HOPE’s POVThe fire burns and embers of the flame crackles in the air, adding to the already heightened tension in the cave.I sit on one end of the fire and Blake on the other. Both of us have our arms crossed and we are not looking at each other. I am looking at my muddy sneakers and Blake, I couldn’t care to see what he is fascinating himself with right now. Larry sits crossed-legged between us fidgeting every once in a while and picking at his nose. He sneaks a peek at us from time to time and attempts to rub his palms together near the dancing flames only to quickly pull back when the heat scorches his hand.“Umm…”Larry clears his throat as he inspects his palm, “so, what’s our plan?”At his question, both of us look at him. Our eyes meet, Blake’s and mine. His gaze feels like a caress, it is as if his eyes have the power to undress me, to touch me…NO! Damnit, Hope, get a grip. I cannot let myself be pulled in by his gaze. So in the end, it is I who tears my gaze away. “You mea

HOPE’s POVOnce when I was younger and dad was still alive, I accidentally stumbled upon his secret stash of porn magazines. There was a particular edition; it was called ‘summer fling’ and right smack in the middle of the magazine, there was a set of pictorials depicting a couple having sex.The girl in the photos looked like she was in seventh heaven or something while the guy pumped into her. She did not look like she was in pain. Nope, not at all.Reality is so much different.Blake slams into me. Searing pain cuts through me as Blake tears through my virginity. I scream, “ARGHHHH!”It hurts, and yet, strangely, I want more of him. I want all of his massiveness in me, filling me. Blake stops for a second and leans down to kiss my forehead. His breathing is harsh and ragged, like mine.“I’m going to move in and out of you, Hope.”I close my eyes as he eases out slowly and I bite down on my lip. I won’t scream. I won’t scream. I won’t –He pounds into me again and another scream tea

Hope’s POV“Mom!” I scream.My eyes snap wide open only to be greeted by darkness. Still caught in the web of my nightmare, I spring to my feet and up from the ground.“Mom…” my scream trails to a whisper when I realize that it was a dream. My chest is drenched with sweat and my heart is pounding. The dream…it felt so real.I hug myself and realize that I am trembling, I have to make a conscious effort to stop this silliness. It’s just a dream.Or is it? A voice inside of my head asks. I shoo it away and narrow my eyes to adjust to the darkened vision. Except for a faint glow of light and shadows coming from the winding curve of the cave, everything else is dark.I close my eyes and take slow deep breaths. My ribs feel tight and my muscles tense. I wiggle a toe, it cracks loudly and my toes touch my blouse that lays on the ground. Instantly, memories of what happened earlier sprout up like mushrooms and flood my mind.Blake. His kiss, his touch and most of all, him, all of him inside