It was well passed dinner and the sun was setting. Delia looked past the curtain in the window near her front door for the third time and sighed. She was starting to think that Tino had changed his mind.

Just then there was a flash of someone's headlights through the window. The girl dared to look again and was pleasantly surprised to see Tino's hot rod sitting across the street.

"Bye, my ride is here. I promise to be back by eleven," she called to her parents and then slipped out the door.

She started to run over to the car, but caught herself halfway. She didn't want to appear too eager.

"Hey beautiful," he greeted her through his open window. "Jump in and let's go."

She did as he asked and buckled her seatbelt. She had decided to wear a dress and her date noticed right away, evidenced by his hand on her bare knee.

"You've got great legs, Delia," Tino said suggestively.

"Thanks, Tino," she replied nervously, though she appreciated that he used her name again.

"So what did you tell your folks?" he asked intrigued by what story she may have given them.

"I just told them I was studying for a big test with some friends," she said with a shrug.

"And they were cool with that. Damn, good kids can get away with murder if they want," Tino chuckled.

"It's true that they trust me, so I have to be home by 11pm. I hope that's okay?" she said a little less sure.

"Whatever makes it work so we can do this again...I mean if we want to," he told her with a wink.

"Seriously? I thought you would be put off," she confessed.

"Not at all. So, what are you up for? Do you actually want to se a movie, or would you rather go someplace and get to know each other better?" Tino asked with one of his easy smiles.

"I guess maybe we could get to know each other better," Delia replied shyly. "Hmmm, good choice," he said with a squeeze of her knee.

They drove for a short while and ended up parking near the river. It was a known make-out spot that Delia had heard other kids gossip about at school.

"It's a nice night," Tino commented as they watched the sky grow darker and the stars start to twinkle.

"This is much more romantic than I thought it would be," she confided as she looked over at him.

"Oh yeah? I guess you like that sort of thing?" he said without judgement, just trying to get a better understanding of how to approach her.

"Maybe...but you don't have to do anything that you don't want to. You don't have to pretend, or whatever," Delia informed him casually.

"Wow, that sounds like something I should be telling you," he marvelled.

"Oh, right," she noted with a flush to her cheeks.

"Hey, Delia...I'm gonna kiss you now," he told her as he leaned over did just that.

It wasn't the same as the night before. It was a lot more intense and a fair bit dirtier. Delia felt it in her toes and then she felt it in other, more private places.

"If you can do all that with a kiss I don't know that I'll survive anything more," she panted when they finally parted.

"Hmmm, you liked that?" he mused with a mischievous grin.

She nodded and leaned over to meet him again. This time his right hand found her left breast and his right hand moved between her legs. Alarm bells went off in her head as she remembered Rayanne instructing her to keep her legs crossed.

"Wait," she said as she pulled away and put a hand on his right hand, stopping his progress. "Having second thoughts?" he pouted with disappointment.

"I don't know," she said in all honesty.

"I think you'll like it...I mean, I'm not asking you to do the same if that's what you're worried about?" said Tino with another one of his smiles.

Delia had not in fact thought about what he was suggesting, but now was very worried about it.

"Isn't that what boys want? For girls to do stuff to them?" she asked skeptically and frowned. "Most boys..." he started to say with an expression that matched her own.

Delia looked out her window and crossed her legs. She wasn't sure she was really ready for whatever he wanted to do next.

"Did you ever mess around with Rayanne?" she asked without looking back at him.

"What? Where did that come from? No way...she's like family. We've known each other forever. It would be weird," he rambled with some annoyance.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to offend you," she muttered into her lap.

Tino turned the key in the ignition causing Delia to look at him again.

"What are you doing?" she asked unsure.

"I'm taking you home," he replied curtly. "I don't think you want to be here."

"I just thought we were getting to know each other," she said, obviously confused.

"I think I know enough about you now to know this isn't going to happen," he grumbled.

"So it was just about sex," Delia snarked defensively.

Tino turned off the engine again and turned towards her.

"Obviously you didn't pick up on what I was telling you. So let me be more direct," he told her making direct eye contact.

"I adore beautiful girls. I just wanted to show you my appreciation. This means I want to kiss you and touch you and worship you," he continued as she stared at him blankly. "But we don't have to have sex. Not everything is about actual sex...And I can't believe I have to explain myself to some stuck up sophomore."

As he finished his lecture he turned back to face forward and start the engine again. Delia was overwhelmed and unused to being belittled by good looking, older boys. She started to cry. She did her best to keep herself together, but failed.

"Oh for fuck's sake, are you crying now?" he cursed and hit the steering wheel.

He shut the engine off for the second time and reached behind his seat. He pulled out a box of tissues and tossed it to her.

"I'm sorry," she said, her voice trembling. She blotted her eyes and blew her nose.

"You're making me feel like a bad guy. I am not a bad guy," he told he adamantly. Then when she stayed quiet he asked, "Why are you crying?"

"I don't know. I guess you made me feel stupid," she said with a half shrug.

"You're kidding?" Was his only remark.

"I don't like being treated like some stupid kid. Why is that hard to understand?" she moped.

"Well sorry, little girl, but you knew what to expect when I asked you to come out with me. It's not my fault that you changed your mind. I mean...good for you, but own it and stop acting like a victim," Tino replied heartlessly.

"I think you should take me home now," Delia told him quietly. "With pleasure."

They drove back in silence. Tino was too annoyed to even put the radio on. He didn't look at Delia once and kept his hands to himself.

As they stopped across from the girl's house, Delia thought about thanking him, but decided that was just her polite upbringing and really had no reason to thank him for anything.

The curly haired brunette got out and waited while another car went past.

"Just so you know. I won't say anything about tonight," he called from behind her. She turned and walked to his driver's side window.

"What did you say?" she asked unsure of what he meant.

"I just meant that I wouldn't sully your reputation, or whatever," he clarified with a shrug.

"Oh, well nothing happened," she said tersely.

"As far as I'm concerned, I was never here," Tino informed her flatly.

"Whatever," she replied with annoyance.

Then she crossed the street and went in her house. Tino shook his head and cursed himself for thinking he that this girl was worth his time.