My high school graduation was a time of firsts. For my school, it was the first time every graduating student was over the age of 18. For my best friend, Cyndi, it was the first time she had the courage to prove her stepfather wrong about something and actually graduate. For me, it was the first time I had sex with a boy. And the first time I had sex with a girl. And the first time I had sex with more than one person at once – and…well you get the idea!

It all started the day before graduation. Cyndi and I were in my bedroom getting ready to go to the rehearsal when she started crying. I put down the dress I had been getting out of the closet and put my hands on her shoulders. “Cyndi, what’s wrong??”

“Nothing is wrong, I’m just so happy! (sob)”

“Cyndi!” I put my arms around her in a nice, comforting hug while she shook, the sobs eventually dying down.

“It’s just – well, you know my stepfather.”

I nodded. I knew her stepfather only too well. Cyndi’s father had left when she was 11 and her mother had married this arrogant bastard in less than a year after that – probably out of loneliness and needing to pay the rent.