"All right," Marilyn agreed reluctantly.

He drove down her street to where it dead ended in a clump of trees. He carefully edged the car off the pavement and into the trees. He picked a place to park that was completely hidden from all sides.

"It's nice here," he said. "Don't you think so?"

"Yes," Marilyn agreed.

Timmy leaned across the seat and kissed Marilyn on the cheek.

"You smell nice," he said.

Marilyn didn't know how to answer as Timmy got out of the car and went back to the trunk. He took the blanket and two beers out. He spread the blanket on the ground and then came back to the car.

"Let's sit out here," he said. "It'll be more comfortable."

She got out of the car and sat down on the blanket. She tucked her skirt in carefully around her. Timmy was getting paper cups out of his back seat.

Marilyn shivered and it wasn't from the cold. She was afraid. She was sixteen years old and this was the first time she'd ever been alone in the woods with a boy. It was wrong. She'd been taught all her life that it was wrong. Yet she didn't want to leave. She was curious about what happened next.

Timmy popped open one beer and emptied it into two paper cups. He handed her one.

"Have you ever had beer?" Timmy asked. "Sure," she said.

He smiled and she knew he realized she was lying.

"Well, take it easy," he said.

She sipped at the cup and felt the fiery liquid go through her. Timmy sat down beside her. She felt his rough hand on her knee.

"You know something," Timmy said huskily. "I think you're better looking than any of those girls you pal around with."

Somehow Timmy had easily picked up on what was troubling her. His words made her feel warm. She snuggled closer to him even though she knew it was a dangerous thing to do. She wanted to hear more nice things from him.