The Girl Most Likely To... by Susan Donovan

person who ever used that nickname, and it sounded so comforting and safe that she wanted to cry. She took a deep breath of himhe smelled earthy and sweet, and she could detect the lingering traces of bath soap and deodorant. He had probably taken a shower just before bed.
    I'm calling the police this time.
    He'll take it out on me.
    I'm telling Big Daddy, then. Maybe he can talk some sense into him. One day he's going to kill her.
    Please just hold me.
    Riley did. He brought his arms around her back and hugged her as tight as she could stand. After a few moments, he raised his hand to the back of her head, and slipped her hair from the ponytail holder. Kat snuggled closer, feeling her ribs against his. She felt her small breasts being squashed between them. She threw her top leg over his and held on, like they were falling through the sky and he was the only one with a working parachute.
    When she couldn't hold it in anymore, she cried.
    Riley let her, stroking her hair and whispering to her that everything would be all right.
    Who do you love? he asked.
    Riley James Bohland, forever and ever, she said between sobs.
    Who do I love?
    Katharine Ann Cavanaugh, forever and ever.
    That's right. And when we get married, we're going to live so far away that Virgil will be nothing but a bad memory. What kind of car do you want?
    A Jeep with the top down.
    And what's the first house we're going to buy together?
    The ski cabin in Colorado.
    Then?
    The beach house in California.
    Next?
    Our penthouse in New York.
    Are you doing OK?
    Kat nodded, her tears slowing. I'm always OK when I'm with you.
    Good. How many kids will we have?
    Two.
    One girl and one boy?
    Yes.
    Which will be first?
    The girl.
    No, the boy.
    Kat giggled a little.
    And what will we do for the rest of our lives?
    Be happy.
    That's right. Riley kissed the top of her head. Hey, you got little purple things all over you.
    Kat pulled her face from its hiding place in the crook of his neck and looked up into his blue eyes, so deep they almost looked black. I fell into a lilac bush.
    How'd that happen?
    She felt kind of silly, but she told him the truth. I jumped out of my bedroom window.
    You're all wet.
    Kat sniffled and wiped her eyes. Sorry. All my crying must have gotten your shirt wet.
    No. I mean down here on your legs. You're wet.
    I think I got scraped up and I'm bleeding.
    Riley tossed back the covers and pulled away so he could look at her. Oh my God! he whispered.
    Kat stared down at the front of Riley's body and gasped. Something shifted inside her core. The awareness was so deep and intense it was almost uncomfortable. She'd heard about how this could happen to boys, that sometimes guys woke up with hard-ons because they'd had sex dreams.
    But she didn't know they got /that/ hard!
    She continued to gawk. A rush of heat moved through her, the likes of which she'd never experienced. Her mouth went dry. Her nipples tingled.
    All she wanted was to press up against that hardness. Her body insisted she do it.
    Shit, Kat. There's blood all over you.
    I told you I got scraped up.
    No. I'm mean it's smeared all over the inside of your legs. /What?/ Kat looked down at herself and froze in embarrassment. This could not be happening. Blood had soaked through the crotch of her seersucker shorts and spread out into the fabric. A thin, sticky smear of red covered the inside of both of her thighs.
    I think you started your period.
    Kat recoiled, pushing herself away from Riley as she groaned out in horror. What girl would want the boy she loved to see that? What had she ever done to deserve such a terrible fate? She leaped up from the bed, and Riley followed her.
    Kat was heading toward the window when he jumped in front of her, blocking her exit. Kat couldn't stop herselfshe looked to see if he was still hard. He was. Harder, even. She tried to swallow, but it was like she couldn't remember how.
    You started your period. So what? It's no big deal.
    She put her face in her