that late in the evening. But when we got to the opposite sidewalk, Mark didn't let go. I decided to kid him a bit. "Now that you're holding my hand, I feel MUCH warmer," I giggled, as we started down a dimly-lit paved walkway through the trees. But he didn't miss a beat. "Aw, that's too bad - I was hoping to hold more of you." I nearly gulped out loud - was he being serious? I tried to stick with the light, romantic mood we were both in. "Oh, I'm sure it'll get colder ..." "Let's hope it does." It seemed to me that the mood was getting a little more serious and a lot more romantic! We walked on in silence for another minute, and all I could hear was the sound of crickets and my heart beating. Soon we came to an old band shell, and Mark led me up the wooden steps until we were standing at 'center stage', then he turned me to face him and took my other hand as well. For what seemed like ages we just looked into each other's eyes. Mark was the first to speak. "Didn't you say you loved being on stage - like you felt totally yourself?" "It's true," I replied softly, keeping my eyes glued to his. "I think this is where I belong." I could tell Mark was absorbing everything about me in at that moment - my voice, my appearance, my fragrance ... and then it finally happened. He pulled me closer until our faces were only inches apart and we could feel each other's breath. Then the small gap separating us melted away and our lips met in a long, soft, sensuous kiss that was more amazing than anything I could have ever imagined. My arms slowly went up around Mark's neck and his went around my back, pulling me snugly against him. There was so much pent-up emotion in me, and it all flooded out during that kiss. My whole body was one huge mass of exploding tingles, like I was having a huge orgasm! And I felt so utterly female, with my breasts pressed hard against him, and a light breeze caressing my bare legs around the hem of my dress. Mark broke off the kiss for a few seconds, just long enough to whisper, "I thought maybe it was getting colder ..." "It was," I breathed. And with that we kissed again, for how long I have no idea. What I do know is that Mark had a very noticeable erection - I could feel it against my lower tummy, and the thought crossed my mind that I might get to play with it sometime - but certainly not that night. That night was for pure romance - sex could wait for another time, but I knew then that I really wanted it to happen. I wanted him so badly - all of him! And even better, I could tell he wanted me! How I kept the fact that I was really a boy out of my consciousness, I don't know, but I'm so glad I could totally enjoy the experience as a girl. Mark seemed to be enjoying Sandy the girl too - his hands went from my bare skin under the shawl to my bottom, and all over my back. I absolutely loved his warm touch, and I responded by kissing him more and more passionately, holding his face and sliding my fingers through his hair. Finally Mark broke off the kiss. He put his cheek against mine and whispered, "You have gorgeous lips too. I've wanted to kiss them for a long time." I couldn't believe what I was hearing - I was about to tell him how disappointed I was that he never did, but decided to preserve the moment and just said, "You should have." "And did I ever tell you how much I love your perfume?" "I only wear it for you." Mark backed up and looked me in the eyes again. "Thanks, Sandra. Thanks for being you." I gave him my best smile and said, "You're very welcome ... uh, I think we were going for a walk - shall we?" He nodded and held one of my arms to help me back down the steps. But when we were on solid ground he put his arm around my waist, and I followed suit, placing my arm under his jacket where it felt nice and warm. I'd never tried walking like that with someone, and we had to get in step, but soon we were strolling along just like all the young lovers I'd seen doing that many times over the years. I'd always felt a little jealous of them, but now at last it was MY turn! "You're a lot taller in those shoes," he said. "It's the heels, Mark." "I don't mind - it's kind of nice to have a tall girlfriend." "Oh, so now I'm your girlfriend? Does that mean you're my boyfriend?" "If it's okay with you," he replied. "I don't mind if you don't. But you're the one I'd be worried about. Like, my Mom thinks you're swell, but I'd hate to think what your folks would say if they really knew me." Mark laughed a bit and said, "You don't need to worry about my folks. They think you're amazing. Just like I do." I stopped and looked at his face. I could feel the start of tears in my eyes. "I'm sorry, it just blows me away that you feel that way - about me. You know everything about me and you treat me just like a regular girl. How come?" "Maybe because that's what you really are - I mean, you're not regular, you're a lot better than that. He chuckled, "You're right, I do know about you. But I was really starting to doubt that you were, uh ... you know - and then I saw you standing to pee this afternoon. But to me that doesn't necessarily make you a guy. It does make you kind of interesting, though." I was beginning to get confused, so I decided to change the subject a bit and ask the question that had been bugging me for over a month. "So why didn't you kiss me in the play? You kissed what's-her-name, Kirstie. Were you just too weirded out by me?" Mark shook his head. "Oh no - I wanted to kiss you ... I would have. I just thought I'd make trouble for you if I did that I front of all those people ... like your friends, your family ..." "Not to mention Justin Bradford," I added, beginning to see where he was coming from. "Who's that?" "Never mind, he's totally not important." "An old boyfriend?" Now it was MY turn to laugh. "NOT - he's a very annoying jerk. And I don't HAVE any old boyfriends. You're the first!" "You mean I'm the first guy you've ever kissed?" "You're number one," I nodded, fluttering my eyelashes at him. And it was true! I'd never even kissed my brother. On the lips, at least. "Well then I'm glad we saved our first kiss for tonight. It's a lot more romantic, don't you think?" Did I THINK?? At that moment I realized that Mark had to be a true romantic, like me. And a class act, too. This time I did the pulling, and when my lips were less than an inch from his I said, in my best sexy voice, "YOU are amazing, mister Mark McCowan. And this IS the most romantic night of my entire life." I'm sure it was several minutes before we came up for air again. If Mark had asked me to marry him I would have said YES on the spot, and damn my age and other complications. My crush on him had now become full-blown love. But I couldn't tell him that, at least not yet. And I wasn't going to press him any further on why such an eligible, good looking guy would pass up real girls for a 'pretend' one, since he'd already told me he considered me 'real'. So tonight, I promised myself, I would luxuriate in the romance of being a pretty young girl in love with a handsome young man. Eventually we made our way back to the restaurant, where Mark had the valet bring his car around, and once more I had the door held for me. 'I could get used to this,' I thought as I swung my legs into the car. Mark tipped the valet and we were on our way. The dashboard clock read 11:49! At twenty minutes past midnight we pulled up in my driveway, and I waited for Mark to open my door, giving him my hand so he could act the gentleman once more and help me out of the car. He closed it without letting go of me, and walked me to the door. I was hoping for a goodnight kiss and wasn't disappointed! This one must have lasted at least five minutes. When we finally broke it off, I wasn't ready to let go yet, so I put my hands on his face and said, "That was the best date anyone ever had. You're a very romantic man, mister Mark McCowan." "It's easy to be romantic around you, miss Sandra Johnson. I hope we can do this again soon." "I'll hold you to that, sir," I said as I turned the door handle, noticing that it was already unlocked. "Sleep tight, fair maiden." With that, he walked back to his car, turning and blowing me a kiss on the way. Mom was sitting on an easy chair in the living room when I walked in. "It's about time you came home, dear," she said a little sternly. "Sorry Mom, I think we lost track of time." My curfew was midnight, and it was now half-past. "Well, I'm glad you're home safe and sound. But your punishment will be to tell me all about your evening." I looked at Mom in surprise. She was smiling and winking at me! "Mom! Do you really want to know all the gory details? I don't know if you could handle it." "Maybe just the good parts - and I hope there weren't any bad ones." I giggled and plunked down on the sofa across from Mom, feeling very tired from my big adventure. "Where do I start? You already know how the hike went - I was almost drowned. But the evening was way better." "Where did you go?" I told Mom all about the restaurant, and how Mark's parents pre-paid for our dinner. She seemed concerned about that, just as I was. "I couldn't believe how fast the time went, Mom. We were there for over four hours and it only seemed like four minutes." "What did you talk about all that time?" "Oh, I dunno, like everything! It was like you said, Mom - the conversation was so easy. We must really be compatible." Mom was listening intently to everything I said. Maybe too intently. "So if you were there four hours, where were you the rest of the time?" I smiled and said, "We went for a walk in a park afterwards. Oh, and thanks for lending me your shawl - it kept me nice and warm." "Is that all that kept you warm?" "MOM!" I giggled. "He was very nice - a real gentleman. Yes, he did put his arm around me, if you must know." "I bet that's not all he did, Sandra." "Okay, so he kissed me ... a few times." "Now the truth comes out," she nodded, a stern expression on her face. "I know, because I saw you kissing on the front porch. Is there anything else you'd like to share?" "Um, not really - he did say he thinks I'm beautiful. I think he really likes me a lot." "I should hope so - he must feel that way if he kissed you. I just don't quite understand why he's so attracted to you - I mean, you ARE very attractive ... oh, you know what I mean." "Yeah, I do," I agreed. "I don't totally get it either. But Mom, I had the most wonderful romantic night of my life. Oh - after our night in Disneyland, that is." Mom laughed and shook her head. "That wasn't a romantic night, Sandra, it was a 'rotic' night. You said so, remember?" That got me giggling. "Okay, so now I've had the most rotic night and the most romantic night. I'm such a lucky girl!" "And which was better?" That was a leading question I knew I had to duck. "I'll never tell," I said with a wink. ***** I climbed into bed with my satin white nigh