Her First Five Minutes: A Short Story.

A girl contemplates whether or not she is a virgin and questions what it takes to earn a place in womanhood.

A 2023 Island Literary Awards rejected piece for the Adult Short Story Award and the LGBTQ Award. Written by Jocelyn McLean Adams, an author of "Low Artistic Merit." 😘

Her First Five Minutes.

Caitlin was surprised at how easily it went in—not that she had any idea of what to expect. She had heard from Maddy that it might be painful her first time, tight. And, there might even be blood. Oh god, I'm not sure whether I could handle blood, she thought. However, Caitlin was assured that these were all necessary evils of becoming a woman. Next time would be easier and hurt less. Just close your eyes, and let your mind wander, was one of Maddy's suggestions, trust me, it’ll be over before you know it. But, Caitlin had some significant anxiety about this whole thing and already decided that mindfulness wasn't going to cut it on its own. So, she paired Maddy’s advice with a handful of pills. And, thank fuck she did. A muscle clenched somewhere deep inside of her, and she twitched impulsively; it wasn't cute, but more startling than painful. That couldn’t stop Caitlin’s tear ducts from engaging, so she gently pressed her eyelids together and leaned back, sinking deep into the pillows.