“Daddy, please.” Regina cried out, tears running down her face like runners in a marathon. “No, Regina. You’re too young to be ‘in love’.” Mr. Hogart pointed at the door. “Get out of my house you… you boy! And you will never see my daughter again, you hear!” Jeremiah stood outside the door, hands clenched and face stern. Suddenly Regina let out a loud wail. “This is so unfair.” She muttered between sobs. Mr. Hogart kept the same face. His morals led him to believe that love is only for married people. He didn’t believe in homosexuality or sex before marriage. “But dad,” Her arms were outstretched and ready for a big explanation. “No buts, Regina.” He turned sharply towards Jeremiah. “Didn’t I tell you to get out of my house?” Jeremiah was still standing there. “Mr. Hogart, not to be disrespectful, but me and your daughter are in love and,” Mr. Hogart turned in the direction of the living room. He picked up the phone and returned to his post between Regina and Jeremiah. What he found was his daughter and her boyfriend embraced within each other. His face became red. He separated the two and pushed Jeremiah out the door. “Mr. Hogart!”

Dinner was very awkward. Regina didn’t touch her food and stayed up in her room the whole time. Her cell phone was taken away and all computer privileges were banned.


It was 9pm and her favorite song was heard outside. She had wrapped herself in her sheets in her locked room and it took a while to unwrap. She was going to the window when she saw Jeremiah standing outside with a boom box over his head. She giggled a bit and rolled her eyes. “What are you doing here?” she whispered. “I couldn’t be another minute without you, babe.” He lowered the boom box and turned the volume down. He blushed a little.

A few minutes later, Regina returned to sight. She had changed to jeans, a red tee shirt and a white hoodie. Her hair was pulled back in a ponytail and a bag was slung over her shoulders. “If you love me you’ll leave with me.” Regina had been thinking about this for a while. She packed last year, hoping something like this would happen. She was 16 and felt that she was old enough to be anything she wanted and do anything. She had golden-brown skin that glowed in the dim moonlight. Her hair had been pressed the previous night so it was basically okay. Jeremiah on the other hand, was Spanish. His hair was wavy and long and his face was amazingly cute. His eyes were deep and sensitive.
Jeremiah had been waiting for her to say that for a long time. “If I didn’t love you, I wouldn’t be here.” Regina grinned. “Touché!” She exclaimed. She threw her bag on the ground and jumped out the window. It wasn’t a long way down. Just 10 or so feet.







***

“Where do you wanna go?” Jeremiah asked. The car roared. “The gas station?” Regina said dumbly. “Seriously!” Jeremiah exclaimed. “Anywhere. I just wanna be alone. You don’t know how long I’ve been wanting to do this: run away and leave the house, to go somewhere with you. I feel so… so,” Jeremiah interrupted. “Like me?” he asked. He stopped the car abruptly. “Well, not technically.”

“Regina. We’ve been going out for a really long time now and I think we should take it to the next level. You know,” he paused awkwardly. Regina’s mouth dropped. She had to admit, that idea crossed her mind a few times, but she never thought Jeremiah would think about that. He was too nice of a guy to ever misuse her.

“Are you sure?” she asked, hoping he would say no, it was a thought. “Well, that’s why I’m asking you. If you’re not okay than I can wait.” You could tell in his eyes he was ready. Ready to give his all to her.

Regina wasn’t sure if she was ready. If she gave herself to a guy totally, he might just leave her somewhere. But Jeremiah wasn’t like that. He wouldn’t do that to her. Would he?

She went closer to him and gave him a kiss. Not a pity kiss, but a real kiss. “If you love me, then you’ll wait.” She smiled awkwardly. Hopefully he would understand. Hopefully.