If I weighed all the bad things about my first week of school, against the good, it would be a very lopsided affair, but it only takes one good thing to wash all the shit away. All it takes is a little bit of hope.

Thanks to a raging addiction to slot machines, booze, and a city council that has a finger in every bar and nightspot in town, the city’s population were the recipients of its first ever water events center. It makes the locals feel better knowing that every bet they make, and every drop they drink contributes to the improvement of our town.

What’s special about a ’water events center?’ Well it’s more than just a swimming pool, it’s an Olympic sized portion of water where events can be held, with multi-level diving boards, a 50meter pool, a wave pool, sauna and even a stadium. But the two biggest assets were the hydro-slide and it’s location, right next to our school.

3JS descended upon the pool like a tidal wave. Hardly anyone had ever been on a hydro-slide before and in the excitement everyone forgot to be assholes to each other. Simon kept his mouth shut, Mark wasn’t too cool for the pool, and Brent and Evan let me share a locker to store my clothes.

Everyone was so focused on the intense fun to come, that we didn’t notice what was going on at the other end of the pool, until it was too late.

’There’s girls out there’ announced Simon, and everyone froze.

’No fucking way’ said a voice from the back of the changing room.

’Don’t let Mike go near them, he’ll scare them away’ said Simon, his pun lacking any venom, just good natured fucking around, like it should be all the time. Everyone sucked in their gut and puffed out their chests as we made our way past the girls to the hydro-slide.

’No boners’ boys’ Mark added. ’I don’t want anyone coming behind me in the slide with a boner, we don’t want any accidents.’

’Better let Sam go first then, or none of our asses will be safe’ I chimed in daringly. Sam’s brief glimmer of anger died when he saw everyone enjoying the banter. It was only a joke, and Sam was a natural target because in our swimming trunks, he looked more man than boy.

There’s a strong man in every class, someone who looks and sounds older, and Sam’s life on the family farm had filled his muscles out, while also making him the hairiest of us all.

There was no way this morning could get any better...

There were no rules in the early days of hydro-sliding. You could go down on your own or in a group, with no waiting whatsoever between one person and the next. You could stop halfway and create a blockage, and watch the water rise up around your neck.

’I can’t breathe’ screamed Evan during one such blockage.

’Shut up’ half a dozen voices shouted at him, myself included, although I was a little concerned as the water was up to my neck as well.

’Sam’s coming, he’s got a boner’ Simon was at the back of the pile, and his words had an instant effect. An explosion of arms and legs went barreling down the slide at speeds far in excess of what it was designed.

Fortunately no one drowned, although it wasn’t due to any conscious effort, but due to the build up of pressure that became impossible to hold for longer than 30 seconds.

Then the girls joined in. There must have been at least two classes of girls, as some looked our age, while others definitely looked more mature, physically mature that is.

’We gotta do a block’ Sam insisted, ’We’ll wait for the next group of girls to come up, then jump in just before them.’ Myself, Mark, and half a dozen boys eagerly agreed, although a blockage with girls in the mix could be dangerous. Mark’s worst fears truly could be realized - a tangle of arms, legs, torsos, torsos with breasts, and the subsequent erections.

’Hope no one gets pregnant’ I added.

With Sam at the front, the block held for nearly a minute, while I came close to being submerged, but it was worth it. The girls crashed into us, with screams of joy, I think. I mean, they did laugh, then shriek, cry out, then scream again. All girls scream, it’s just what they do, it’s just hard to always define between screams of joy and terror.

Then it began, my worst nightmare, a boner. I had no control, it was because of the girl behind, actually, it wasn’t the whole girl, just her chest that was pressed against my back. Who would have thought that breasts crushed against your back could feel so nice? You can’t hide your affection in swim shorts, especially wet swim shorts, as they tend to hang off it.

I tried getting to know the rest of the girl behind me. I turned my head and said ’hi’.

I’d like to say it was love at first sight, but it was not exactly so, although she was certainly quite a sight. She had wet blond hair, blue eyes, and looked my age, although her chest would suggest otherwise. But girls do develop early.

’Mike’s got a boner’ screamed Mark, his worst fears coming true.

’Pervert’ screeched the girl behind me.

Fortunately the pressure was too much, and Sam’s arms finally gave way, and me and my erection were torn from the blonde beauty behind me. My first physical contact with a girl’s chest, and she’d called me a pervert.  I prayed I would never see her again. But we don’t often get what we wish for.

How do you say sorry to a blonde beauty with an over-developed chest for her age? You don’t. You stay as far away from her as possible. You can’t even risk going near her because saying ’sorry’ doesn’t really mean anything if your body acts on its own behalf, but fate is neither kind nor mean, it just is, and it brought us together again.

Walking towards me was a breast. Not a pair of breasts, but a single, exposed breast; the blonde blue-eyed girl’s breast.

I should say something, but only a squeak escaped, and she looked at me in newfound suspicion. But she hadn’t noticed the right, upper side of her swim suit had come down. How could she not notice her beautiful breast being thrust up and out like that? How could she not notice my bulging eyes as I tried desperately to peel them away? She would be so humiliated if I said something, but she’d be even more humiliated if the rest of the guys saw her like this. I had to do the right thing. She’d have to thank me.

As she climbed into the slide I tapped her on the shoulder, and as her head turned toward mine, her suspicion had turned to disgust, her eyes said ’fuck-off’ while her mouth hissed ’what?’

’Your...um... your... your...’ I stuttered, and she was about to turn away when my mouth caught up with my raging thoughts, ’I can see your tit, your tit’s out. I’m sorry, I didn’t stare, I promise.’ Her eyes dropped to her chest and she screamed ’Oh my god’ before clutching her swimsuit and covering her exposed flesh.

’You watched me walk by, you pervert...’ I protested my innocence,

’I’m sorry, but, I didn’t know what to say, I didn’t stare, I promise.’ Maybe it was my own look of horror, but her eyes softened.

’Don’t tell anyone, promise?’ I nodded my head.

’I promise, no one will ever find out.’

She seemed convinced of my sincerity and turned back to the slide

’What’s your name?’ I blurted. She paused, making up her mind, before she finally said, ’Alice.’ With that she launched herself down the slide.

I was in love, and I had no idea if I was in love with Alice or with her body parts, but I was determined to find out if it was one or the other... or both.

We had no further contact that day, and I had no idea when or how our paths would or could ever cross again. But I could only hope.

Next Chapter: Snippet for book 3