Her first foray into the world of sex came during a summer trip with childhood friends. All of them were college freshmen with most of them going to different schools. This was their annual bonding event to ensure they’d always remain friends.
The destination was Las Vegas after successfully begging their parents for permission and lots of cash. For several days they planned on exploring city life within legal limits. They had tickets for concerts, performances, and even planned out which destinations they’d visit.
It was presumed that they’d stick together the entire time. After all, what are friends on a trip for? But that wasn’t the case.
Every so often, a friend would make a lame excuse for leaving a group activity, something about needing ‘personal time alone.’ Others were blunt about what they were doing. They were having sex with random hook-ups they’d meet.
Whenever they got together again as a group, there was plenty of blushing, sometimes laughter, lots of shame. In private, there was gossip and judgemental comments, and snide remarks about morality.
Everyone in the group was a hypocrite though. All of them had a sexual experience like that during the trip.
In that moment in time, her sexuality found its balance. She was an adult now and the rules were different.
The next defining moment of her sexuality is as follows…
Kate Miller began her second year of an all-girls private college. At elite institutions like that, cliques are everything. There were the popular girls, the geeks, the outcasts. Most of the girls came from rich families with influence in society.
Academically, it was a competitive place. Grading was done on a curve and awards were given publicly to the top students. As for sports? Trophies were large and standing on the field with the winning team was alluring.
The pressure on all fronts was enormous. It was an open secret that many of the girls had eating disorders to maintain the ‘perfect’ figure. Everyone wanted to be the prettiest (whatever that meant), the most slender, the best at sports, and the top of the class.
It was the perfect recipe for girls wanting their peers to fail.
Despite having all of the things that made a toxic environment, the institution was still a place of reverence. Their programs were world-class and the teachers were esteemed. Attending a place like this opens doors, socially and career-wise.
Somewhere amidst the chaos were girls like Kate Miller, who came from respectable families, but didn’t have wealth, and didn’t have the same bond as the popular girls, who’d known each other for years.
Kate was academically minded, but she was also an athlete on the Lacrosse team. Tall and lanky, she stood out compared to the other girls. Where most students were outgoing and eager for parties, Kate often retreated to her dorm. Having little in common with most of her peers, it turned out, was a blessing in disguise.
The evolution of her sexuality started with an announcement.
“We’re aggressively expanding our arts programs,” a teacher said at the end of class. “Everything from writing and painting, to stage work. It’s a concerted effort to get students to broaden their interests. We’re also expanding our ties to the local art community.”
Emails were sent out, flyers were posted on walls, and teachers made announcements regarding upcoming events. Students buzzed with excitement for potential career opportunities. Everything from writing competitions, to more theater programs, to student art galleries.
Many of these were extracurricular, but some allowed students to earn extra credit for particular classes.