Why I Knew It Was Time To Stop, Even Though We Had Barely Started

Because even then I knew a boy would tell his friends everything that happened.

And to give that first boy credit, because he knew the chemicals in his body made it impossible to resist telling every friend he knew what happened. If he stopped, surely he realized he would have me to himself all that longer, a possible reason I find sweet even now.

Because we were both young, and we knew it, and there was no arguing—not even, as I said, any discussion necessary.

We were good kids.